Rocks Lane Consultation Proposes Closure of Common Road

---

Richmond Council planning traffic improvement scheme at junction


Rocks Lane Consultation from PDF on Richmond Council

Richmond Council is holding a consultation on potential junction widening and road closure proposals that would affect traffic flows through Barnes Common.

The planned changes aim to improve the busy but narrow and often heavily congested junction where Mill Hill Road meets Rocks Lane and include closing Common Road to traffic.

If the consultation is successful, implementation will be subject to funding and is not likely to be until the end of 2017.

This junction lies just beyond the borough boundary but is the scene of regular hold ups to traffic heading westbound from the Lower Richmond Road towards Barnes.

Rocks Lane junction. Picture: Google

Delays caused by vehicles turning right are a common occurrence on all four arms of this crossroads. To improve traffic flows Richmond proposes widening the carriageway on all approaches and introducing right turn priority signals on traffic lights.

The proposals can be summarised in 5 stages:

1. Widening of the Rocks Lane / Mill Hill Road Junction to allow dedicated right turn lanes

2. Introduction of pedestrian and cycle crossings on the Rocks Lane / Mill Hill Road. There are currently no crossings on any of the four arms of the junction

3. To close Common Road at both ends. This will remove movements in and out of Common road onto Mill Hill Road which impacts of the Rocks Lane / Mill Hill Road Junction and allow for an improve pedestrian / cycle connectivity

4. Widening of the footways from Barnes Station to Ranelagh Avenue and Mill Hill Road towards Beverley Road and Lower Richmond Road

5. Upgrade of existing footpath on Barnes Common between Station Road / Rocks Lane to Common Road

However in order to do these works it needs to acquire some land which is currently part of Barnes Common. To compensate for the loss of Common Land Richmond’s proposal is to close Common Road at both ends to vehicular traffic. It would remain open only to pedestrians and cyclists.

Common Road is a cut-through linking the junction with Queens Ride – meeting it a short distance from the well-known shrine to pop singer Marc Bolan who was involved in a fatal accident here in 1977.

The Rocks Lane consultation can be responded to online. Comments must be received by 18 September.

If you require a paper copy of the questionnaire please email paul.robinson@richmond.gov.uk or phone 020 8487 5276.

August 26, 2016