Proposed Cycling Improvements in London Road

Overview

 We are consulting the public on proposals to introduce new cycling facilities on London Road between A316 Chertsey Road and Whitton Road to gauge the level of support. 

The Council has made a bid for funding from Transport for London (TfL) to improve cycling facilities within the borough, in response to the Mayor of London’s commitment to transform cycling in London by making the streets as safe and inviting for cycling as they are in continental Europe.  The proposed scheme would form part of wider proposals to provide a continuous cycle route between the Chertsey Road (London Road junction) and Twickenham Green via Twickenham Town centre.

It is proposed to introduce a two-way off-road cycle track on the eastern side of London Road.  This would provide a safe and attractive route for cyclists connecting the existing off road cycle routes on the A316 Chertsey Road with Twickenham Town centre. (See attached plan).

The improvements will require the road space on London Road to be narrowed and several CPZ parking bays relocated to make way for the new cycle track.  The intention is that there will be no reduction in the amount of CPZ parking bays as a result of the scheme.  Other changes will be made to London Road to maintain an adequate road width for the free flow of traffic.

The following changes are proposed (refer to the relevant section on the attached plan):

• Existing shared cycle and pedestrian areas will be extended where there is insufficient space to provide a separate cycle track.  Existing shared cycle and pedestrian areas will be repaved as part of the Twickenham Town Centre improvement works (see section A);
• Shared cycle and pedestrian areas would be provided at bus stops (see section B);
• The existing CPZ parking bays on the west side of London Road would become footway parking bays (see section B).  Additional CPZ bays will be provided to replace those lost, on the eastern side of London Road (see section B);
• Double yellow lines restricting parking at all times would replace existing single yellow line parking restrictions along the remainder of London Road. These would discourage parking but not prevent occasional loading/unloading of deliveries (see section C);
• Existing traffic islands originally provided to reduce traffic speed will be removed.  The proposed road narrowing is expected to have a similar ‘traffic calming’ effect (see section C);
• Consideration will be given to removing the existing road centre line as a ‘traffic  calming’ measure (see section C);
• Warning signage will be placed on side roads to alert drivers of the two-way cycle track on London Road (see section C);

Please refer to the plan in the related documents below before completing the survey.  Please note that this provides representative layouts and not exact locations. 

If there is widespread support for the conceptual plans then a further public consultation will be undertaken later in the year with detailed designs informed by feedback from this consultation. 

 We invite you to comment on the proposals and submit your completed questionnaire by 5th July 2015 when the consultation closes.  All comments received will be considered by your Ward Councillors and the Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene to decide the way forward.  If you require further information or would like a paper version of the questionnaire please contact us on 0208 891 1411, or email highwaysandtransport@richmond.gov.uk