| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Car free day throughout the Chiswick High Rd area? | |
| Posted by: | Andrew OSullivan | |
| Date/Time: | 15/07/18 11:02:00 |
| Probably the first thing to stress is that it is extremely unlikely that Chiswick High Road would ever be closed. Nobody in authority is suggesting it should happen. There is a lot of public money available to fund 'awareness raising' events like this but any application for this idea would almost certainly fail. Tony, who started this thread, works for TfL and maybe he is being slightly mischievous but it would be a Hounslow Council initiative as they control the road. Ironically any such plan would almost certainly be vetoed by TfL who would be concerned if there was an incident on the A4 while Chiswick High Road was shut. Even if you refuse to accept this is the case, gaining a basic knowledge of the road layout in the area would make it clear to you that this idea is totally impractical. I don't know the area to the south of Chiswick High Road as well as that to the north so most of these objections will focus there. Firstly let's assume that Chiswick High Road is closed on a Saturday from the junctions with Heathfield Terrace and Turnham Green Terrace. This would require a diversion up Acton Lane, past Chiswick Park tube station, along South Parade, along Bath Road and then down Goldhawk Road. The immediately obvious problem is that this would require the diversion of six bus routes along these roads leading to a total of eight routes using them. There would then be roughly seventy buses an hour. Even if you assume no other vehicles used the diversion this would be enough to cause gridlock. Karen has suggested parking suspension along the route but the problem with this is that most of the diversion is not in Hounslow Borough. It is extremely unlikely that Ealing or Hammersmith & Fulham would agree to parking suspensions. Come to that they almost definitely wouldn't allow their roads to be used as diversions - yet another reason why this is a non-starter. Let's just assume all of these problems magically disappear there are plenty of other issues that arise. On a Saturday morning the classes at the ArtsEd mean that that section of the road is regularly congested anyway. Apart from here there are numerous pinch points that will still be problematic for buses and lorries to pass even if no cars are parked. Closure of the High Road will mean no bus serves the medical centre which will make things very difficult for any elderly or disabled person needing to attend. Also the London Ambulance Service, with their station on Goldhawk Road would definitely object to the diversion as it would close off one road and possibly make the alternative impassable to their vehicles. It may be that the problems on the diversion would be mitigated enough for traffic to flow if the day was literally a car free day and buses, taxis and delivery lorries retained access to Chiswick High Road but this would make it impossible to hold any events which would make the day a bit pointless. Also as cars are only responsible for 22% of NOx emissions on Chiswick High Road it would make no sense to allow vehicles that cause over 70% of the pollution to continue to use it. Another alternative might be to leave Turnham Green Terrace open which would reduce some of the pressure on the rest of the diversion route but it would probably quickly become a logjam particularly due to all the extra buses and once again the purpose of the event would be defeated. It has also been claimed that one reason for holding the event would be to boost trade and that local businesses who don't think it will require a bit of re-education so that they will learn to understand that people not being able to drive to them to pick up things they have bought is good for their business. The reality is that car free day wouldn't deter that many people from driving to shop. You will only have a problem if you want to drive across the High Road but it will still be easy enough to find parking although you may need to park a couple of hundred yards further away. It isn't parking that has made any suggestions like this so unpopular with traders in other areas. The problem they have is that these events are part funded by the selling of concession stalls along the closed road. It may be that footfall does increase on a car free day but local businesses who have just seen a massive increase in rates are likely to not see much benefit from any extra shoppers. It shouldn't be forgotten that even if the money comes from central government or a pot for encouraging initiatives of this nature it still could have been used towards building schools and hospitals. The signage, public notices, stewarding, towing vehicles for clearance and staff planning time would probably mean that the whole thing would cost a six figure sum. Quite who benefits from this remains a bit of a mystery - local people - no, local businesses - no, local air quality - no. That the disbenefits are so obvious and the benefits are so difficult to identify means that it will never happen - what surprises me is that some people continue to suggest it might be a good idea. |