Forum Topic

Claypond Ave/ A4 junction pedestrian lights

Earlier this morning my wife was nearly hit by a white van jumping these lights, this is happening every day,I've witnessed these reckless drivers far to often even when children are crossing leaving Lionel School, painting a yellow box is not the answer.I believe camera's have been suggested before but there is always an excuse not to, will we have to wait until there is a fatality before there is something done and TFL or Highways Agency or whoever acts after issuing the usual glib response "lessons will be learned", because like many people I have no faith in any local or government department.There is always a consultation and majority views are always seemly ignored unless they jive with the what ever department is posing the question. So I'll wait without any expectation.

John William Selfe ● 1438d9 Comments

These lights for the crossing conflict with other lights that are too visible from a drivers field of view particularly in higher up vehicles.And there are Vans and Large cars clearly driven without due care & diligence too often.The lack of proper Traffic Police is indicative of the slide in standards and the focus of cameras slanted to revenue raising using cooked statistics rather than genuine road safety has targeted minor infringements and not the plain reckless extremities which do place lives at risk. Maybe it's because I'm aware of that having driven several different types of vehicle along the A4 regularly for decades,  but being aware means I am extra vigilant when on foot at all the crossings along the road from Lionel Road all the way up to Sutton Court road.The amount of signals that are twisted and not in correct alignment , the non existent street lighting in this area is near criminal.  I can't think of anywhere else in London where the absolute neglect obviated by the dirt is so casually addressed yet has been bad for what must now be a couple of decades.But the amount of people who are not using basic kerb drill, Stop, Look, Listen is not good either. Eyes glued to devices, Ears connected to headphones and not standing in the correct place so one can be seen, or even looking the right way, is something that was a very rare occurrence a decade ago but now it's almost the norm.There is no excuse for people - and we are all at some time of the day pedestrians, not exercising basic common sense and kerb drill. Which for 70 years has been drilled into every child in every school.  Except that too now seems to be a form of infringement of rights.

Raymond Havelock ● 1438d

It is indeed a very dangerous stretch of road at that junction, which includes Clayponds Land and the slip lane into Wallace House..the old Beecham HQ.Some drivers use the Clayponds junction to the Ealing Road junction as a sprint... accelerating  to rediculous speeds at high volume.One  day ....

Jim Lawes ● 1437d

Though I agree with many of your points Ray especially about the poor lighting, which Guy Lambert has tried to get something done I believe, my point was the drivers who ignore when the pedestrian lights are green for you to cross and they drive through usually accompanied with certain hand gestures!That's why maybe cameras can catch these morons and impose heavy fines/driving bans.

John William Selfe ● 1437d

I do agree that there should be cameras on all A road traffic lights, crossings in particular. Very rarely are they contentious.  That's because jumping lights is as hated by all road users who use the roads diligently.This is different to camera traps set at 23mph placed in areas clear of a hazardous area and purely to make maximum income from a negligible speed. Bear in mind that older vehicles have speedos that highlight 30mph as that was the national minimum speed and  the unmarked  20 is harder to glance. Also that most vehicle drivers are tough to gauge 28 mph. It is far harder at lower speeds. Even more so when drivers have to keep eyes on cyclists and moped riders coming out of 1 way roads and ignoring road markings on one side and to the other a live junction. and yet the camera is placed after the hazard.The trouble is this creates cynicism towards proper genuine road safety and I believe propagates bad driving where those who no where there are no preventatives take advantage.As for the lighting, Brentford Voice and other local community groups have been very active for many years now but the problem I'm told, goes back 22 years.That's not acceptable really.  And ought to be fully explained as to why such dangerous neglect on one of the UK's principle 'A' roads through an urban area has been so poor for so long.

