Forum Topic

All (reasonably) quiet on the Chiswick front?

I was on Chiswick High Road earlier and half expected to see it in total gridlock due to the A4 roadworks but it wasn't that much busier than usual. There was queueing traffic by Turnham Green going west but, other than that, seemed pretty normal for a Saturday morning.Looking at Google Traffic there is not surprisingly slow moving traffic westbound on the A4, southbound on the NCR towards Chiswick Roundabout and Kew looks a nightmare with tailbacks from Kew Bridge.Am I getting this wrong (and yes I know it is the weekend and the real test comes on Monday) but is this not as bad as we might have feared from a Chiswick perspective.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1507d81 Comments

Probably due to the amount of Chiswick that are abroad on holiday?

Mark Talbot ● 1507d

School holidays. The real fun will start in September.

Susan Kelly ● 1507d

"... seemed pretty normal for a Saturday morning."The works hadn't started this morning.  All A4 lanes were open then.This evening there is just one lane open westbound on the A4. The narrowing from 3 lanes to one takes place between Hogarth Roundabout and Sutton Court Road, though a branch off that one lane provides the right-turn facility into SCR. Apart from the A4 westbound reduction to one lane, the A4/SCR junction is functioning normally.

Richard Jennings ● 1507d

Traffic seems to be flowing okay on the traffic camera website:-https://www.tfljamcams.net/But it’s probably not that busy Westbound right now.

Michael David Rowe ● 1507d

Let’s not worry About The  about the price of gas and electric FoodEtc

John Kennedy ● 1507d

At 7pm the tailback on the westbound A4 extended back to Hogarth Roundabout... causing additional delays to bus services and others from making progress from the A316 to other destinations.

Jim Lawes ● 1507d

I've noticed an uptick in people running the red on the Hogarth. To be fair, it's easy to confuse which light is for which lane. People have continued east on the A4 when the light was for those waiting to cross on to Chiswick Lane and I've also seen the reverse with people crossing the A4 when they should've been waiting. Summer drivers, perhaps, but it will be made worse by frustration.

David Lesniak ● 1506d

Dont know if I live in a parallel Chiswick but High rd was jammed between Acton Lane and Chiswick roundabout yesterday at 2pm ish, with Oxford rd Nth packed with cars coming back on to high rd after, I assume, trying to get round the jam only to find Stilehall etc closed off.

Stephen Gould ● 1506d

The tailback going West on Saturday extended to the Hammersmith flyover, at least (I was there). Five months of this! It is incredible that the main road going west out of the capital can be mishandled like this with little or no notice. We must all hope that some VIP misses his/her plane - something might be done to make TfL get this work done in half the time.

Robin Knight ● 1506d

The British like to moan, but rarely take action. So the choice is? Brits stick it out and say nothing other than grump on forums like this most suitable for your armchair & cup of tea moaners.

Carl Johns ● 1506d

The predictions by Jonathan Mabbutt and others are both absolutely certain and utterly apocalyptical."We all know the impact will be huge across Chiswick, Kew and surrounds. Expectations are of back-ups all the way into central London along the A4 corridor.""impending gridlock for all A roads from Mortlake, Sheen, Richmond, Kew in the south through to Hammersmith, Fulham, Barons Court, Earls Court, Kensington, and Shepherds Bush"Indeed, the only way London won't seize up is by opening Grove Park as a diversion for motorway traffic and "potentially turn it into a car park".The predictions are based on the philosophy that every single car journey is essential - the journey can't be shifted to another mode, it can't be delayed or retimed, it can't be aggregated with other journeys, it can't be diverted, substituted or abandoned - it has to happen.Thus, if you close a main road, any traffic that can't go down that road must "flow" through other roads.  There is another view which is that if you reduce supply of road space, the result is less traffic - the cost of the congestion or extra journey time suppresses the number of car journeys and/or prompts a modal shift.  This alternative prediction would be an initial period of higher congestion on alternative roads, but fewer journeys will take place overall and congestion may increase but not to the extremes of Jonathan's predictions.  This debate is a bit like climate change where observations of weather (either very hot or very cold) are extrapolated to prove or disprove climate change.  The actual "proof" of climate change or traffic evaporation is based on the analysis of large data sets which feels remote to the "real lived experience" of those who've already made up their minds.    The interesting one to watch will be the school run - responsible for over 25% of morning peak traffic - and nearly 50% in some areas.  If a school round trip doubles or triples in length, you might see parents walking, cycling or taking public transport more and using the car less.

