Forum Topic

New Syon Park exit road

NEW EXIT ROAD PROPOSED FOR SYON PARK. FOLLOWS CLOSURE OF THE GARDEN CENTRE AND CHURCH STREET, AND DELAYS TO TRAFFIC INCLUDING TO THE ENCHANTED WOODLANDS. It will "provide the opportunity for the re-use of the garden centre and provide new employment opportunities."The planning application has just been filed with Hounslow Council. It states:Given the recent closure of Wyevale Garden Centre, Northumberland Estates are seeking to secure the long-term future of Syon Park, and the proposed link road is part of the wider strategy to ensure that Syon Park remains an attractive and sustainable location for new businesses and operators to occupy the now vacant garden centre.1.3  Recent changes to the surrounding highway network, particularly the closure of Church Street, have had an impact on the access and operation of Syon Park. The closure of Church Street had negatively impacted the number of visitors to Wyevale Garden Centre prior to its closure, as well as contributing towards increased travel times for visitors accessing Syon Park and Hotel.1.4  The closure of Church Street has required all traffic to travel via alternative routes (for example the Park Road/Twickenham Road and Busch Corner junctions). This change to the highway network has resulted in visitors to and from Syon Park experiencing significant journey times, with a direct result on business patronage and the long-term sustainability of Syon Park as a key visitor, leisure, and business destination.1.5  A recent example of this includes Syon Park’s annual Enchanted Woodland event, which was negatively affected by the surrounding highway network. The Park Road/Twickenham Road was subjected to three-way traffic lights which resulted in significant delays for visitors to the event, with many visitors taking up to two hours leaving Syon Park. The proposed London Road egress would have significantly alleviated this situation and allowed visitors to leave Syon Park without delay, also negating the need for two-way traffic along Park Road and thus benefiting the entirety of the surrounding highway network.1.6  The latest changes to the surrounding highway network have altered the previous historic arrangement and has effectively reduced Syon Park’s access and egress from two routes, at the Syon Park gates, to just one route along Park Road. The proposed development provides an alternative egress from Syon Park and will redress this position and re-instate the previous long-term highway access that Syon Park has benefited from.1.7  The key benefits of the proposed link road are:Provide the opportunity for the re-use of the garden centre and provide new employment opportunities at Syon Park, with sustainable transport links to the local highway networkEnable a more efficient egress route, particularly for hotel guests travelling via Heathrow Airport, avoiding the congestion of the local highway network, improving the reliability of journey times to Syon ParkA notable improvement to the cycle environment on Park Road as a result of the reduction in trafficReduction in traffic movement at the Park Road/Twickenham Road junction, improving capacity for local residents and cycle accessReduction in traffic at Busch Corner junction with traffic travelling eastbound on London Road able to avoid the junction when leaving the site1.8 Given the above, and the local highway context surrounding Syon Park, it is considered essential to deliver this link road to improve the capacity and access to and from Syon Park, making the site a more attractive and sustainable destination. Furthermore, the link road would have a significant benefit in alleviating traffic flow and over-capacity at other key locations in the local highway network.The development is for a one-way link road connecting Syon Park to the A315 London Road. The link road will be 3m wide, with a 1m service strip. The full stretch of road measures 179m and has been designed to achieve appropriate forward visibility along its full alignment. The road will tie-in to the existing road alignment adjacent to Syon Park Hotel, and a new barrier will be installed at the existing gate egress to London Road, along with new road markings and signage to ensure that the road is used safely and appropriately.The proposed link road has been designed by Caneparo Associates, and can be seen on the ‘Detail Design General Arrangement Plan’. The road has been designed to meander in a parkland style, with soft landscaping either side of the carriageway to soften the edge and provide sustainable drainage, as well as utilising all arisings on-site. A new post and rail fence and hedge is proposed at the new egress to London Road to provide a positive boundary treatment.

Reg Ghosh ● 2069d15 Comments

Things are worse than I could ever have guessed. Thanks for this very informative strand.

Nicholas Beard ● 2062d

I suspect certain of those councillors might be laughing as well.

Phil Andrews ● 2062d

"upset the precious few in Church Street? Decisions, decisions."Quite a few of the Church Street precious few have already sold up and taken the inflated prices (since the road closure) and  scarpered. Oh how they are laughing at the dim-witted Councillors who boosted their fortunes.

Steve Taylor ● 2062d

"I’d be interested in Guy’s thoughts"Err....Everyone knows that Guy's thoughts are whatever the Leader tells him to 'think'. There is no independent thought process there. It is strictly 'verboten'

Steve Taylor ● 2062d

"As can be seen above, there would be continue to be no queueing traffic at the junction, "Have these people ever tried to drive in the area during rush-hour?The queues are dreadful.

