New crossing across A4
See the full consultation here
Our response:
We support the provision of a new pedestrian and cycle crossing at Ridgeway Road to improve local travel options and safety in the area, but we object to the removal of a further section of the A4 cycle track, which has become a feature of every so-called improvement scheme by TfL to the A4 in LB Hounslow over the last few years. Instead the cycle track should be upgraded to provide high quality Dutch-style cycle infrastructure on this strategic cycle route between Heathrow and London, with cycle priority at junctions.
TfL should explore fully making the crossing a straight across single stage crossing to avoid pedestrians and cyclists having to wait in a pen in the middle of a six lane highway, and to avoid widening the carriageway. Linking the signal operation to those at the next signalled junctions should be explored to mitigate against causing delays to traffic on the A4.
The London Mayor’s Cycling Vision heralded an end to “confusing shared use pavements” – why are they still being proposed by TfL at every junction upgrade? The proposals go against the 2015 London Cycling Design Standards:
- para. 4.2.2 states the benefits of coherent segregation to provide “coherence and legibility of cycle infrastructure over a distance” – the cycle track should be continuous and easily legible to all;
- para. 4.6.3 “Partially segregated and shared use footways are generally not recommended alongside the carriageway where there are better ways of providing for cyclists.” and “They also represent a low level of service for cyclists”;
- para. 5.2.5. “Because of this sharing and the impact on the comfort and sense of safety of vulnerable pedestrians, toucan crossings and associated shared use areas are generally not recommended unless it has been properly established that there are no better alternatives”.
Noting para. 5.2.5 of the LCDS, the toucan should be upgraded to a parallel pedestrian and cycle crossing. We strongly urge TfL to reconsider this scheme and develop an upgrade programme for the A4 cycle track throughout LB Hounslow, making it continuous across junctions, with proper signalled crossings.