Forum Topic

Another collision at Sutton Court Rd and A4 junction this morning

No serious injuries apparently. How many more accidents do there have to be here before this dangerous junction is addressed?

F Coyle ● 2285d16 Comments

It's not the junction that is dangerous. It's the drivers who use it.Not an accident, by the way, but a collision.

Ken Munn ● 2285d

How would you suggest it can be improved ? The dip on the south side that can make northbound vehicles difficult to spot for southbound vehicles turning right is a difficult problem to address.

Richard Greenhough ● 2285d

I believe Hounslow has commissioned a new design for the junction but it will need money and TfL approval.  I haven't seen the design.There is no money to do it unless it is provided as part of future government funding.  Current government funding is for temporary measures and a redesign would need construction works.Also I was under the impression that previously TfL viewed east-west capacity of the A4 as sacrosanct and refused to do anything that would reduce this.Times are changing however.  Pre-COVID they were looking at reducing the speed limit of the A4 east of Hogarth roundabout and possibly putting in another surface crossing.  This would reduce the capacity so maybe this is no longer the most important thing.Again, I haven't seen what they are thinking about for the design but I wouldn't be surprised if it could mean closing off access from Barrowgate Rd on the east and west side of Sutton Court Rd.  No point improving the junction if there are still cars  trying to squeeze into the queue from the left and the right

Michael Robinson ● 2285d

"The dip on the south side that can make northbound vehicles difficult to spot for southbound vehicles turning right is a difficult problem to address."At this risk of being an amateur traffic engineer... maybe they could put in a dedicated right turn stage at the southbound lights, and northbound traffic would be held during this stage.  This would likely reduce green time for east - west traffic but maybe this is no longer as important as it used to be.Or maybe change it into a signal controlled roundabout...

Michael Robinson ● 2285d

Don't worry  they will probably shut both roads shortly apart from to buses and cyclists.

Claire Moran ● 2285d

My son on his bike was hit by a van turning right onto the A4 at this junction in January 2010, travelling South to North on SCR (up the "hill"). He ended up briefly in hospital. In 2013 TFL published a document and design, written in 2012, for the junction to upgraded. It inaccurately stated that there had only been one accident including a cyclist between 2008 and 2011. My son's accident was never quoted, despite the fact that the A4 going west had 1 lane closed when the ambulance & police were there. At the time it made me wonder how accurate TFL figures were in general. I am still waiting for the design to implemented 7 years later!

Chris Blishen ● 2285d

We can but hope.

Ben Halloren ● 2285d

If you close off the access from Barrowgate Road on the west side of Sutton Court Road, how are vehicles arriving from the M4 supposed to access Grove Park ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2285d

Via Hogarth Roundabout

Francis Rowe ● 2285d

So residents of Burnaby Gardens and the surrounding streets would have to queue all the way to Hogarth Roundabout, adding a mile or more to their journey and more pollution on the way ? Closing off the Harvard Hill exit is already going to make it harder to get out at busy times, and now you suggest it should be made harder to get home as well. Why not declare the Sutton Court area a car-free zone and have done with it ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2285d

I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

Claire Moran ● 2285d

"If you close off the access from Barrowgate Road on the west side of Sutton Court Road, how are vehicles arriving from the M4 supposed to access Grove Park ?"They either come off the M4 at Chiswick Roundabout and head towards SCR, or continue on the A4 to Hogarth roundabout and use the A316 or go around and head back on the A4 westbound.  I have heard that some people do that anyway during the evening peak when the SCR junction is particularly bad.I think it would improve the traffic flow leading up to the  junction.  You can see in this picture from google street view the queue of traffic on Barrowgate Rds east and west and a van trying to force its way in to SCR.https://goo.gl/maps/NwesCXQ9dqBZ5ze59Residents of Barrowgate Rd would also benefit from a quieter street without queues of traffic.There would be a disbenefit for people going to Grove Park from the eastbound M4 but that is likely to be part of a longer journey and an extra mile and a quarter or so is hardly a big deal.Improvement to north-south connections within Chiswick should be prioritised higher than a slightly longer journey to Chiswick on the motorway, in my opinion.

Michael Robinson ● 2285d

Richard, if people are using the eastbound M4 to get to Chiswick, that is likely to be part of a longer journey so an extra mile and a bit is hardly a big deal.If they were that concerned about pollution, they wouldn't be driving in the first place so no point complaining that an extra mile is forcing them to pollute and they won't be as green as Greta Thunberg anymore.No such thing as having cake and eating it so if it comes down to improving north-south connections within Chiswick or adding a mile or so to some people's journeys to the M4, then personally I'd rather see an improvement to journeys within Chiswick.  Other opinions may be available.

Michael Robinson ● 2285d

What a lot of nonsense. That's like saying no one who cares about the climate ever gets on a plane.  Or a bus or train, for that matter.

Claire Moran ● 2285d

"What a lot of nonsense"Indeed. Personally I love it when Michael et al do their fancy u-turns as he just demonstrated. It'll be all you damn drivers driving, reduce pollution on one thread and then on another they opt to say things how bad can it be to drive another mile or so out of your way and thus pollute more. How dare anyone rat run. But whilst we're at it, lemme tell you block by block how I prefer to rat run a specific route.Dare not call them out on contradicting themselves. They get all angry about that. Despite the evidence which they so love. Sometimes. Or not. Or maybe. Perhaps.

David Lesniak ● 2284d

"Dare not call them out on contradicting themselves. They get all angry about that. Despite the evidence which they so love. Sometimes. Or not. Or maybe. Perhaps." That's what happens when you get a bunch of despotic Trump disciples together on a public forum.

Steve Taylor ● 2284d