Forum Topic

Mature trees felled under Barnes Bridge / Dukes Meadows

Does anyone know why they are felling the small wooded area of trees (already done/trees cut down and area cleared) and looks like the 2 huge mature willows on the Thames bank. Underneath Barnes Bridge, between the bridge and Emanuel School boat club and the Promenade.The 2 willow trees I mentioned had, yesterday (Saturday 20th Feb),  an orange X painted on them, meaning I assume they are about to be felled.I assume it's part of the Barnes Footpath Project but is it really necessary to kill all these wonderful trees? I can see no mention of this in the panning applications.Another "victory" for Hounslow Council? Although I'd like to hear the view from anyone from the Dukes Meadows Trust as this seems like wanton nature destruction.

David Hardy ● 2074d34 Comments

Footbridge prep. Omelettes/Eggs.

Ken Munn ● 2074d

Willows are very quick growing.

Ken Munn ● 2074d

They gonna need to be!

Jennifer Selig ● 2074d

If they are dead/dying or otherwise dangerous then I do not see a problem.I do have a problem if they are neither dead/dying or dangerous.  I suspect Richmond operates a similar policy to LBH - the council will restrict people felling trees in their back gardens whenever possible but happily exempts the council from similar rules

Justin Stephenson ● 2074d

Justin,Done to allow heavy plant to access the bridge build, apparently.

Ken Munn ● 2074d

they are not dead, they are not dyingthe 2 willows on the banks of the Thames are huge (=hundreds of years old) and will be felled, i assume to allow room for the walkwayi just don't think it's rightis it that difficult to walk up the Promenade and then along Dan Mason Drive?

David Hardy ● 2074d

What about the elderly and the disabled?

Ken Munn ● 2074d

To construct the bridge a crane is required. To bring the crane in a road needs to be constructed.The more sensible question would be "what restorative work is planned when these temporary works are no longer required?"

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2074d

This pointless ugly cantilevered walkway  is costing multi millions from funds diverted from the school budget.The pretext being that walking through the tunnel is dangerous. If this was true then why has nothing be done to calm traffic since its construction in eighteen somthing?The tunnel has now be closed to motor vehicles now anyway and is likely to remain so.The latest figure being estimated is five million and rising no doubt.

Adrian Irving ● 2074d

That record is stuck, Adrian.

Ken Munn ● 2074d

Please see the proposed Footbridge athttps://moxonarchitects.com/projects/bridges/.    (project 628)Tfl undertook to partially fund but later  withdrew their offer.LBH transferred the required (Tfl) capital funding from the School build account that was  surplus to requirement. No school was disadvantaged. The Cabinet approved.I'm biased. I think it's elegant - as do others.John

John Todd ● 2074d

Willows have a lifespan of about 30 years.

Christopher Shea ● 2074d

Ken the weakness of your reply only goes to strengthen my argument.I asked before to put forward a well though through case for this unsuitable structure and to justify the expense. My mind can be changed.You didn't, but there again nor has anyone else.

Adrian Irving ● 2074d

My daughter is a teacher and I am sure she could suggest far better ways of spending multi millions on education  than this.I dare say parents and other teachers would agree particularly at the moment.There is a very similar structure at the far end of Battersea Park running under Chelsea Bridge.I suggest folk take a look and ask themselves if it would blend in with it's surrounds at Dukes Meadows or stand out like a sore thumb.

Adrian Irving ● 2074d

"That record is stuck, Adrian."I have just had my morning shower during which I had this thought.Not so long ago we were lead to believe the cost would be circa 2.5m.Thank's in part to my stuck record it has come to light we are now talking twice that.Now either someone needs to retake their O level maths or the budget is already out of control. From now on I'm just going to quote multi millions for who knows what the final bill is going to be.

Adrian Irving ● 2074d

"Thank's in part to my stuck record it has come to light we are now talking twice that."That should read; almost twice that.

Adrian Irving ● 2074d

Yeah, we get that you don't like it.

Ken Munn ● 2074d

Is it really costing £2.5m?Where is that printed?

Richard Potts ● 2073d

Hundreds of years old ? Willows are very fast growing and live for about 30 years. They are farmed, as a crop for cricket bats over 15/20 years.

John Southey ● 2073d

Cllr Sam replied to my original post:To construct the bridge a crane is required. To bring the crane in a road needs to be constructed.The more sensible question would be "what restorative work is planned when these temporary works are no longer required?"indeed a very good question Sam - I'd love to hear the answer please. (i did try to find out the answer to this specific question online and looked around the site for a notice but there was none).And point taken about the 30 year life span of the willows - regardless, both the willow at this site are huge and amazing specimens - i might not last 30 years to see new ones!

David Hardy ● 2073d

Dukes Meadows Trust has had no contact from the council or information regarding the bridge work. So we can't provide any information on restorative work etc. The Trust commissioned the first report on linking the two sides of the path and linking the clubs upstream to the transport hub at Barnes Bridge, many years ago. That study looked at opening the footpath across the bridge on the upstream side, putting a tunnel through near the river and the cantilever path option. The conclusion was that the cantilever path would be cheapest and that network rail would be very unlikely to agree to a tunnel.We spent years lobbying for it and for it to be added to the masterplan, but have to say, I am staggered at the cost. The Trust has had no involvement or received any information regarding the development of the bridge since around 8 years ago.  The same bridge arrangement on the Barnes side looks very low cost. We anticipated the new bridge would need to be more substantial and has engineering challenges connected with the flood defences on the Chiswick side and having to be DDA compliant but £4 million is a staggering cost.In view of that high cost it is surprising that the bridge will not be for shared use by cyclists and pedestrians. The suggestion is that cyclists will have to dismount, although there will be no chicanes to encourage that just signage and anyone wishing to continue cycling will have to use Dan Mason Drive, which is narrow in places with high banks and blind bends around the boat house. It seems unrealistic to assume that people won't cycle along the new path under the bridge and with the high cost surprising that that wasn't planned for.

