Forum Topic

IBAF report

From the front page - an interim report on the Church St. Closure going to (Isleworth & Brentford Area Forum) committee 15th September."At the current time, it is not possible to state that the closure of Church Street has led to a severe impact on journey times for those passing through the wider network or using public transport, although there is some recordable increase in traffic volumes for those heading southbound on Twickenham Road"."Was the person who wrote that at the Edinburgh Fringe or something? If so, they missed out on the best joke award, or they are simply taking the p*ss. Morons, idiots, twerps, prats and liars, there is no way anyone could make a statement like that unless they had their tongue firmly in their cheek. I bumped into a local councillor yesterday who was very annoyed at the time a bus journey on the H20 had just taken because of the traffic on the Twickenham Rd. The closure of Church St. is, and has been, a complete and utter disaster, but minds were made up long ago and these people have never heard of saying when they get it spectacularly wrong and having the humility to apologise, they are a disgrace.

Vanessa Smith ● 3256d14 Comments

Excellent point Ian.

Keith Iddon ● 3197d

I have seen it suggested that the one-way down Church St should be southbound, to relieve the traffic on Twickenham Rd that way. Seems fair to me and should have been tried rather than the over-the-top closure.

Ian Speed ● 3197d

"Is your road a rat-run I ask?"Thanks to the people in Church Street and misguided councillors the answer to that for many local residential roads is a resounding 'Yes'. Where do people think that the traffic that used Church Street went to? To someone else of course, but then no-one cares about people who don't live in a very expensive enclave do they? Try standing at the bus stop outside ASDA on Twickenham Rd. and watch the traffic that does U-turns,  and goes through No Entry signs and thus through Worple Estate down into Worple Rd.

Vanessa Smith ● 3199d

Had occasion to be down in Isleworth a while ago for an event at Isleworth Public Hall.  Took the opportunity to look around Church Street.  It was really lovely without any traffic except for the drivers who had followed satnav and had to turn around!  In looking at photographs of two-way traffic before the closure it is clear that this very narrow street cannot sustain this level of traffic and the numerous 'incidents' of near misses, bashed houses and walls/fencing damaged let alone the flooding at high tide shows this is not sustainable.  I do agree that a one-way traffic system COULD be implemented but here is the crunch - which way!  More to the point why are we pandering to drivers who just use it as a rat-run anyway?  Is your road a rat-run I ask?  Mine isn't - its a dead end.

Eileen Henderson ● 3199d

This was interesting to say the least. Tamsin from the Don't Close Church St. campaign was excellent, and took the consultant's and Hounslow's stats apart. Wyevale Garden centre also spoke and reckon they've lost 1000 customers a week and have lost money solely due to the closure, the Isleworth Chamber of Commerce are also against. There was a long rambling thing from Theo Dennison - not sure anyone had a clue what he was on about. It started with Tony Louki complaining that the H28 that runs down from Osterley gets caught up in the traffic but didn't rate mention, so he wanted some further figures. There was a lot of derision at the assertion that traffic and pollution had decreased at times! Ed Mayne thought that a mini roundabout - yet another - would be a good idea at the Worton Rd. junction with Twickenham Rd. The other two never opened their mouths, which was interesting as Lin Green was behind me driving down Worple Rd. last night and we had to faff around trying to pass other cars coming from Cleveland Rd. and South St. Traffic down there is really on the increase. No mention of the fact that the Green School for Boys is going to be right at the junction of Park Rd. - great.  Anyway in the end the report was 'noted', it had apparently originally been 'for decision' but Tamsin had contacted the local govt. Ombudsman pointing out that this couldn't happen as this was only nine months in to the 18 month temporary closure.Steve Curran thought that all parties should get round the table to thrash out whose data on traffic etc. was right! After all this time they think that'll work? Especially when requests for meeting from the Don't Close Campaign have been brushed aside. What was the point of the bloody consultants then if councillors don't think their data was O.K.? Perhaps they'd better ask for their money back?Church St. residents argument was very weak, banging on about people cycling and walking, what happens if you're elderly or disabled? Again they mentioned the charity money - totally irrelevant. They just want what they want, and sod everyone else. Whatever anybody says, the rest of us have borne the brunt of the results of this closure.

Vanessa Smith ● 3249d

Did anyone manage to go to the IBAF meeting last night?I am presuming the Church St closure "trial" was deemed a great success by our councillors who know best and must be obeyed at all times?Who knows there could now be an event on this road every weekend to reinforce their view and who cares about the local school children suffering from the extra pollution of Twickenham Rd anyway!

Paul Fisher ● 3250d

By the way, the double yellow lines recently painted on the corners around here are completely undermined by the first parked vehicle, after the lines, being a white van.This yellow lines enable a dipping and diving car travelling towards the larger roads to appear without the chance of being seen, and duck in just where pedestrians are trying to cross and to see around the van which is blocking their view.  Most of the people on the pavements in this area are young children and young families on their way to school.

Sarah Felstead ● 3255d

These small now seriously congested roads are all walk to school routes, which Church street isn't.  Safety should be considered with that walk to school report of a few years ago.  Most of the small streets have to be crossed by children in order to get to their school and there is a density of these between Twickenham road and the A4.  Still, I remember being told  that the Councils view of potential road accidents was until a child was killed, there was no accident records to consider.By the way, the double yellow lines on road corners around here are completely undermined by the first parked vehicle, after the lines, being a white van.

Sarah Felstead ● 3255d

I don't believe a word of that flashy report as I know what I see with my own eyes. After all the report was bound to come out on the side of the closure - he who pays the piper etc. What a bunch of lily-livered contemptuous bunch we have masquerading as councillors, they'd be dangerous if they had brains.

Vanessa Smith ● 3255d

Fact is very few people have complained to TfL about the delays to the 267 in particular and to TfL roads about the delays.Most people simply do not bother but it is actually quite hard to raise a complaint that goes beyond customer services.But has anyone seen a mandatory road census or survey conducted by TfL or the Highways agency?Again who commissioned these dodgy consultants which in almost every case have links to politicians and officers and yet again who briefs them to come up with the desired response.Trouble is it goes on all the time which is why almost everything end up as a half baked *$£@ Up.

Raymond Havelock ● 3255d

The decision will be pre determined to continue because as mentioned the councillors do not want to be seen as those who make mistakes despite one telling me it was a dreadful error and they have made a promise that the resident of Church St will be shoe horned in as a candidate at the next local elections

Paul Fisher ● 3256d

https://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/documents/s128252/Church%20Street%20Trial%20Closure%20-%20Appendix%20A%20-%20Impact%20Analysis%20Report%20-%20August%202016.pdfFancy report done by consultants (at what cost to us?) loads of graphs and wordy bits - absolute nonsense as anyone who lives around here could testify. But then councillors will want to keep their mates in Church St. sweet. I'll bet a pound to a penny that these bloody consultants never got on a 267 or tried driving around here at any point. If the committee fall for this load of old nonsense then they really must be the thickest people imaginable.

Vanessa Smith ● 3256d

What planet are the people who wrote that report on? They clearly don't travel at peak times.

Elizabeth Price ● 3256d

The cars all driving and weaving through other local roads is pretty significant.  For a while there was a speed measure on Twickenham road so maybe that is where the information came from.  The tail backs on St Johns could have been measured before the trial and again now.  College road is amazing.  If you let one car through it is followed by another 8 or so in a trail as they head towards the A4 or Northumberland Avenue.  I have never seen the congestion so bad.

Sarah Felstead ● 3256d