Forum Topic

Road tunnel from Chiswick

Isn't it time our councils use more imagination and vision and re-look at the "flyunder"

Robert Glen ● 2064d8 Comments

No.

Jeffrey Cope ● 2064d

Some video of the Hammersmith Flyover being built. The logic used to justify building it is still quite relevant!

Ed Saper ● 2064d

The idea of a fly-under or tunnel has come up on many occasions. One or two Chiswick councillors have floated the idea of placing our stretch of the A4 in a tunnel and releasing land for parks, playing fields and even football stadia.The price tag of any such schemes would be way beyond the London Borough of Hounslow's capacity and would have to be driven by TfL's expertise and access to Government funding. Unfortunately as we all now know that TfL is committed to an anti-car agenda and is putting neither time nor energy into imaginative schemes for the benefit of the drivers of motor vehicles.We would just be grateful if (as they say they will) TfL would at long last address the short comings of the scary A4 / Sutton Court Road junction. This would surely be the single most effective measure to encourage local residents to reduce the number of unnecessary short car journeys. Boston (Mass) placed its Central Artery road into a tunnel. The so called Big Dig became the biggest construction project in the US and experienced eye watering cost overruns. I have however heard Bostonians singing its praises. To expect this kind of imagination from TfL is just a pipe dream.See more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dig  The infrastructure plans associated with the massive expansion of Heathrow that will follow the construction of the third runway will be supported by additional lanes being added to the A4 - unfortunately there appear to be no 'imaginative' plans for Chiswick.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2064d

TfL and expertise. Rarely seen in the same post let alone the same sentence.

N V Brooks ● 2064d

Oops, hit 'submit' too early. Big Dig is brilliant, there is something like 250 or 300 acres of new public parks and open spaces created by the land released from the six-lane highway that used to run through from Interstate 1 and Logan airport through the middle of downtown Boston. It used to be one huge traffic jam with loads of 'initiatives' to try and reduce the queues. None worked as until Big Dig made road use easier and safer.

N V Brooks ● 2064d

"The infrastructure plans associated with the massive expansion of Heathrow that will follow the construction of the third runway..."Surely that should read "would follow"? I know it's not officially dead yet but the third runway has surely breathed its last, We can but hope so. As long as Heathrow expansion and associated road-building remain even a glint in the governmental eye then the whole notion of a concerted plan to tackle the climate emergency remains laughable. It would take an awful lot of LTNs and cycle lanes to offset that lot.

Bruce Hammal ● 2064d

Given their past performances on everything they're responsible for, I hate to imagine the astronomical over-expenditure and years of chaos that would ensue if TfL were given the go-ahead to start digging a tunnel underneath W4. I'd be much happier if they simply restored the important route across the river that Hammersmith Bridge used to supply. (My breath is not being held)

Colin Jordan ● 2064d

"TfL and expertise. Rarely seen in the same post let alone the same sentence." 🤣Add LB Hounslow into the mix and any scheme is Doomed for Disaster. We only have to look at their track record...For example LBH's latest revenue raising scheme - 'Park Anywhere Permits' but as shown on another thread, that's simply not true...

Loraine Pemberton ● 2064d