Forum Topic

Mobile speed cameras in Chiswick

just to let you all know that in the first week they caught 62 people speeding. They plan to roll this out to other roads. But don't think that when you see the police car you can simply slow down¬ The camera has a range of 1 km so will catch you before then....

Iris Hill ● 6d23 Comments

Pretty sure when they added the bus lane to the M4 to reduce available lanes for most vehicles things improved for all Wrong!! it was a nightmare from day one in rush hour the queues got longer and sometimes stretched back past junction 3. If a coach or taxi broke down on it they could not get over to the hard shoulder and it ended in utter carnage.The day they got rid of it things got better. Same thing happened when they got rid of the bus lane on Kew Bridge.

Brian Green ● 1h

You use the map to look at and move above the roads, panning in to see where the lanes are and why they change. If you looked at it as a still image, then I get your response. Multiple lanes allowing for space get implemented for a reason. Obviously, no reply as to why, so I take it Paul does not drive,so possibly has no clue as to why. The answr is quite simple and straightforward

Julian Pavey ● 6h

Yeah, that.To add, multiple lanes can cause issues in themselves with chopping and changing where it can be better to stream into a single lane.Pretty sure when they added the bus lane to the M4 to reduce available lanes for most vehicles things improved for all _people_ heading east onto the flyover in vehicles, although some people with power would not or could not accept this, with the resuilt the bus lane was removed and journey times for all went back UP.

Paul James ● 7h

Julian, to be fair to Paul, I looked at the map link you posted and wasn't sure what you were getting at.

Francis Rowe ● 8h

I guess you still haven't looked and got the answer as to why Kew Road and kew bridge road is 2-lanes and 1-lane depending on where you are,or 2 lanes and 2 lanes in parts. There is a good reason why.

Julian Pavey ● 9h

>Kew Bridge was reduced to one lane to accommodate a bus lane at the beginning of the century. It was removed when it transpired that it caused massive tailbacks through Kew and made the buses run even more slowly. I agree it is daft that there is no shared payment on the west side of the bridge but clearly the available space would not allow it within the current regulations. If it was allowable I'd suggest a shared pathway with pedestrian priority - cyclists wanting to proceed more quickly can still use the road.That's a lot of words to say "too many cars, too much driving".I wonder when this bridge will go the way of the hammersmith and albert, if it's not there already...

Paul James ● 9h

Even on the east side of Kew Bridge pedestrian priority applies so cyclists have to give way if someone walks on the part marked for them.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 10h

Kew Bridge was reduced to one lane to accommodate a bus lane at the beginning of the century. It was removed when it transpired that it caused massive tailbacks through Kew and made the buses run even more slowly. I agree it is daft that there is no shared payment on the west side of the bridge but clearly the available space would not allow it within the current regulations. If it was allowable I'd suggest a shared pathway with pedestrian priority - cyclists wanting to proceed more quickly can still use the road.

Francis Rowe ● 12h

Look on Google Images, and you might come up with the answer https://tinyurl.com/4h695dyr

Julian Pavey ● 1d

>but extending this to arterial (two lane) roads is simply not necessaryI saw a mum and young son riding over the bridge the other week. The pavement that side is no cycling so they were in lane 1.Why are there two lanes for cars anyway, it's just one lane further back from both approaches.

Paul James ● 1d

I came southbound over Kew Bridge today doing exactly 20 mph and a 65 bus flew past me. I fully take on board the 20 mph argument in residential areas but extending this to arterial (two lane) roads is simply not necessary. Unless 'safety' is being masqueraded for another purpose, that is.

Jim Brown ● 1d

On a road its more dangerous for a cyclist doing 15/20 while the car is doing 18/20.Also, for cyclists it's a nightmare on a busy road to pull out when cars are all doing 20, as the gaps to pull out, let alone traffic in the opposite direction, never materialise. Half the time you can't get out; the cars are like a necklace with no gaps

Julian Pavey ● 1d

I dont believe a word of the 20 is plenty brigade stats and never will - they literally make it up and ignore the side impact of congestion/bunching/ higher chances of non road users getting caught up...If you're a stats fan, look at our very own boroughs stats ..."Hounslow, data on the borough-wide shift toward 20 mph speed limits shows a clear divide between the high rate of Council implementation and the actual safety outcomes on the ground.According to the latest Hounslow Healthy Streets Scorecard, the borough has successfully blanketed 91.5% of its relevant road network with a 20 mph speed limit. However, despite this massive coverage, local statistics reveal mixed and challenging results regarding actual safety.The Statistical Realities in HounslowHighest casualty rate: Despite the widespread 20 mph limits, Hounslow records the highest pedestrian casualty rate in the entire capital.Rising cyclist injuries: While cycling participation in the borough increased to 10.7%, it was simultaneously offset by an increase in cyclist casualty rates.General injury trends: More broadly, transport-related injury rates stand at roughly 2.5 casualties per 1,000 residents, keeping Hounslow aligned with the London average rather than ahead of it...."

Tim Garfoot ● 1d

>This obsession with creating and enforcing 20 mph speed limits is a clear example of the "look here we've solved a problem " You're probaly right that all motorised vehicles should have mandatory geofenced speed limits (not just escooters and ebikes) and remote cut off swtiches (just like rental ebikes and escooters).But you're totally misrepresenting 20mph limits here. The problem they solve is streets left at 30mph generally have much higher rate of incidents than the same street at 20mph, it's basic physics.https://www.20splenty.org/30mph_unjust

Paul James ● 1d

You are spot on about a small number of racers. If you read the news carefully you see accidents late at night where no other car is involved but often fatalities occur. Recently four people died including a baby when a car left the road at 2300 hrs no other vehicle was involved.

Nicholas Beard ● 2d

This obsession with creating and enforcing 20 mph speed limits is a clear example of the "look here we've solved a problem " phonemenon whilst ignoring the real issue which is not, funnily enough the majority of drivers who are doing a massive 10 % over this manufactured 20 mph speed limit.Its a small number of easily identiable boy racers who dont obey any speed limits and treat the roads as their personal Playstation game and end like this https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/26265917.a13-newham-fatal-car-crash---inquests-opened/u

Tim Garfoot ● 2d

On polling day this year there was a police officer at the junction of Southfield Road and St Albans Avenue holding what appeared to be a speed camera.

Norman Redfern ● 3d

A few years ago volunteers accompanied by a police officer used  to use a speed camera in Chiswick (London Borough of Ealing). Those who were speeding received a warning the first time and then penalties increased for repeat offenders. This no longer happens I believe.

Elizabeth Jane Daley ● 3d

Easy peasy, Paul.Surely you are familiar with the "speed camera ahead" signs dotted about your country.Same logic.

David Lesniak ● 4d

(slow down even)

Paul James ● 5d

>don't think that when you see the police car you can simply slow down¬ The camera has a range of 1 km so will catch you before then....Why would you have to show down?

Paul James ● 5d

In Sussex I remember civilians could apply to be given a speed camera and operate it. However people caught could not receive a fine only a warning.

Nicholas Beard ● 5d

Ive seen 3 cars pulled over on Kew Bridge Road lately by the police, which ive never seen before. I take it for speeding, as no fixed speed cameras operate on that road. Only a TFL CCTV camera for traffic monitoring kew bridge north side. I'm actually surprised no speed camera exists

Julian Pavey ● 6d