Ed Saper ● 1506d

I'm away at present, when do the roadworks a actually start?

Carl Johns ● 1506d

Monday I believe.If you live south of the Great West Road, perhaps some of those posting here might be more sympathetic. This isn't a car vs cyclist matter.

Robin Knight ● 1506d

The works are already started. I went to Chiswick House today and there was queueing traffic on the westbound lane of the A4  both when we were arriving and leaving the Gardens which I've never seen before on a Sunday. There are still three lanes open but a sign indicated that it was being reduced to one lane two hundred yards to the west of the entrance. Elsewhere in Chiswick there was perhaps a bit more traffic than usual but it didn't seem particularly bad. Monday may be a different matter.

Anita Blake ● 1506d

Wandered out this Sunday morning.  A4 was already blocking back from the SCR junction towards Hogarth roundabout far more than usual.  SCR on the north side was blocked back about half way to the Town Hall.On a Sunday morning that is not normal, but this is a Sunday morning in Summer holidays when I would have expected traffic to be light.God help us in September.But of course TfL is not sitting on its laurels - first weekend in September not only will A4 be down to one lane but Piccadilly line will be closed from Hammersmith to Heathrow.  I am guessing TfL is crossing its fingers that no one living in Chiswick needs to catch flights from or work at Heathrow because getting from Chiswick to Heathrow looks problematic

Justin Stephenson ● 1506d

Getting to Heathrow will be a problem for anyone headed west from points east. So...the rest of central London.

David Lesniak ● 1505d

Getting to Heathrow will be a problem for anyone headed west from points east. So...the rest of central London.No it won't people can just use the Underground or the new Lizzy line.

Brian Green ● 1505d

They can’t use the Piccadilly line if it’s closed between Hammersmith and Heathrow in September

Steve Taylor ● 1505d

The Piccadilly line is only closed for one weekend and there are alternative public transport options.There will of course be people with lots of luggage or mobility issues who need to drive but starting in Chiswick doesn't seem to be a problem at the moment if you can get to Chiswick Roundabout without using the A4.I'd assume the bigger issue with regard to Heathrow is going to be freight traffic but most of that will be diverted via the M40. That said there does seem to be a new surge of large vehicles trying to get through the Glebe Estate. It is regrettable that Hounslow Council didn't act on local concerns about signage before all this happened.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1505d

Frankly, many of those posting on this thread seem to be living in cuckoo land. The backup of traffic going west ALREADY extends at least from the Chiswick flyover to the Hammersmith flyover. At the Hogarth roundabout cars going through red lights mean it is taking ages to get into Chiswick along the A316. Public transport is no help - there are only buses (on the A316) anyway and these of course are being held up too. Living where I do south of the Great West Road TfL never bothered to inform us of the 5 month jam involved in its Harvard Hill works. Or why this work will take so long. When the schools hereabouts (Chiswick Community & Cavendish primary in the state sector, Latymer in the private) return in September things will only get worse. What I would like to know is why this Harvard Hill work is so vital that this level of disruption has to be endured by W4 residents.

