Forum Topic

Total gridlock

went  up to Hammersmith from Chiswick this morning - at 10.00 am- reasonably ok - even though it took double of time due to the bloody  cycle lanes ! Only saw such a few cyclists on their way ....really very very few- .virtually empty .. Roads at a standstill!!!Coming back an hour later.- took 1 hour and 15 minutes ....Cadbury take note - your lack of hearing us and the thousands and thousands of being spent a n completely unnecessarily at these terrible times like are '- in my view - completely unacceptable.

Helen Bamberger ● 1631d24 Comments

Ruth Cadbury is blinkered by one thing and one thing only: cycling. That's it.She recently reneged on her promise to help with the increase in homophobic ASB despite her written pledge. So there we have, on record, a Labour MP not caring about safety for the LGBTQ community. You really can't make it up.So it comes as no surprise that LBH has been fined for their slow response to rehousing a vulnerable family.

David Lesniak ● 1631d

Yes David - I can't believe how few people are using these cycle lanes- and it wasn't raining this morning !!!!

Helen Bamberger ● 1631d

I must confess I'm confused by what the OP seems to be saying.Is she blaming the cycle lane for the gridlock she experienced on her return from Hammersmith?And if so, how come there wasn't the same gridlock on her outward journey as well? Come to that, why isn't there permanent gridlock along the route?As for bringing Ruth Cadbury into it, let me preface my next observation by saying that I hold no particular brief for Ms. Cadbury and declined to vote for her when living in her constituency.But I don't understand why the OP singles her out for particular blame, since it is the (Conservative) central government which is pushing - and funding - the new cycle lane, and the (Labour) local council which is implementing it.Oh well.

Richard Cathcart ● 1631d

The cycle lane is closed at several points which may explain the apparent lack of cyclists.

Mark Evans ● 1631d

Thought king street was closed off at the broadway

Julian Pavey ● 1631d

Ok Richard - I know you obviously like these cycle lanes good-if that is your view- fine - but bus travel is now a nightmare and I don't understand why so few cyclists use them outside the rush hour -.especially when the weather is bad !!!! It should take travellers 15 minutes to get to and fro Hammersmith or vice versa - no longer!

Helen Bamberger ● 1631d

One of the joys of having an English Breakfast at the highly recommended Ritz Cafe in King Street is that one's meal is not interupted by noisy traffic passing outside.Because it's often totally stationary!  Agreed one might hear the sound drivers fuming!

Jim Lawes ● 1631d

If Cadbury spent more time listening to her constituents and reflecting their concerns instead of on foreign jaunts to visit refugees, her standing in the community might be higher.

Claire Moran ● 1631d

Interesting to know how we would vote for in May - I am finding this extremely difficult.

Helen Bamberger ● 1631d

Oh The Ritz 's double egg and chips!  It's been a long long time.

Philippa Bond ● 1630d

I went from Chiswick to Hammersmith this morning with the kids - arriving at 10am. There were a few cyclists - some even using the lane, but most of it is blocked off. What was really noticeable today and yesterday was how few vehicles there were. I assume because of Easter school holidays and lots of people being away.

Ed Saper ● 1630d

All parties likely to have any chance  even in some kind of coalition  are horrendous and I can't possibly vote for them. No need to explain  I'm sure, why I can't vote Tory but includes their stupid  blind pushing of ltns and bad cycle lanes  ditto with Labour and Starmer's inability to define the characteristics of a woman.

Claire Moran ● 1630d

It's the school holidays and there seem to be lots of roadworks and road closures.  If you look at this map it explain the delays.  http://streetworks.org.uk/live-traffic-works-map/

Nora Watkins ● 1630d

Several weeks ago I posted that the bus journey from Rivercourt Rd. to Hogarth roundabout bus stop averaged about 1mph. Nothings changed!