Raymond Havelock ● 1437d

For clarity, the junctions on the A4 are down to TfL.We have engaged with them over the years and the main achievement is changing the timings for pedestrians, which previously encouraged children (in particular) from racing across the crossing with dangerous haste to avoid having to stop in the middle.We have also stopped people using Clayponds Avenue/Occupation lane to miss the Ealing Road junction which was a large source of people using the Clayponds junction in rush hour, perfectly in time with the children going to school.For me though, there is a fundamental problem with design here (and all along the A4) in that most places in the world if you turn left out of Claypond Avenue, a pedestrian crossing within 50M of the junction is part of the junction, so normally the red light doesn't apply. There is a regular misunderstanding here, not necessarily people in a hurry. I have stood at this junction (and others nearby, like Windmill) and it's plain people just don't understand - one every few minutes.TfL tell us this design is well-spread and there is no evidence they are dangerous, which means without evidence they are dangerous it will hardly be attractive to spend £zillions which is not seen as a major problem. These junctions worry me, but I am not aware of frequent accidents.

Guy Lambert ● 1434d

Closing Occupation Lane has been an absolutely  terrible decision,for those driving eastbound onto the A4 or M4.Ealing Road traffic in the morning is now ALWAYS tailed back, leading to congestion, pollution and delays. Therefore some traffic now tries to cut through residential roads to the west of Ealing Road causing more problems.There is no connection with using Occupation Lane and the pedestrian crossing on the A4.

Nick Jenkins ● 1434d

You have to understand that the enlightened government of London isn’t interested in making it easy for car drivers, or any drivers for that matter. They get their policy ideas from the London Cycling Campaign, of which Cllr Lambert is a member I believe.The ethos is to close roads, reduce parking space and increase stealth taxes until those lazy, arrogant, selfish car owners see the light and ditch their vehicles and take up cycling instead.Of course, they don’t understand that traffic isn’t just ‘cars’. Nor do they understand that for many a vehicle is the difference between working and unemployment. It’s for our ‘own good’ apparently to force this modal shift, despite all the ‘evidence’ used by local authorities and the Mayor of London being proven to be either inaccurate or simply made up.The irony, of course, is that when it comes to their own behaviour, or the needs of those who hand them wads of cash, double standards quickly become evident. The delightful painted concrete car park looming over Morrisons was built by Ballymore without planning consent. Yet instead of demanding this fine piece of architecture be razed to the ground it was allowed to stay. One presumes that the cars parked in there when it’s fully operational won’t be allowed out to clog up the precious streets of Brentford with their noxious emissions and ‘unnecessary journeys’!

Simon Hayes ● 1433d

Rumours abound that part of that Car Park is to be handed over to Ballymore's favourite marketing tool Duke of London, no doubt at a preferential rate and concessions that no other local business could even dream of.That aside, The Junction of Clayponds Ave was never dangerous in the mornings at school time as the A4 East is usually at a near standstill for the ramp the the flyover and its not a two way busy junction like Windmill Road or Boston Manor Road.  most of the time its a queue of traffic so minimal speeds if any speed at all.None of the crossings are as safe as they could be though. They are seldom cleaned, not adequately illuminated and the markings and signage poor. But the next junction at Lionel Road is for anyone Foot, Pedal or Motorised is dangerous.It has the problem of the exit ramp and a blind area from the A4 plus the only route to South Ealing Northfields and Brentford right by the bottom of the ramp.Traffic in the right lane runs through but too fast whilst emerging M4 traffic is looking in mirrors for through vehicles or those about to go left.  Then there's a crossing. Which is also just metres away from a left hand turnout.  You have to have eyes everywhere.Part of that is poor and dirty signage, non existent lighting most of the time and a lack of advisory signs.The crossing itself is never used correctly by pedestrians or cyclists as it's far from logical.It is a miracle that it has not been the scene of accidents.But again, the most serious failing is the absence of Kerb Drill and the wilful disregard for simple straightforward etiquette and self responsibility.The open platform bus was such for a century with few issues but in the final decade " People fell off".  The fact is people misusing fell off. Drunk or looking to make a claim or simply bereft of common sense and self responsibility.Riding a bike or crossing a road, unlike driving or a vehicle, which require uniform instruction and a test and even insurance to reinforce that requirement, seem now to be exempt from any sort of intuitive instruction, let alone any form of mandatory proof of competence.Kerb drill out to be as intuitive as putting on clothes or brushing ones teeth.We were so close at one stage - and one of the safest places on the planet, but it all seems to be leaking away almost with a will to do so.

Raymond Havelock ● 1432d

Bring back the Green Cross Code man! Why, Cllr Lambert would make an ideal replacement for the late Dave Prowse.

Simon Hayes ● 1432d