Robin Knight ● 1505d

Robin, I can only go on my own observations and a check of Google Maps, but as far as I can see the effects haven't been that bad yet.Of course the A4 is badly affected and traffic is tailing back towards Hammersmith but the impact of this across Chiswick has been fairly muted so far. No huge queues on Sutton Court Road, Chiswick Lane or South Parade/Acton Lane. The A316 right now doesn't appear that congested according to Google. You are of course right that this is probably as good as it gets and as the schools return and the weather deteriorates, we will see things get a lot worse.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1505d

I've just got back from a walk which took me over Chiswick Bridge. Traffic at 4.30 on the A316 and Hartington Rd seemed quite light, though I know it takes nothing for this to change in the blink of an eye. As a pedestrian I had a chance to stop and have a proper look at the large traffic sign as you approach the Hartington turn — I was wondering if it had been amended to take account of the roadworks "amnesty". As far as I could see it has not. Can someone tell me though what "C1" refers to on the sign? The uninitiated would probably take this as referring to CPZ code, but of course it isn't. Is it perhaps referring to the White List?

Bruce Hammal ● 1505d

c1 is the small number of roads / zone that can access it at all times. C2 is the Staveley one I think. It’s unchanged.

Russell Pearson ● 1505d

Using just the underground, Brian? It is an unrealistic notion. Tell that to the black cabs. The Uber drivers. Any other private car hire (say Chisck Cars) and individuals who opt to drive loved ones themselves. Perhaps you should send a memo to all hotels stating they should direct all their guests to the Underground and not avail themselves of a car service that hotels will profit from.

David Lesniak ● 1505d

Tom tom route planner currently suggesting it's about 17 minutes once you get on to the A4 at Hammersmith to get to Hogarth Roundabout, and then another 10 mins to where the bridge roadworks are.Chiswick High Road around 12 minutes for the 3/4 miles from Turnham Green Church to Chiswick roundabout.I don't ever drive at these times but it sounds like it's pretty slow going out there.

Andrew Jones ● 1505d

"The Piccadilly line is only closed for one weekend and there are alternative public transport options.There will of course be people with lots of luggage or mobility issues who need to drive but starting in Chiswick doesn't seem to be a problem at the moment if you can get to Chiswick Roundabout without using the A4."So not a problem unless you are required to fly on the weekend the Piccadilly line is closed, this morning when I walked down CHR, it was a long traffic jam from Chiswick roundabout back almost to the Acton Lane junction but understand it did clear a bit so only backing to the Gunnersbury tube station. So it looks as though it would take 20-30 minutes to get from central Chiswick (say Turnham Green Church) to Chiswick roundaboutAs for other public transport options, first weekend in September forget the tube, both Piccadilly Line and Elizabeth line to Heathrow are closed - as for buses never taken one to Heathrow but wouldn't they still have to go through the gridlock that might be the A4 from Hogarth roundabout to SCR junction?

Justin Stephenson ● 1505d

Looking at Google Maps, A205 past Kew Retail is taking a hit.

Russell Pearson ● 1505d

David, some people on this forum are making these roadworks sound like it's the end of the world. Well it isn't. If you need to get to the airport by car with your loved ones and use the A4 you will just have to give yourself more time. Black cab drivers will know about it and will more likely use another route.

Brian Green ● 1504d

Well Brian, its gonna be interesting to see what happens when those tube/train/bus strikes kick in. Again. And again. And...It removes your suggestion of using public transport. Perhaps you have a new suggestion.

David Lesniak ● 1504d

Yes, if you can drive there give yourself plenty of time same goes if you use Taxi, Uber or any other cab firm.

Brian Green ● 1504d

The M4 has had various road closures during the last 18 months due to bridge moves for the implementation of the smart motorway.  There are plenty of alternative routes that wouldn't be that much slower.  The A316/M3 is a good option for those living South of the A4.  Not as convenient, but roads need maintenance.

