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Chiswick Area Committee (Planning) – 10 November 2009

CHISWICK HIGH ROAD/TURNHAM GREEN TERRACE - REVIEW OF WAITING & LOADING

Report by: Director of Environment

Summary A review of the waiting and loading restrictions around Turnham Green Station has been carried out in response to complaints of congestion at the Turnham Green Terrace/Bath Road junction received from the bus operators. At Any Time waiting and peak hour loading restrictions are proposed at the junction. A business along Chiswick High Road, east of the junction withTurnham Green Terrace, has requested that their customers be permitted to use the 'Goods Vehicles Only' loading bay opposite their premises to collect goods purchased. An extension of the loading bay and change of designation to permit any vehicle to stop to load/unload is proposed.

1.0 RECOMMENDATION

1.1 That Members agree:

(a) To the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting and peak hour loading (7-10 am and 4-7 pm) restrictions at the Turnham Green Terrace/Bath Road junction as detailed at item 2 below; (b) That officers proceed with the statutory consultation in respect of the proposed restrictions and to report back to this committee any unresolved objections; (c) That officers consult with frontagers along the north side of Chiswick High Road, between Turnham Green Terrace and Mayfield Avenue, on the proposal to extend and amend the ‘Goods Vehicles Only’ loading bay at this location, and that the outcome of this consultation be reported back to this Committee.

2.0 TURNHAM GREEN TERRACE

2.1. The plan at Appendix A shows the existing waiting and loading restrictions near Turnham Green Station. These are:

• ‘At Any Time’ (‘double yellow line) waiting restrictions on the east side of Turnham Green Terrace from its junction with Bath Road, southwards to the junction with Chiswick High Road. • ‘Single yellow line’ waiting restrictions operating from 8am – 6.30 pm, Monday to Saturday (TBC) on the west side, north of the ‘taxi bays’, through to The Avenue and northwards to the borough boundary with the London Borough of Ealing. • Waiting restrictions along Bath Road, east of the zebra crossing that operate from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday.

There are no restrictions on loading and unloading in the vicinity of the station.

2.2 The only permitted parking close to the station is for taxis only in the ranks opposite the station. The nearest parking for shoppers is in the pay & display bays in Flanders Road. There is no drop off/pick up provision for passengers although as this activity is generally short term it invariably takes place adjacent to the station despite the yellow line restrictions. This in itself does not cause any significant disruption to traffic flows, but the absence of loading restrictions has led to complaints from bus operators at delays caused by delivery vehicles, particularly during peak periods of traffic flows in the morning and evening.

2.3 Complaints have also been received at vehicles parked for long periods in the lay-by near the station entrance. This appears to be the preferred area for dropping off and picking up of passengers and is, indeed, a safer location for this activity. It also appears to be the preferred area for loading/unloading, but with the lay-by occupied, delivery vehicles either double park, or park close to the roundabout. This causes congestion but, more importantly, can be hazardous for all road users.

2.4 In view of the road geometry at the Turnham Green Terrace/Bath Road junction, the roundabout and the pedestrian islands, there is a need to keep the approaches and exits clear at all times in the interest of the safety of all road users. Officers recommend therefore that ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions are introduced to replace the existing restrictions at the junction, as shown on the plan at Appendix B.

2.5 To address the reported problems of congestion during the peak periods, and to enhance road safety, it is also proposed that peak hour waiting and loading restrictions be introduced alongside the At Any Time waiting restrictions, to operate from 7 -10 am and 4-7 pm, Monday to Friday. The loading restrictions will not apply to the dropping off and picking up of passengers so users of the station will not be adversely affected by the proposals.

2.6 If Members are minded to agree to the above proposals, a Traffic Management Order (TMO) will have to be prepared for the proposed restrictions. Members are requested therefore to agree to officers to proceed with the statutory consultation for the making of the TMO. The statutory consultation process will involve advertising public notices in the local press and the London Gazette of the Council’s intension to introduce the restrictions and will ‘run’ for 21 days during which objections or representations to the proposals can be made in writing. If objections are received they will be reported to this Committee for consideration. If there are no objections, the TMO can be confirmed and then the restrictions can be implemented and brought into operation.

