Forum Topic

Traffic light sequence SCR/A4

I had the misfortune of being in a taxi waiting to cross the A4 yesterday and had time to count the timing of the traffic light sequence.  I was astonished that there is only 13 seconds on green for cars on SCR yet on the A4 it’s just over 2 minutes.I understand the desire to prioritise the movement of traffic on the A4 but this is ridiculous and is clearly one of the main reasons for the horror show at the moment. Which authority is responsible for this ludicrous decision?

Phil Spivey ● 1486d15 Comments

TfLhttps://streetcare.tfl.gov.uk/

Richard Jennings ● 1486d

Quelle suprise!

Peter King ● 1486d

Pre-pandemic average daily traffic on the A4 was about 96,000 vehicles.If the green time on SCR is about 10% of the green time on the A4 and this was proportionate to the volume of traffic on both roads, then that would imply about 9,600 vehicles per day on SCR.I’d be surprised if SCR traffic was that much given, for comparison, CHR pre-pandemic traffic was about 14,000 vehicles per day.So the allocation of green time does seem to reflect the relative proportion of traffic with anything SCR maybe getting slightly more than it deserves but there will need to be a minimum green time irrespective of what the numbers of vehicles are.

Michael Robinson ● 1485d

The problem is compounded by the fact that the minimal green light time allocated to vehicles on SCR is eroded by having to wait for those travelling west on the A4 to clear the junction after the light change. There is no box  junction for westbound traffic so the queue backs up, effectively meaning all vehicles using SCR get even less crossing time than the 10 or 12 seconds on green. Sometimes this can mean only two or three vehicles can negotiate the junction. It's then around 2 minutes 40 before the next opportuntity arises.I raised this with Jefferson Nwokeoma suggesting he should pursue the issue with Tfl on behalf of local residents. Unfortunately I just received a pro-forma reply together with an unhelpful link to Tfl's website.

Bruce Hammal ● 1485d

It’s in LBH’s power to open up Harvard Hill to locals, that would reduce the pressure a small bit for those trying to get onto the A4/M4. Don’t think they have the IT skills to do that quickly however.

Russell Pearson ● 1485d

As it happens I walked back to Grove Park via Harvard Hill on Friday and saw several people chancing their arm by driving round the barrier. This is potentially still a dangerous bit of traffic management in its current incarnation.

Bruce Hammal ● 1485d

There’s a camera up so fines will be on their way.Easiest way in is via Hogarth Roundabout, and in via Staveley. Just did a Screwfix run and worked a treat.

Russell Pearson ● 1485d

Or into Grove Park via SotG if you're at that end. I've started using it often to come back to GP having established there is now currently no permanent camera at the Kew Bridge entrance.

Jim Brown ● 1485d

People are getting frustrated.  I stood at the junction and have noticed several cars heading out of town along A4 sneak into the gaps in the bollards and run along the closed lane for a few hundred yards before coming out in a gap in bollards further along. Beggars belief.

Sean Wales ● 1485d

Pardon my confusion, but are you now allowed to travel from Kew Bridge down Thames Road to Grove Park?

Colin Jordan ● 1484d

Confusion is right. Who knows but those on this forum and then obviously not all of us!

Maggie Dodge ● 1484d

I don't think it is fair to describe the short phase on SCR as a 'ludicrous decision'. The volume of traffic carried on the A4 is far greater than any other road in the area and if it becomes congested the problem will wash back into Chiswick and beyond and there wouldn't just be delays on SCR. Traffic planners are faced with a series of difficult choices in circumstances like this and, while you might not be happy with their solutions, they have training in this field and will have analysed the impact of alternative configurations.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1484d

Fair enough Jeremy. However once you take into account vehicles backing up across the junction east to west on the A4 and those wanting to turn right onto the A4 from SCR (there's no filter so they can only clear the junction once the light has gone red), then effectively traffic on SCR gets only about 5 seconds of usable green light time. Hence the queues on SCR and the ludicrous journey times for anybody stuck in a bus. If TFL think ten seconds versus 2 minutes 40 is a fair spread then they should at least ensure it really is 10 seconds!

Bruce Hammal ● 1484d

Back in the 1950s when lots of developments were happening along this stretch of the A4(the Cromwell Road Extension) there was talk reported in the old Brentford and Chiswick Times newspaper that an underpass was being considered at this junction..perhaps with a roundabout too. Whatever..there were promises that the North and South of Chiswick would not be cut off from each other!!It was just Brentford and Chiswick Council in those days.. and Middlesex County Council and others.

Jim Lawes ● 1484d

Several posters seem to be overly generous to TFL. To Jeremy's post, the A4 is in any case severely congested with queues often back towards Hammersmith, and TFL advice is for drivers to use alternative routes. If people insist on sitting in queues that is their problem. By shutting down SCR then Chiswick is cut in half and local bus services are disrupted to the point where they can become unusable. The current arrangement doesnt work and should be addressed. Allowing a couple of vehicles through per brief light phase achieves nothing other than gridlock. A yellow box on the south side of the junction would also help south-north traffic on SCR.If we had a local borough and transport officials there who had the slighest regard for local residents then it might change, but we don't and so it doesn't. The traffic lights at the SCR/ A4 junction were 'upgraded' with the promise of more flexibility to react to traffic. But we see now is simply the same approach of shutting down W4 whenever there is an A4 problem. Why mainly commuter traffic choosing to drive in and out of London on the A4 should be prioritised over the local community and bus services is hard to understand.

Bill George ● 1483d