Nora Watkins ● 1504d

For my constitutional today I walked up to the A4 to play with the traffic.....Naturally the major discussion has been on how the bridge maintenance works will affect flow on the A4, but those most impacted are likely to be people (mostly residents I would guess) who need to cross the great divide on Sutton Court Road. At 3.30 the lights were phased to give  the A4 traffic 2 minutes 40 on green  while Sutton Court Road was allocated 10 seconds - yes ten seconds.Given that there is no box junction to restrain westbound vehicles from pushing their luck plus the usual queue blocking the road trying to right onto the A4, effectively two or three vehicles at most manage to get across SCR  and sometimes it is none at all.In peak times I can only assume the Westbound A4 traffic is backed up right across the junction. The E3 and 272 buses are of course trapped in this log jam.Just to add to the fun Thames Water have decided to dig up Sutton Court Rd and install lights for a bit of two-way working, though this is supposed to last for only a couple of days.

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

There’s a box junction there Bruce. But 10 seconds is tighter than that other proverbial camel in a sandstorm.

Russell Pearson ● 1504d

Looking at Google Traffic we seem to be reaching the tipping point at which tailbacks from Sutton Court Road reach Heathfield Terrace and Chiswick High Road becomes static. It's worrying that this is happening when conditions are relatively benign (fine weather, school holidays, no strikes).

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1504d

Just looked at the A316 M3 option of heading north from Grove Park, and in current conditions it adds over an hour onto the journey.

Russell Pearson ● 1504d

I must need an eye test then (actually I really do need an eye test). There's a box junction  for Eastbound traffic but nothing that I could detect Westbound. Has it faded away? Anyway in practical terms, it wouldn't matter as there were usually cars in it anyway.I'll have to take another look tomorrow. What an exciting life I lead.

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

I had to double check on Google maps! Seems to be obeyed, in normal times. But maybe it has faded away in the heat.

Russell Pearson ● 1504d

Google maps is showing me this! For some reason it's a bit fuzzy but I can't detect any yellow paint Westbound.

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

You’re right, I was looking at it upside down 🙈 https://goo.gl/maps/TMNrcTgByUSSeHPJ9

Russell Pearson ● 1504d

No yellow box west bound shown on Bing Birds Eye View. The yellow box in the East bound lane looks almost too perfect, as if it had been added afterwards, but they must be genuine photos, unless the NWA have some conspiracy that hasn't hit the internet yet.

Andrew Jones ● 1504d

Sorry, NWO not NWA.

Andrew Jones ● 1504d

"What an exciting life I lead". Agreed. Your like-minded fellow forumers are mere keyboard Umarells while you are out there in the real world peering at ongoing roadworks hands firmly clasped behind your back and providing a more accurate commentary on proceedings:

Paul Campbell ● 1504d

I'll take it even if I just want to know when the next bus is due. Every obsessive to his own.

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

Anyway I was wearing a  T shirt and shorts with no headgear at all. Does that disqualify me?

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

It’s a perfect description of the Twitter obsessed who comment on every moment, and even ride up and down filming every car. Well done for such a candid confession!https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1135558886/

Russell Pearson ● 1504d

I would have given the Thames Water chaps the benefit of my advice, but it was 3.30....

Bruce Hammal ● 1504d

I was thinking the weekend when the Piccadilly line isn’t available rather than 5.30 on a week day, but I guess I didn’t mention that I was mostly travelling on weekends (which is when most of the closures occurred on the M4)

Nora Watkins ● 1504d

Later in the week I have to ferry an elderly person, who doesn't have the best bladder control to Twickenham, so I am grateful to the 'umarells' for sharing the latest information about the impact of these roadworks. Please don't be discouraged from doing so. The posting of updates helps to make people better informed and will reduce congestion and pollution.

Anita Blake ● 1503d

It would be helpful to have some advice for alternatives,  but a lot of this thread seems to be complaining about the work happening in the first place.  I don't quite understand what people expect,  would they prefer TFL leave the work on the railway bridge and we risk it collapsing and taking the road above with it? 

Nora Watkins ● 1503d

Believe me Nora, if there was an alternative to driving that day I would be overjoyed. There isn't.