3.0 CHISWICK HIGH ROAD

3.1 This item considers the ‘Goods Vehicles Only’ loading bay to the east of the junction with Turnham Green Terrace, opposite numbers 158 – 164. The bay operates at any time, i.e. all day and everyday and, as the designation suggests, can only be used by goods vehicles. Shoppers wishing to stop to collect heavy items purchased locally cannot stop or park in this bay and have to avail of adjacent ‘pay & display’ bays instead, if available. Enforcement of the loading bay is primarily by CCTV located nearby. A local business has complained that the combination of the absence of a ‘general’ loading bay, regular usage of the pay & display bays and CCTV enforcement has deterred customers from visiting their business.

3.2 The loading bay is approximately 14 metres long and can accommodate two ‘transit’ type vehicles. Loading/unloading is permitted for up to 20 minutes. This ‘double bay’ takes into account the servicing requirements of local businesses and site observations have shown 2 the bay to be well used. Its designation as a goods vehicles only loading bay is necessary to ensure that, whenever they arrive, these vehicles can park to load and unload without interfering with the flow of traffic on the High Road. This has worked well to date, but it is recognised that there is also a need for ordinary vehicles to have a facility to be able to load and unload bulky goods from the businesses here. The options available are to provide a separate ‘general’ loading bay adjacent to the goods vehicles only bay or to extend the existing bay, and remove the ‘goods vehicles only’ designation. Both options will require the removal of one pay & display bay.

3.3 A general loading bay will require a separate sign to indicate its use by any vehicle for the purpose of loading and unloading. The wording ‘Loading Only’ will also have to be painted on the carriageway alongside the bay. A driver approaching the two bays will not however be able to distinguish between the two bays unless he/she has prior knowledge of these, and may inadvertently stop in the goods vehicles only bay. Additionally, he/she may not notice the different signs, both of which will increase the probability of the driver being penalised through CCTV enforcement. This option is not recommended therefore unless enforcement of the loading bays is carried out entirely by patrolling enforcement officers.

3.4 The second option of extending the loading bay and changing its designation such that ordinary vehicles can also make use of the bay removes any ambiguity and likelihood therefore of penalty. It should also ensure that there will be sufficient space for goods vehicles.

3.5 As stated above, both options, if approved, will result in the loss of one of the four pay & display bays at this location. These bays are well used and the loss of a space could generate objections from other businesses along this section of Chiswick High Road, particularly those whose patrons will not require access to a loading bay. It is suggested therefore that businesses along Chiswick High Road between Turnham Green Terrace and Mayfield Avenue be consulted on the proposal to extend the loading bay (and the removal therefore of a pay & display bay) and that the outcome of this consultation be reported back to this committee for Members to decide on an appropriate course of action.

4.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1 The TMO costs and lining work for Turnham Green Station and the proposed loading bay proposal consultation are estimated at £5,000. This can be funded from the Area Committee’s remaining traffic schemes unallocated capital budget of £13,145.

5.0 COMMENTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

5.1 The Director of Finance comments that the funding, as detailed in para 4.1 above, is available for the scheme.

6.0 COMMENTS OF THE BOROUGH SOLICITOR

6.1 The Borough Solicitor has been consulted and agrees with the recommendations.

7.0 EQUALITIES / DIVERSITIES IMPLICATIONS

7.1 There are no specific equalities/diversity implications.

3 7.2 A relevance test has been carried out and it is considered that there is no requirement to carry out an Equalities Impact Assessment in this instance.

8.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

8.1 The proposed restrictions will help to reduce the level of obstructive parking, improving sight-lines for all road users and generally improving the street environment and residential amenity.

9.0 NETWORK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

9.1 The Traffic Manager has been consulted on this report and comments that the introduction of the additional waiting and loading restrictions to prevent obstructive parking would improve traffic conditions for all road users by reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety, and is therefore consistent with the Council’s Network Management Duty. The Traffic Manager would support the conversion of the “goods vehicle only” loading bay into a “general use” loading bay if it was extended in length as detailed in the report.

9.2 As Chiswick High Road is part of the Strategic Road Network the Traffic Manager will need to seek approval from Transport for London’s Network Assurance Team before any changes can be made to the loading and parking arrangements.

9.3 The Traffic Manager also comments that due consideration must be given to minimising disruption to traffic flows during construction, should the restrictions and changes to the loading bay be approved.

Background Papers:

This report has been or is due to be considered by: Chiwick Area Planning Committee This report is relevant to the following wards/areas: Chiswick Homefields

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