Kathleen Healy ● 2073d

Another thought on this, access to build the path could be from ether side.  The upstream side has a wide ramp down to the foreshore, so access could be gained without the destruction of trees. It would also mean that all the lorries etc. that will need to access the works would not cross Staveley and Alexandra Gardens, two residential estates. Why choose to create access from Riverside Drive and across the riverside Promenade rather than along Dan Mason Drive?

Kathleen Healy ● 2073d

No Richard, that was the original 'estimate' The latest figure is circa five million.

Adrian Irving ● 2073d

Ken, right again. Keep your cheap shots coming as all they do is ricochet back on you.

Adrian Irving ● 2073d

Kathleen, to solve the (non existing) problem look to the far bank. Under the bridge you can just make out a footbridge that passes under.It blends in well with it's surrounds and serves its purpose well.Touching on the look of the thing I agree that the structure is not, stand alone, inelegant but totally unsuitable and out of character for the location.The similar one under Chelsea Bridge yes perfect, a very discreet entrance from the Battersea Park and exiting into a modern piazza not remotely  same setting as Barnes Rail Bridge and Dukes Medows.

Adrian Irving ● 2073d

The problem or need, was to enable the thousands of people who use the sports facilities; football, rugby, hockey, golf tennis upstream of the bridge to be able to access the facilities by public transport rather than having to drive. That and joining the Thames Path. Currently, almost everyone drives because it is a long walk. Millions are to be spent of developing the sports facilities, the new rugby 3G is already installed and the business plan for it is based on 80,000 kids a year using it.  I agree though that it is a big leap from the discreet, inexpensive bridge on the Barnes side to what seems proposed for the Chiswick side.

Kathleen Healy ● 2073d

If sports people manage the many steep stairs from the station to access the bridge they can surely manage to walk or jog an extra few minutes it takes to use the tunnel.Sorry, that one won't wash.

Adrian Irving ● 2073d

Wash or not, the majority of people visiting the clubs drive in cars or arrive by coach, as testified by the very high volumes of traffic. Unless there is a viable alternative that will continue and visiting schools will arrive by coach.

Kathleen Healy ● 2073d

That is very true Kathleen and thanks for pointing that out.I didn't want to mention it myself for fear of setting a certain faction off on a wee rant.

Adrian Irving ● 2073d

John, why was the existing road into Thames Tradesmen car park, used by boat trailers and vans and the wide ramp by the boat house onto the foreshore not used for access? That would have saved felling so many trees at Emanuel's Hollow and also spared the Riverside Promenade and Staveley Gardens from construction traffic.It seems odd to create a new road access route on one side of the bridge, where there is currently none, rather than use an existing hard surfaced route on the other side. In the process felling trees and damaging a natural habitat.

Kathleen Healy ● 2073d

Chatting to one of the engineers on site yesterday I was told they will be on site for twelve months or so due to the complexity of construction.During this time the footpath will be diverted and the bridge closed to trains from time to time. He wasn't sure if that would apply to people crossing on foot but that would seem logical.I should point out that this information is not from an official source and it seems to me Hounslow have a responsibility to communicate in much more detail what is happening.

Adrian Irving ● 2070d

Which footpath will be diverted?

Bernard Allen ● 2069d

Thank you for showing interest Bernard.Firstly I should repeat my information comes from on site personal which may or may not be wholly accurate.Because of lack of communication from Hounslow I have had to try to find out by piecemeal what is what which not only irritates me but no doubt the people behind this scheme.All this could have and still can be avoided.If I was in charge I would have stepped forward and been totally open.I would;Properly justify the project stating clearly the though process behind it.Give full account of the costExplain in full how it is being funded.Advise people on the construction schedule.What inconvenience to the public are planned and when (such as diversions to footpaths and closures to the bridge)How the quarter acre of destroyed woodland will be restoredHow the building materials are transported and where the mass of steel needed was madeI don’t know how to properly express this but a year (hearsay) of heavy construction and materials production is surely environmentally unfriendly and an explanation of how this is going to be mitigated is needed.The answers to the above would go some way to stop speculation and then people can properly decide how they feel about it.I appreciate there is no stopping it and if this is what people want then I must stand aside after having made my views clear.Here’s hoping Hounslow will come forward.Finally, to answer your question Bernard the one mentioned to me runs past the rowing club and then parallel to the river until you reach the steps of the bridge. This will mean following the road (with no pavement) round the back of the club then turning left just before the rail embankment.

Adrian Irving ● 2069d

Very sad to see so many large trees felled.  Some obviously need it but I doubt all of them do.  You'll get a shock if you haven't visited for a while.  It sounds better than it looks.https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20168/parks_and_open_spaces/2272/boston_manor_park_blog/11

Philippa Bond ● 2069d