The creation of a new temporary cycle facility along Chiswick High Road is planned to begin in September 2020, following a decision by TfL and Hounslow Council to approve amended plans to create a safer space for cyclists on this key commuter corridor. This new infrastructure will also help to relieve pressure on a busy section of the District line. Subject to the remaining stages of the decision-making process, construction work on the route will begin in early September 2020.
The new plans are similar to the approved permanent scheme and involve the construction of a new two-way cycle lane built along the southern side of Chiswick High Road between Heathfield Terrace and Goldhawk Road. To reduce construction time and cost the majority of the temporary scheme is to be built largely within existing carriageway space, rather than using a mix of carriageway and footway as previously proposed. The temporary scheme will be reviewed in 2021/22 to determine whether or not to make these changes permanent or not and TfL/Hounslow council welcome feedback on it from users to help inform that decision.
The Mayor of London, TfL and Hounslow Council are committed to ensuring a green, sustainable and healthy recovery from coronavirus. This means that millions more journeys across London could be made by walking and cycling, which is why the Streetspace for London programme is creating the extra space needed for people to walk and cycle safely while distancing.
The new lane along Chiswick High Road will fill in a ‘missing link’, allowing people to cycle on a temporary version of Cycleway 9 between Kew Bridge and Olympia for the first time, along nearly 6km of protected or low traffic roads. This follows Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s recent construction of a ‘pop-up’ cycle lane between Olympia and Goldhawk Road, as well as Hounslow Council’s creation of a low traffic zone along Wellesley Road in Gunnersbury.
Cllr Hanif Khan, Cabinet Member for Transport at Hounslow Council said: “The installation of this new temporary version of what will be the Cycleway9 cycle route between Kew Bridge and Olympia will be a great addition to the borough’s cycle network, enabling people to travel safely and supporting a heathier lifestyle.
“The Streetspace programme is helping us create more space on our network to enable social distancing, whilst also offering residents and visitors viable alternatives to driving or taking public transport. The programme is therefore not only assisting in the fight to reduce transmission of the coronavirus, but also in helping address the major challenges outlined in our air quality and Climate Emergency Action Plans, as well as Hounslow’s wider green recovery plan.”
London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “Londoners have shown a record-breaking demand for cycling over the past few months and I’m delighted that this new route will make it easier and safer for residents of Hounslow to cycle across the borough. Enabling more people to walk and cycle is key to a green recovery for our city, and our world-leading Streetspace for London plans will make a huge difference.”
Nigel Hardy, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment and Delivery, said: “It’s absolutely vital that people in every borough have access to high-quality walking and cycling infrastructure so that millions of more journeys can be walked or cycled, which is why we’re investing with councils across the capital as part of our Streetspace for London programme. Our work with Hounslow Council will make it much easier and safer people residents across the borough to get around by bike and we’ll continue to work with the borough to make walking and cycling the natural choice for even more journeys.”
TfL is also working closely with local boroughs to rapidly create space for walking and cycling across the city. This includes building a strategic network for cycling in London, transforming town centres and reducing traffic on residential streets. Boroughs have been issued with detailed guidance on how to apply for funding for schemes that will make a real difference in local areas, and around £30m has now been awarded across all 33 boroughs for 859 schemes. 15km of new cycle lanes have been delivered across London so far, with many more planned or under construction.
Hounslow has been awarded TfL Streetspace funding for 48 projects, with a value of £1.3m. This includes 27 School Streets schemes and two new strategic cycle routes – along Chiswick High Road and Twickenham Road – as well as six schemes designed to create more space in town centres.
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