What function does the Staveley Road / Park Road Barrier fulfil now that access to Burlington (from the A316) has been closed and the restricted times on Staveley Road (East) greatly extended?During most of the the morning and evening rush hours, and during the working day, the only people who can access the area are those local residents who have registered on the council scheme plus a few exemptions. This is apparently less than 2,000 people and it is just plain daft to think that all of these will want to drive down Staveley Road on the same day.From past experience we know that the existence of the barrier has simply forced drivers on to Burlington Lane. Before the new restrictions were imposed this amounted to an additional 2,000 'traffic movements' a day over and above those travelling along this road pre-Covid.So it is highly like that now the new restrictions (Burlington Lane Lane closure and extended hours of Staveley Road East) are in place that most of those who can enter the area will choose to drive down Burlington Lane.So I have a simple question for those who believe that the barrier should (at huge cost) be made permanent. WHY SHOULD THE RESIDENTS OF STAVELEY ROAD NOT SHARE SOME OF THE MUCH REDUCED TRAFFIC BURDEN WITH BURLINGTON LANE RESIDENTS?.If you have not seen the design for the permanent barrier I suggest that you click https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20053/transport/2181/south_chiswick_liveable_neighbourhood/7 Hounslow Council have, in a stroke of pure genius, designed a scheme that is too narrow for one of their recycling vehicles and an Ocado delivery vehicle to pass travelling in opposite directions. Welcome back to medieval times when waste was collected by horse and cart and home supplies came in a horse powered wagon. Of course some of us are so old that we have wistful memories of the public floggings, witch burnings and the pelting of miscreants in the stocks. Happy days. A sweet young person asked me at the street meeting if anyone actually lives on Burlington Lane. I had to smile and remember that I was once young and callow. When I informed that her there were indeed nearly as many people living on Burlington Lane (and the Sutton Court Rd extension to Lawford Rd) as lived on Staveley Road. She countered with the strongly held "fact" that "but of course Burlington Lane is a much wider road". Fortunately a resident of Staveley Road put her right. I think that the young person might need to take a trip to Spec Savers. Sadly I think that we have to face the fact that Hounslow Council and the Cycle Lobby are more concerned about losing face if they admit that building a permanent barrier is a fatuous waste of public money - rather than in agreeing with the vast majority of local residents that they have got this wrong.Incidentally, I recently asked a senior Hounslow Traffic Officer what the purpose of making the barrier permanent was. He had to think for a moment before he, in all seriousness, replied "without the barrier there will be traffic chaos after 7.00 pm". I laughed in his face (but in a caring and responsible way). He does not live in the borough and he has no experience of Staveley road pre-Covid, nor of course have either he or any of his colleagues done any traffic modelling to back up this assertion. See you all at the public meeting on the 17th March (St Patrick's Day) at St Paul's Church Grove Park from 7.00 pm. Past the bed time of most of us oldies I know but perhaps just this once you can make an exception. Cllrs Steve Curran and Hanif Khan have been invited .... Financial journalist and radio presenter Paul Lewis will ensure fair play as an independent chair for the evening.
Cllr Sam Hearn ● 1670d