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Cycleway 49 Fishers Lane

I think I am right in saying Hounslow Council was set to consider some future proposals for Cycleway 9 at a meeting last night. I don't know what the outcome was but one of them was to replace the Zebra crossing at the end of Windmill Road with a signalised crossing with a parallel crossing for cyclists.While I understand the arguments in favour of zebras, particularly at this spot, the plan would be an important missing link for cyclists north of the High Road who at the moment face a lot of challenges trying to join Cycleway 9.Notionally there is a Cycleway 49 that links with Cycleway 9 at Windmill Road but nobody actually goes this way or anywhere else for that matter on this largely made up route. However, a proper linkage at Windmill Road which doesn't require a dismount or a scary crossing with traffic coming at you from six different directions would be a win.Obviously something would have to be done about the road surface on Windmill Road which I don't use my best bike on but there are other problems. The main one is that the stretch of Chiswick Common Road between Fishers Lane and the back of M&S is very bad for cycling. With parked cars it is very narrow and you often come face to face with delivery lorries.The alternative seems to be a route across Chiswick Back Common. I thought previously it wasn't allowable to put a cycleway across common land but Cycleway 49 goes over Acton Green (even though staying on the road is probably safer and better). The problem there is that there is a blind corner at the south east part of the Rocks Lane centre. If something could be done to improve sightlines there, there would be a safe convenient route from the north of Chiswick to the High Road for the first time since Cycleway 9 opened.I was pleased also to see that the council were following up suggestions on how linkages at the bottom of Prebend Gardens could be improved. These could make a significant difference.

Mark Evans ● 1108d74 Comments ● 1095d