John Davies ● 1630d

Thank you for your reply.As it happens, I am broadly, but not uncoonditionally, in favour of moving people from cars and vans onto public transport and cycling/walking where possible.But you still haven't answered my question, which is if the cycle lane caused "gridlock" on your return from Hammersmith to Chiswick, then how come there wasn't the same gridlock in the other direction earlier? In fact, why isn't the "gridlock" permanent, seeing as the cycle lane has been there for ages?Or haven't you considered that there might be another reason(s) for your (temporary) congestion, such as an accident, or roadworks being conducted during the Easter holiday period, as another poster mentioned?I guess what I'm getting at is that some opponents of the cycle lane seem to want to blame ALL the ills of the world on this cycle lane, come what may.I do hope you're not one of them.

Richard Cathcart ● 1630d

Hi Richard/Helen et al ...1. If today was the same as yesterday (and the last few days) then King Street was closed to traffic from Hammersmith Broadway 'roundabout' or 'island' or whatever you want to call the bit in the middle that has the tube station and bus station in it. Ergo, more traffic going up Shepherds Bush Road and towards the A4 towards Chiswick.2. A4 and Shepherds Bush Road don't have dedicated cycle lanes AFAIK though there are bus lanes along SBR.3. Don't know why King Street was closed (assuming it still was).4. Because of one way systems, it's a different route from Chiswick to Hammersmith than it is in the opposite direction so the point about there should be the same grid lock in both directions isn't valid.Conclusion: Maybe it was something to do with cycle lanes, and maybe it wasn't - I don't know, but there are some posters on here wanting to pin any traffic grid lock on cycle lanes. Anyway it's not cycles that are stuck in the grid lock - it's cars, buses and vans mostly. If you got rid of the non essential car journeys (not everyone who drive needs to drive, they just choose to) then we wouldn't have the grid lock.

Andrew Jones ● 1630d

"Don't know why King Street was closed"An interesting study in compare and contrast.About two weeks ago we got a letter in the post at home here in Chiswick relative to the works in Hammersmith. That's down to now having a business there. It alerted us as to what was happening. Thought it needed a bit more detail but essentially they are upgrading utilities to service a new development called Olympia but I don't think it has anything to do with Olympia as we know it. My best guess is it is the parcel behind the M&S where they recently demolished two buildings (more than likely they could have been repurposed for residential). Here in W4 where we also operate and live, we received nothing about the cycle works outside our door until after they began. We've also never been kept abreast of how these works would disrupt business. Hammersmith is proactive in this sense. LBH couldn't give a rat's ass. TfL even less so. Perhaps rhetorical, but what's less than a rat's ass?

David Lesniak ● 1630d

Looking at the details of the roadworks, a lot of them appear to be by utilities companies. Possibly what has happened is that councils have not given permission for them to dig up roads before the end of the financial year because they had their own projects to finish off but now the backlog is being cleared.

Mark Evans ● 1630d

I see Hounslow have put up lots of three sided Corex notice boards in a lovely shade of purple around lampposts informing the reader that there is, by popular demand, a cycle lane being constructed.So thoughtful. Without them I would never have noticed.Now for what I really think.Who ever dreamt up and authorised this pointless waste of my money should have the cost of them deducted from his/ her wages and demoted to counting Biros in Hounslow House!

Adrian Irving ● 1630d

I noticed there were quite a few road closures.  I suppose it makes sense to do them in the Easter holidays.

Nora Watkins ● 1630d

"and demoted to counting Biros in Hounslow House!"...and whoever is responsible for buying all the Biros that need counting, should be sacked because it is encouraging Council staff to write on paper which is not good for the environment.

Steve Taylor ● 1630d

King's Street was shut complelely to westbound motor vehicles yesterday morning with roadwork across the carriageway. This morning it was free running.

Tom Pike ● 1630d

Have you seen that Police have issued a crime number after residents submitted a report on what LBH has been up to - procedural issues, no regard for residents concerns and of course raising £m's in fines. Never mind the blight that its causing on our lives.We all need to submit details of what we know is going on - making schemes permanent with no data to support decisions, ignoring residents views etc. We also  need to tell the Police how it is  impacting us - carers cannot access, taxis won't come and tradesmen avoid the area.See this update and use the link to report - and get lots of people to do this and then they can see how serious this is.https://www.change.org/p/stop-hounslow-council-destroying-chiswick-stop-streetspace

John Jones ● 1612d

Thanks John

Steve Taylor ● 1612d