'Obstructive' Street Sign On Turnham Green Terrace To Be Reviewed
Hounslow Highways agrees placing of new traffic sign is 'inconvenient' for pedestrians
Hounslow Highways is reviewing the positioning and mounting of this
(above) road sign on Turnham Green Terrace following complaints that it
is creating difficulties for pedestrians on the footway.
Councillor John Todd raised the matter with the Transport
Department of Hounslow Council after people complained about the double
posted sign on a section of pavement that is just 3 metres wide, leaving
a gap of barely 1.5m to one side, and 1.0m between the two posts. The
street sign directs traffic towards the High Road, and was installed some
weeks ago to replace an older sign.
Hounslow Highways said that the location of the sign has not been moved
and a sign has existed in this location for several years guiding traffic
onto Chiswick High Road.
"The recent change has come about due to changes
in legislation regulating street sign design requirements. The size of
the directional sign exceeds that permitted on a single standard post
of 100mm diameter as the wind loading would exceed that which the post
can sustain.
"The twin posts have been erected in line with the design requirements
of a directional sign of this size and it also meets the Disabled Discrimination
Act (DDA) requirements of maintaining a minimum 1.2 metre clear width
of footway for pedestrians. However, Hounslow Highways acknowledge that
the positioning of the sign creates an inconvenient route of travel for
pedestrians who have to divert to the rear of the footway to pass safely,"
they told Cllr Todd.
A review of the current arrangement is now underway with Hounslow Highways
and Hounslow Council's Traffic Team looking at alternative solutions.
As soon as a suitable solution has been found the sign and its supports
will be amended to provide a more acceptable path for pedestrians in this
location.
A local resident who drew attention to the sign said; "One of the posts is slap bang in the middle of the pavement, a clear obstruction and frustration to pedestrians, wheelchair users, parents with buggies, etc, as well as being a safety risk to anyone not looking where they are going. Injury accidents are merely a matter of time."
March 22, 2019