Anita Blake ● 1503d

Thanks Anita, that was my intention although I wear my badge with pride. Initially I was just wondering why I was waiting so long for a bus but I too have a journey looming that will involve negotiating that junction so it's useful to know the real-world impact on travel times. As usual "South Chiswick" locals  have been thrown under the bus (if it wasn't stuck in the traffic) to prioritise A4 traffic. What  an inconvenience  to Tfl we are - I suppose we should be grateful they have even allowed us ten seconds.

Bruce Hammal ● 1503d

Sorry Anita,  that wasn't a negative comment aimed at you.  I was just making the point that many people seem outraged that the work is taking place at all.You have my sympathy that it's affecting you in this way when you have to drive to your appointment.

Nora Watkins ● 1503d

No different, Paul, than a little man hands clasped droning on about a cycle agenda and virtue signalling. Perhaps the difference is you're still employed.

David Lesniak ● 1503d

Pretty well gridlock in Chiswick today. Westbound queue right along South Parade, southbound on Sutton Court Road, westbound A4 back to beyond Hammersmith, all approaches to Chiswick roundabout, etc, etc...

Peter Evans ● 1503d

My "umarell" spies tell me that the situation won't be helped by having three-way traffic lights at the Bath Road end of Turnham Green Terrace for a week. Might as well get all the misery out of the way at once. (By the way if you look at the bottom right hand corner of the map you can actually see the umarell!)

Bruce Hammal ● 1503d

I think you are looking at this the wrong way Bruce. This is a great opportunity for Bedford Park-based Umarells to get out there and provide some unsolicited advice to the utility's contractors.

Paul Campbell ● 1503d

I think you'll find they've knocked off for the day! As have I.

Bruce Hammal ● 1503d

BH: "As usual "South Chiswick" locals  have been thrown under the bus (if it wasn't stuck in the traffic) to prioritise A4 traffic."I can see where you're coming from, but I think that this is missing the bigger picture (no offence).Which is that not just Chiswick, but West London has now hit "peak traffic", if a relatively minor set of roadworks can affect the wider area so badly.For it's not as if we can push through a new major trunk route like the A4 or A316 to alleviate the present, repeating problems, can we? And even if we could the benefit would only be limited, since experice shows that traffic increases to fill the roadspace allocated to it. (All of which is before you add in the increased pollution and carbon emissions etc).Meaning that we have to accept that the need to curtail unfettered use of the car for unnecessary journeys is now here (stress the "unnecessary", btw).Meaning that we need a long-term strategy to encourage active, green transport like buses, tubes, trains, trams, cycles, pedestrianism etc, while progressivley discouraging unnecessary use of private cars.That way everyone will benefit, including those many private car owners who still have to use their vehicles, since the roads should be less congested as a result.

Richard Cathcart ● 1503d

A316 is gridlocked right now. Sat nav telling me to turn down Burlington  Lane, is it a trap ? 😂

Maggie Dodge ● 1503d

Yeah Peter, what was that all about on South Parade?Haven't seen it like that until school run kicks off, it was crazy busy.

Chris Johnson ● 1503d

Bike lanes working then, excellent.

Tony Mansell ● 1503d

Good to hear something is, must be grand, and probably as planned by Hounslow Cycling. Now where or where is Mr Data? 😹

Russell Pearson ● 1503d

Yes.  London has become the laughing stock of the world as a Capital City. Not to mention that Heathrow is just a disaster as a major airport. Little wonder that international corporations are relocating to EU cities which have good transport infrastructure and well run airports.

Steve Taylor ● 1503d

The answer to your question is that we have no idea how urgent this railway bridge work is. The whole thing has been sprung on Chiswick residents without warning and at short notice. Why, exactly, is this work taking 5 months? Please answer that!

Robin Knight ● 1502d

We already have severe restrictions on car use, car parking and so on + cycle lanes galore + tube and overground rail services in the Chiswick area. My basic complaint about these works is the lack of communication and the lack of thought about how to least disrupt the lives of Chiswick residents. There was no prior communication at all.

Robin Knight ● 1502d

"Now where or where is Mr Data?"On the bridge of the Starship Enterprise ?

