Councillors Blame TfL for Making Chelverton Road a Rat Ran
Say phasing of the lights at the High Street causing problem
Chelverton Road increasingly congested say residents. Picture: Google Streetview
Local councillors have responded to complaints by residents of Chelverton Road about heavy traffic by blaming Transport for London (TfL).
People living on the road say that it has recently been experiencing much heavier traffic than normal and that access to Putney High Street has become difficult.
Loic Brohard says that in some cases it is taking 30 minutes to exit the road and adds, “Hammersmith Bridge closure and the new phasing of the High Street traffic lights might indeed be the main source of the problem.
“I am also convinced that Chelverton road is used a rat-run between Upper Richmond Road and the High Street (as per below drawing) - with a high percentage vehicles stuck in traffic being builders vans...
“Besides increased traffic jam, rat-running generates noise and emissions.”
Presumed route of rat runners on Chelverton Road. Picture: Loic Brohard
Vehicles appear to be using the road to try to avoid queues on the Upper Richmond Road and Putney High Street.
Another resident of the road said, “The problem has got noticeable worse recently. I think rat running such as this is inevitable in the age of Waze and Google Maps but some people are using the route by habit and not realising they are heading into a bottleneck. They’d get to where they need to be much quicker by sticking to the ‘A’ roads.”
A leaflet issued by the Thamesfield ward councillors, who are all Conservatives, says that it is ‘likely’ the increased problems on the road are caused by TfL’s changing of the phasing of the lights on the High Street combined with greater car use during the pandemic and the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.
They say they have requested that TfL revert the traffic lights to their previous configuration and have asked the Wandsworth Council traffic team to conduct a traffic numbers study to get a better understanding of vehicle movements in the area.
We contacted TfL for comment and await a response.
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September 17, 2021