Forum Topic

Controversial London cycleway blocks three emergency vehicles in just 24 hours

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9407983/London-LTNs-chaos-caused-cycleway-blocks-three-emergency-vehicles.htmlThis section of C9 continues to be a mess, with the removal of the left hand filter into Chiswick Lane there are often tailbacks to King Street and beyond, this was not the case before.

Mark Perry ● 2040d11 Comments

The left hand filter was really sensible whoever designed C9 has no understanding of the local area and traffic flow, removal of bus lane is just crazy. They must have been told do whatever is necessary to ensure the cycle lane cuts through the heart of CHR regardless of the cost to public transport, local residents and all the residential streets. It’s going to be great fun once traffic returns to anywhere near pre pandemic levels, NOT....

Jayne Thorburn ● 2040d

It is possible we are at the high point for traffic. It the ratio of people back at work but using the car rather than their regular mode of public transport is high then fears that things are going to be a lot worse may be misplaced. As soon as it is deemed safe to use the train and the tube thenNot sure why the Daily Mail chose to cover this - there have been far worst instances of delays on the High Road posted on social media. For the fire engine and the ambulance to hold up was minimal and it may be the police car received a call to go in the opposite direction.The strategy appears to be to throttle traffic at each end of the High Road so there is a consistent queue eastbound between Acton Lane and the junction with Chiswick Road and westbound from King Street to Chiswick Lane. As the static traffic is not adjacent this does mean that emergency vehicles are not at risk of getting completely stuck. Whether this was part of the design or a happy accident is impossible to say.With the ULEZ set to come into force in October the council is likely to be thinking that if they can tough it out through the summer a fall off in traffic when the restrictions start will mean they can extend the 'temporary' lane for longer or even make it permanent.

Paul Corcoran ● 2040d

"It is possible we are at the high point for traffic"Uh, no.The majority of folks are still working from home. We now people who have closed offices and converted to WFH exclusively. We know many whose companies have committed to WFH through next year. We are far from knowing what the high point of traffic will be. TfL is showing around 30% of pre-pandemic ridership. Glad your comfortable advocating for holding up first responders. Hopefully it won't be you needing the defibrillator.

David Lesniak ● 2039d

For what you say to be true the number of people working from home who are set to switch to commuting by car must exceed the number of people who are currently using their car to commute who will switch to public transport when the need for social distancing ends. I don't know the answer, I'm just suggesting it as a possibility.Your tendency to become offensive when somebody makes a point you don't agree with or understand is something you need to rein in if you want to retain the respect of others.I am not comfortable with any delays to emergency services. I was just observing that the extent of the delays shown did not seem to warrant coverage in a national newspaper. The risk that Cycleway 9 presented was that there would be solid lines of traffic westbound and eastbound and that emergency service vehicles would be stuck for a sustained period. This did happen during the construction phase and up until the time the Queen became stuck in traffic on Chiswick High Road. This meant the cycleway was presenting a clear risk to life and compromising national security.Since then the phasing of the lights appears to have changed to throttle traffic at both ends of the High Road which has led to huge queues at both ends. This seems to be aimed to reduce the chance of gridlock in the centre of town and ensure that there aren't two adjacent lanes of static traffic in which emergency services vehicles could get stuck.It seems to be working at the moment in that ambulances and fire engines are being delayed by seconds rather than minutes. Obviously any delay is bad but it is difficult to say with any certainty that there are more significantly more delays to emergency services vehicles than there would have been without CS9. The traffic management arrangements are clearly creating more queues overall but they are being done in a way that mitigates emergency service delays. Without CS9 some delays would have occured anyway.

Paul Corcoran ● 2039d

Sorry if you took offense, Paul.But, like the Mayor, I won't apologize for taking issue as and when I see one. To the extent I care, plenty of people respect me for that strategy.Perhaps if you had provided the clarity of your position initially, there would be no need to challenge it.Unlike you, I am concerned by any delay no matter how minimal these schemes create for first responders. Especially since fears have been confirmed LFB and LAS have not been consulted. Not only is that my belief, but it is the ruling of the presiding judge.

David Lesniak ● 2039d

So when the Bus Lane was introduced to CHR presumably all the hard done to lovable motorists were complaining about their loss of space ? So nothing changes then !

Chris Vessey ● 2039d

Ha ha you have just reminded me of the bus gate saga than ran on this forum for years & years...

Will Watson ● 2039d

What ever the argument was against bus lanes it was not that they create delays for emergency services. The likelihood is that they do the opposite.David, people will take offense when you attribute to them malignant views that they do not hold to try and gain a false moral superiority. In my previous post I stated, 'I am not comfortable with any delays to emergency services'

Paul Corcoran ● 2039d

Paul, again I will apologize if I offended.But people also take offense when clarity isn't offered up initially. Had I not challenged you, your initial post suggested you were okay with delays to emergency services. Some who post on this forum are. And they argue that it is acceptable and paint themselves as the moral superior in taking that stance. To me it has a tendency to come across as that life there isn't important but this life here is especially because it supports my agenda. We don't get to pick and choose when a life is in peril. I see, now, you are not one of these folks. But I hope you can appreciate how and why I call out those who might take this particular position.

David Lesniak ● 2039d

Shame we can’t unlock CHR“ Lock shops selling online have reported a surge in sales of keys that can unlock bollards councils install to close off roads to try to promote cycling and walking.The increase in demand for the keys is believed to be linked to concerns road closures are hampering fire, ambulance and police response times.”“Living next to an LTN is a nightmare of traffic jams and pollution”https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/27/living-next-low-traffic-neighbourhood-nightmare-traffic-jams/

Russell Pearson ● 2039d

You simply need 'Brigade Keys 1 and 14' - readily available on online auction sites for £1.50 each.Not an offence to have the keys but potentially an offence to use them.

N V Brooks ● 2038d