Plan To Close Four Acton Roads To Cars
Cyclists welcome proposed changes from A40 - consultation until 2 September
Plans to close off four Acton roads from the A40 to make way for a new cycle path have been welcomed by local riders.
If the plans go ahead they will see Park View, Court Way, Allan Way and Kathleen Avenue blocked off from the main arterial road.
Transport for London aims to construct the Acton section of the cycleway during the Autumn, and the public have until September 2 to give their feedback.
Ealing Cycling Campaign council-liaison Peter Mynors said users of any cycleway by a dual carriageway like the A40 were at much greater risk if side roads were connected.
He said: “The whole strategy in outer London is to try and compartmentalise the borough into areas where you don’t get through-traffic, and to minimise the number of areas you can join the primary road network.
“That creates a much safer environment in each cell, and this basically would create a cell in this bit of Ealing.”
The new stretch was originally part of what was being called the East-West cycle superhighway from Paddington to the A40, but is now known as TFL’s Wood Lane to Acton cycleway.
Mr Mynors said the route will begin at Wood Lane just north of White City tube station, and terminate at Kathleen Avenue.
The council says in its plan that drivers turning into and out of the side road are concentrating on motor traffic and may not see cyclists approaching.
The consultation notes: “Removing all traffic and providing a continuous cycleway removes this conflict and makes cycling more attractive, as well as safer, because there is less starting and stopping, so journey times for cyclists are improved.
“It also gives the cycle route the same priority as cyclists would have if riding on the carriageway.
“A public consultation in March showed that options to close some of the four roads and not others would be unpopular, and ineffective at removing through traffic in the area.
“Ealing Council therefore propose to close all four roads to motor traffic in both directions at their junctions with the A40.”
Alliance Road will be broadened to allow for more access to the A40 after the other four roads are cut off.
Mr Mynors said provided everything went to plan, the new cycleway would be completed some time next year.
Ged Cann - Local Democracy Reporter31 July 2019