COUNCIL TEXT
Walking Scheme: West End Lane andCleve Road, NW6
Proposed pedestrian and cycle facilities at signalised junction
The junction of West End Lane and Cleve Road has been identified by the Council, as requiring improved pedestrian and cycle facilities to encourage walking and cycling within the area.
West End Lane is a busy north-south route, which carries high traffic and pedestrian flows throughout the day. There are three traffic-controlled signals between Broadhurst Gardens and Woodchurch Road, which allow pedestrians to cross all arms of the road safely with the help of the ‘green man’ facility. However, the traffic signals at the junction of West End Lane / Cleve Road have a pedestrian crossing facility only across Cleve Road, hence pedestrians cross West End Lane only when there is gap in traffic.
On 26 April 2005 the Council’s consultation board agreed a report, which recommended that, minor improvements to existing traffic signalised junctions, including facilities for pedestrians, should not be open for the public to be consulted on the principle of the scheme. However, the public should be informed of the proposals and given the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed scheme.
The Council would like to improve this junction by providing the following (as shown on the attached drawing).
• A new pedestrian crossing facility across West End Lane, on either side of its junction with Cleve Road. (Currently there is a pedestrian crossing facility across the Cleve Road arm of this junction). This would allow pedestrians to cross all arms of this junction when all traffic comes to a stop.
• A new cyclists’ stop area on all arms of this junction.
The measures listed above would not affect traffic within the network. This is because the junction is currently operating under capacity, hence there is room to accommodate the proposed changes.
CCC Response
initial comments
The ASL on Cleve Road has a central feeder lane. This should be useful for cyclists, as the road at this point broadens out into two lanes, and so cyclists coming from the west should already be quite centrally positioned in the road (away from the parking bays). The West End Lane ASLs are by the kerb.
Knowing how congested West End Lane can get in the rush hour, I wonder how useful the ASLs will be. It also puzzles me how they can say that “the junction is currently operating under capacity”.
The new signals will mean more waiting at the lights for us.
Meade McCloughan, 23rd October
