COUNCILLOR GETS BEHIND AVENUE CROSSING PLAN

Residents in Southfield Ward have been buoyed by the news that a local councillor is to give his backing to a new crossing on the Avenue. After lobbying from local residents, traffic consultants have drawn up plans for a scheme which would see a pedestrian crossing just to the south of Bedford Road. The School Travel Projects manager of Ealing Council had described the need for a scheme as "self-evident." The plan was stalled when Council Officers were told that the Area Committee would not be considering any schemes that have not already received funding.

Another crash on the Avenue

Southfield ward councillor Harvey Rose had been sceptical about the need for the scheme but after a recent meeting with Council Officers is now backing the proposal.

The Avenue has had a troubled history with a road fatality leading to traffic calming measures being implemented nearly a decade ago. The design of the measures proved to unsatisfactory and they were quickly removed with no attempt to replace them with any alternative. The road remains notorious for speeding and the area is increasing plagued with rat-runners. Some residents argue that traffic has increased on the road since the opening of Chiswick Business Park. Minor traffic accidents are a regular occurence on the road and, with three schools close by, the concern is that the next fatality may be a child.

A resident campaigning for the scheme said, "The support we have had from the transport and planning people at Ealing Council has been terrific and we are delighted that there is now a workable proposal prepared. The scheme needs to be funded as soon as possible to reduce the risk to local children on an increasingly dangerous road."

The local Liberal Democrats who control Southfield ward which the Avenue runs through have pledged to conduct a survey of local residents to get their views on the traffic situation in the area. Residents have pointed out that signage in the area remains inadequate and Southfield Road suffers from the same problems of speeding and lack of pedestrian crossing facilities and urged that a scheme be considered there also.

Speeding on the Avenue