Anger Over Refusal To Agree to Zebra Crossing Near Health Centre
Councillors back up elderly residents who say it is unsafe for them to cross
Chiswick councillors have backed up elderly residents in retirement accommodation close to Fisher's Lane, who are calling for a zebra crossing because they say it is unsafe to cross.
Hounslow Council has refused their request for a crossing by the junction of Fisher's Lane and Dolman Road saying that the spot did not meet the requirements for a crossing because it was not in frequent use or a point where many accidents had taken place.
1 In June 2016, a petition signed by 68 people was received from residents of Homecross House, Fisher’s Lane and Jessop House, Kirton Close. The petition requested zebra crossings be installed between the central island at Fisher’s Lane/Dolman Road and the footways on all three sides of the island.
The petitioners said that a crossing was needed as there are vulnerable people unable to cross the road safely at what is a busy junction, close to the Chiswick High Road.
There are a number of GP surgeries in the area used by dozens of retired residents nearby in Homecross House, a block of 110 retirement flats, and Jessop House, a Council development of 41 retirement flats, at Kirton Close.
One elderly local woman told the Chiswick Area Forum (CAF) meeting last night that her husband had been 'thrown up into the air' when he was hit by a car at the junction. He had suffered multiple injuries. She said safely of life was important.
Hounslow Council's head of Transport, Mark Frost said that a report had been compiled in the wake of the petition, which used Department of Transport guidelines. This technical assessment was known as an ADPV2 assessment and the Dolman Road site fell very far short of the criteria, therefore no zebra crossing was recommended.
These requirements included conditions at the site in question, including width of carriageway to be crossed, accident patterns and pedestrian and traffic volumes, to gauge whether a crossing is required.
Cllr Samantha Davies said she felt the Council's assessment was flawed.
Cllr Adrian Lee, chairman of the CAF said that it sounded like "lies, damned lies and statistics", that the wishes of locals were being pushed out by bureaucratic measures and that a crossing was essential.
Map- Hounslow Council
Cllr Peter Thompson said it was not very pleasant for elderly people to cross there. He asked what the funding situation might be should Chiswick councillors decide to prioritise the matter. Mark Frost said Section 106 funding might be applied for or the matter put on the S106 'wish list'.
Cllr Robert Oulds said he recalled that a zebra crossing had been put further down the road years ago, against officer's advice, when councillors had used "common sense" to make the decision and he didn't regret it.
The chair of the residents' association at Homecross House, Margaret Baker, said that the map and figures used by the Council were "pointless". Fisher's Lane was a long road, which divided into east and west and there was no way of crossing it safely. The 20mph signs were often ignored. Because of the bend in the road traffic coming into Fisher's Lane from Dolman Road was not visible.
The meeting heard that there was a very high proportion of residents living close to Fisher's Lane who have mobility problems and use a stick or a walking frame - therefore they move more slowly than the average pedestrian and take longer to cross a road. The Chiswick Health Centre, which was frequently visited, involved crossing the road for them.
Councillors noted the findings of the technical assessment but rejected the Council's view that a zebra or any other additional crossing at the junction of Fisher's Lane and Dolman Road was not required.
They agreed that the matter be put up for prioritisation for funding, and that enquiries would be made to see if it might be placed on the S106 'wish list'.
March 19, 2017