Richard Greenhough ● 1502d

Are you saying he’s a “space cadet”?

Russell Pearson ● 1502d

No, he's a self-aware, sapient, sentient and anatomically fully functional male android.

Richard Greenhough ● 1502d

RK: "We already have severe restrictions on car use, car parking and so on + cycle lanes galore + tube and overground rail services in the Chiswick area."RC: We probably disagree over the definition of "severe", but either way, my point is that such is the state of our road infrastructure (ageing, never designed for greatly increased traffic levels), that we can expect more such disruptions, not fewer. Which means we either (a ) continue to moan pointlessly on forums like this; or (b ) recognise that short-term "fixes" are nothing of the sort, accept that we are at "peak traffic" in West London, and plan for a future which is appropriate for the 21st century.And this will involve both the "stick" of discouraging, even prohibiting, all unnecessary private car use, at the same time as offering the "carrot" of improved public transport, cycling and pedestrianism etc.For not only will this help everyuone by improving health, reducing pollution and helping combat climate change, but the resulting decrease in road congestion will also benefit directly those private car owners who do still need to travel by road.

Richard Cathcart ● 1502d

I'm not a structural engineer Robin so I can's answer those questions.  It's not unusual for a situation to change rapidly,  you only need to look at Hammersmith Bridge or Hammersmith flyover for that.  This seems to be a "damned if you do,  damned if you don't" argument doesn't it?  I suggest you contact TFL or do a freedom of information request if you want to know more. 

Nora Watkins ● 1502d

I think you'll find that quite a few of them are re-locating because they want their headquarters to be in the EU Steve.  Nothing to do with traffic jams or airports.

Nora Watkins ● 1502d

RC:  For not only will this help everyuone by improving health, reducing pollution and helping combat climate change, but the resulting decrease in road congestion will also benefit directly those private car owners who do still need to travel by road.DL:  I believe this precise logic is used wherever a cycle lane narrows the roadway. Say on Euston Road, a ring road at that. Narrowing it to a single lane from Great Portland to Kings Cross was stupendously stupid. That said, I'm happy to report that last night they removed the inane cycle lane. The result? Deliciously free-flowing traffic this morning. Saves about 30 minutes of crawling. And idling. Think of how clean the air will be without all those idling vehicles. A ring road that now does what it says on the tin. Shocking.

David Lesniak ● 1502d

Re your contribution re Gt.Portland St and Kings X etc, I would make the following observations:1. Cycling is only one aspect of the transformation of our travelling habits which will be needed to meet all the different challenges facing us (road congestion, pollution, climate change etc);2. It may well be that the Euston Ring Road cycleway was badly planned - it would be astonishing if every single scheme worked perfectly every single time, in every single location;3. The title of this thread, indeed this entire forum, concerns Chiswick, so while your observation on what has happened in Euston is interesting, and possibly instructive for W4, in itself it doesn't discredit CS9, which I suspect was the sole motive behind your post.So having got that out of the way, do you agree with me that Chiswick/West London has now just about reached "peak traffic"?And if so, do you further agree that the imperative must be to discourage unnecessary private car journeys while simultaneously encouraging other, more environmentally healthy modes of transport, with this latter also benefiting those motorists who do still need to use their vehicles (via less congestion)?

Richard Cathcart ● 1502d

Steve is pretty anti-Brexit Nora so he probably realises that.

Andrew Jones ● 1502d

I'm repeating myself... but that Bridge (over the railway  at Gunnersbury) was built before WW2 as part of the Cromwell Road Extention. The opening of the westbound carriagrway happened in the early 1950s and many years later the Eastbound Carriageway.There was talk of an underpass at Sutton  Court Road and talk that Chiswick would never be divided by the Road.The brickwork on the Bridge made it always look "newish"and hardly a thought given that it might need stregthening.Hopefully Manchester United FC's coach will have no excuses for failing to reach the new Gtech Community Stadium.. for a hammering from the Bees (Gees?) or BeeGees on Saturday!

