| Topic: | Re:Re:Increased casualties at Chiswick Lane | |
| Posted by: | Francis Rowe | |
| Date/Time: | 26/11/24 09:34:00 |
| While I don't deny liking the odd tipple, it has been a long time since I have been on a multiple day bender. If I have said that the Rivercourt Road closure will categorically result in more casualties at Chiswick Lane and Dukes Avenue then I misspoke. What will definitely happen is that the risk of collisions happening will increase as more vehicles will be crossing junctions at these points. Less serious collisions and near misses are happening all the time. Chiswick High Road had the lowest number of traffic casualties for 12 years because it had the lowest number of motor vehicles (excluding Covid affected years) using it since the Department for Transport began collecting records in 2000. This shows that they have fallen from over 20,000 to 12,984. These numbers also show that the number of pedal cycles on the central section of Chiswick High Road fell from 2020 to 2023 which will also explain reduced collisions. As these trends don't match the rest of London it has to be assumed that the layout changes introduced by the Cycleway and the resulting capacity reductions caused by lane reductions and traffic light phase changes have caused additional congestion encouraging drivers to seek other routes or possibly some of these journeys 'evaporated'. https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/16867 When dealing with matters of risk it isn't right to use narrowed definitions to try and make your case. The serious collision at the Chiswick Lane junction took place in 2022 when to all intents and purposes, the cycleway was fully operational. The recent one at Dukes Avenue involved a scooter. The point is that collisions have happened and more are likely to occur if more vehicles are using these junctions. While it can't be absolutely stated that C9 hasn't made Chiswick High Road safer, clearly the main reason for fewer collisions is fewer motor vehicles. Unfortunately this hasn't worked in the King Street section where, despite there also being fewer vehicles collisions have risen. For that reason, it is hard to argue against H&F Council wanting to tackle the collision black spots in their borough. It may also be true that by transferring traffic flow across signalised junctions in Hounslow Borough on Chiswick High Road, overall risk is lowered but what can't be denied is that this restriction moves risk in our direction. When concerns were raised about the cycleway particularly regarding crossover points on a bi-directional route, you dismissed the risk and you were wrong. You are dismissing this risk now and I hope you are not wrong again but your track record does not fill me with confidence. |