Council report suggests Chiswick's roads are the best in the borough

"Superior" state of roads and footpaths used to justify an allocation for maintenance and repair which is less than half that given to other parts of the borough

Controversy is growing over the state of Chiswick Roads as increasing lack of maintenance is takes a toll on both motorists and pedestrians. A council report has disclosed that over £900,000 is paid out each year in insurance claims related to accidents due to badly maintained roads and footpaths. By contrast the budget for the local area committee's road programme in Chiswick is anticipated to be £80,000 this financial year.

An analysis of the figures produced in a recent report by Cllr. Ruth Cadbury, who has responsibility for transport on the Hounslow Council Executive shows that significantly less is being allocated for the maintenance and repair of Chiswick's roads compared to the rest of the borough.

The area committee receives funding proportionally according to the programme below which equates to just £80,000 this year for road maintenance in Chiswick.

Hounslow Borough Corporate Programme for Roads and Footways
-
Length
km
Footways
£mn
 Carriageways
£mn
Total
£mn
Percent
of Budget
Budget
per km
Heston Cranford 72.42 3.3 3.15 6.45 23% 89064
West Area 116.05 5.02 4.63 9.65 34% 83154
Brentford/Isleworth 77.15 2.97 2.19 5.16 18% 66883
Central Hounslow 72.39 2.76 1.83 4.59 16% 63407
Chiswick 55.46 1.14 1.22 2.36 8% 42553
Total 393.47 15.19 13.02 28.21 100% 71695

Technical assessment of the Borough's network of footways and carriageways was undertaken to decide this allocation. The Council claim that this was in accordance with the principles of the United Kingdom Pavement Management System (UKPMS). UKPMS is used to produce a condition factor for each road assessed. Based on these condition factors, Audit Commission Performance Indicators identify those roads that should be considered for reconstruction. According to this criteria Chiswick's roads and footpaths have been identified as requiring significantly less maintenance than elsewhere in the borough.

The 55km of roads in Chiswick received an allocation equivalent to £42,000 per km less than half of other areas and by far the lowest of any area. By contrast Chiswick contributes over 70% of total parking revenue to borough coffers. The amount raised in parking fees from Chiswick would more than cover the total budget for road and footpath maintenance.

Performance Indicators identify a £30 million backlog in planned maintenance to local roads and footways across Hounslow. In order to resurface roads and reconstruct footways at the end of their design life of 25 years it would be necessary to allocate £3 million per annum for planned maintenance rather than the £1 million currently allocated.

Priority for Maintenance of Chiswick roads 2003/04
  ROAD WARD £k
1 Burlington Lane Chiswick Riverside 85.8
2 Staveley Road Chiswick Riverside 30.96
3 Sutton Lane North Chiswick Riverside 48
4 Sutton Court Road Chiswick Riverside 92.76
5 Station Gardens Chiswick Riverside 15.6
6 Chiswick Common Road Turnham Green 67.8
7 Staveley Road Chiswick Riverside 40.8
8 Power Road Turnham Green 130
9 Stavely Gardens Chiswick Homefields 90
10 Hadley Gardens Turnham Green 40.92
11 Hazeldene Road Chiswick Riverside 23.4
12 Hartington Road Chiswick Riverside 120.6
13 Strand on the Green  Chiswick Riverside 33.24
14 Riverview Grove Chiswick Riverside 28.2
15 Thames Road Chiswick Riverside 81.72
16 Thorney Hedge Road Turnham Green 33.48
17 Grove Park Road Chiswick Riverside 30.24
18 Deans Close Chiswick Riverside 5.4
19 Airedale Avenue South Chiswick Homefields 4.92
20 Bridge Street Turnham Green 10.8
21 Burnaby Gardens Chiswick Riverside 11.64
22 Barrowgate Road Turnham Green 27.6
23 Meade Close Chiswick Riverside 11.76
24 Horticultural Place Turnham Green 10.32
25 Wolseley Gardens Chiswick Riverside 23.4
26 Harvard Hill Chiswick Riverside 7.44

Priority for Maintenance of Chiswick footways 2003/04
  ROAD NAME WARD
£k
1 Staveley Gardens Chiswick Homefields 187.92
2 Thames Road Chiswick Riverside 91.94
3 Wellesley Road Turnham Green 135
4 Burlington Lane Chiswick Homefields 49.28
5 Nightingale Close Chiswick Riverside 7.43
6 Oxford Road North Turnham Green 33.75
7 Barley Mow Passage Turnham Green 21.87
8 Garth Court Turnham Green 14.18
9 Station Approach Road Chiswick Riverside 41.31
10 Bennett Street Turnham Green 19.58
11 Sutherland Road Chiswick Homefields 10.53
12 Oxford Road South Chiswick Riverside 31.86
13 Whitehall Park Road Chiswick Riverside 18.23
14 Grove Park Road Chiswick Riverside 34.02
15 Princes Avenue Turnham Green 11.21
16 Burlington Road Turnham Green 13.77
17 Station Gardens Chiswick Riverside 17.55
18 British Grove Chiswick Homefields 11.48
19 Compton Crescent Chiswick Riverside 18.23
20 Herbert Gardens Chiswick Riverside 6.75
21 Fraser Street Turnham Green 31.73

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