Jim Lawes ● 1502d

Thank you for your observations, Jim - informed, informative and interesting as ever.Much ()all?) of it may be before your time, but do you know whether there was much outcry when these major trunks roads like the A4, A316 and A406 were expanded or upgraded and pushed through Choswick and nearby? Or were people denied a say?I imagine this must have involved the compulsory purchase and demolition of many houses and businesses, or encroachment on public parks etc. If so, then maybe some of the people who are urging that those roads must be kept open may be the children or grandchildren of the earlier people who were unhappy when they were built in the first place.

Richard Cathcart ● 1502d

Richard,I don’t know about protests when the current A4 was built but there were subsequent plans called Ringway 2 to put another urban motorway through Grove Park and over the river to Barnes.https://www.roads.org.uk/ringways/ringway2/western-sectionThere were protests against this and it was eventually cancelled.

Michael Robinson ● 1502d

https://www.roads.org.uk/ringways/ringway2/western-sectionThere were protests against this and it was eventually cancelled.There certainly were protests over Ringway 2.As again many houses would be demolish to make way for it, so my father along with many Chiswick and Barnes residents started to protest about it.The only part of the inner ringways that was ever built, was the WestWay A40, what a mess that turned out to be.

Bernard Allen ● 1502d

Thanks for that Michael - fascinating. You couldn't trust the bas*@rds then and nothing has changed. Keep 'em in the dark and chuck muck on them!

Bruce Hammal ● 1502d

Hi, Richard.I'll take your points one by one.1.) Agreed. Never said otherwise.2.) Disagree. With all the TfL money spent on all their trail and error schemes, by this point they should know what to do and what not to do. They don't. This scheme was implemented during the first lockdown, if memory serves. It was implemented on both sides of the road. The westbound side was removed almost immediately after it was installed (a.k.a an enormous loss in resources) so while the eastbound side was left to rot, it costs people and businesses time and money. As to the latter, TfL and/or its affiliates actually put a number on it. It can be found online and on this forum. Again, if memory serves, it was roughly £1500 for all the added costs of delays and re-routing. 3.) This is a pointless point. As I'm sure you are well aware. This is a public forum meant to discuss ideas or share info. Wasn't it you having a go at me on - well just about everything- on the Pete Buttigieg thread?  Not very Chiswick of you now is it? Oh wait, perhaps that's the point of Point #3. A veiled swipe under the guise of localism.Now I know you like to ask questions and then dog people for answers, so I'll bite like the dog I am. I don't agree Chiswick/West London has reached peak traffic. For if we did all councils throughout London would be putting the kibbosh on building building building. For these new structures will generate new traffic not least of which will be repeated deliveries to the people and businesses within them. Given TfL and the Mayor like to react as opposed to pro-act, I'd said we're all going to be screwed soon enough. And I'm sorry, but I have yet to understand the difference between a private care journey and that very person booking an Uber. Either way a car is on the road getting someone somewhere. Or should we all stay home confined to the back bedroom? Let me know how that works for you, Richard.

David Lesniak ● 1501d

Only just caught up with this posting. It is, of course, a complete red herring. Car use in the W4 area is already severely restricted. Exactly who determines what is "necessary" car use is not stated. Another Hanif Khan I suppose. So-called "pointless moaning" on forums like this occurs because of the total lack of prior communication from TfL that it is going ahead with hugely disruptive work for FIVE months. What, exactly, is "peak" traffic"? And what plan for the future will be suitable for the rest of this century? This is all geek talk that avoids the day to day issues we face. Last week in Chiswick the traffic could not have been worse. By public transport, it took me an hour to travel by E3 bus from Turnham Green station to Edensor Road. Sutton Court Road, in particular, was at a total standstill because of the Harvard Hill work and its impact on the Great West Road. This is the reality. Cycle lanes etc etc offer no alternative.

Robin Knight ● 1492d