N V Brooks ● 2063d

I think that's what's known as painting themselves into a corner where councillors are concerned. The question is - do they p*ss off the Supreme Leader's new bestie - the Duke of Northumberland - and tell him his new road is not on - or - upset the precious few in Church Street? Decisions, decisions.Re-arrange - Petard,hoist,own,your,on.

Vanessa Smith ● 2063d

I’d be interested in Guy’s thoughts on any connection between the closure of Church Street and the need for a new access road.

Reg Ghosh ● 2063d

"And which morons decided to close Church Street when the above was blatantly obvious to anyone with half a brain?"Er - I might have to have a think about that - there's just so many to choose from!

Vanessa Smith ● 2064d

"1.4  The closure of Church Street has required all traffic to travel via alternative routes (for example the Park Road/Twickenham Road and Busch Corner junctions). This change to the highway network has resulted in visitors to and from Syon Park experiencing significant journey times, with a direct result on business patronage and the long-term sustainability of Syon Park as a key visitor, leisure, and business destination."And which morons decided to close Church Street when the above was blatantly obvious to anyone with half a brain?

Steve Taylor ● 2065d

"The simplest, easiest and fairest way forward would be the re-opening of Church St. with traffic calming, to allow more than one access into Syon Park. To even consider desecrating that landscape is appalling for any reason but when there is a clear alternative it is irresponsible in the extreme."Totally agree.

Steve Taylor ● 2065d

“The simplest, easiest and fairest way forward would be the re-opening of Church St. with traffic calming, to allow more than one access into Syon Park. To even consider desecrating that landscape is appalling for any reason but when there is a clear alternative it is irresponsible in the extreme.“Hear hear.

Sarah Felstead ● 2069d

The Planning Reference is P/2019/4442  ( or 00707/E/P116 ).I wouldn't agree that the road goes "right through the Grade 1 listed landscape designed by Capability Brown" as it is screened by the belt of trees planted around the pedestrian path to the Duchess Gate. However, I do think that traffic trying to turn right onto London Road may well experience difficulty.The Transport Assessment seems to say it isn't an issue :"4.13 The results of the junction capacity analysis show that the development proposals would have a minimal effect on the operation of the highway network, and the junction would continue to operate well within its design capacity under each scenario tested. 4.14 Under each scenario undertaken, the free-flow of traffic on London Road would be unaffected by the additional traffic joining at the junction. As can be seen above, there would be continue to be no queueing traffic at the junction, there would be no change to driver delay and consequently, there would be no change to the ratio of flow to capacity. "I think I need someone to explain the traffic modelling appendix to me very slowly !

Tim Henderson ● 2069d

That will be the real intention no doubt.  His predecessor was enterprising but not at the expense of raping the and spoiling the site for a fast buck.Apart from the London road Brentford High street and Syon Lan all set for huge increases in traffic for a whole raft of reasons, this is something that again needs to be opposed until sufficient means are found that don't affect the local residents ability to move about and make a living without endless delays.And in a commercial city of rat race desperation, sadly but pragmatically, walking and cycling can only service a small minority. For most it's the difference between a job or nothing.

Raymond Havelock ● 2069d

If approved I could see the Duke one day applying to build houses on his fields.

Christopher Hugh Dakers ● 2069d

Well, if ever a mistake for not listening to the majority of residents after consulting them came back to bite Hounslow on the bum this would appear to be it.This proposed road would go right through the Grade 1 listed landscape designed by Capability Brown, and traffic trying to exit right out on to London Rd. would cause a big problem, let's not forget the huge Ballymore development taking place not to mention the new build almost dead opposite this entrance. Even if there is a left turn only from this road, anyone wanting to access the A4 cannot turn right at Spur Rd. so would have to turn into Syon Lane and then try and get out onto Spur Rd. at the junction near Syon Lane station.The estate's remarks about Church St. are mealy-mouthed to say the least - clearly as we all now know this decision did contribute to the closure of Wyevale Garden centre and this new road is now wanted by the estate to make the previous Wyevale site a realistic commercial venture. This road would bring chaos to London Rd. and the people who live in the area, added to the chaos on the Twickenham Rd. already experienced, so again we have the situation that to protect the few precious individuals of Church St. and help  the poor old Duke of Northumberland to make a few bob - the many can be inconvenienced.The simplest, easiest and fairest way forward would be the re-opening of Church St. with traffic calming, to allow more than one access into Syon Park. To even consider desecrating that landscape is appalling for any reason but when there is a clear alternative it is irresponsible in the extreme.

Vanessa Smith ● 2069d