Residents Fight Ealing Town Centre Road Changes

Claiming plans for Longfield Avenue will cause traffic chaos

Residents are fighting plans to change the road layout of Longfield Avenue, which they say will cause huge problems leading to more accidents in Ealing town centre.

Longfield Avenue, next to the Town Hall, is one of a limited number of crossing points over the railway line in Central Ealing. The council is proposing to prevent left turns out of Longfield Avenue and right turns into it, at its junction with the Uxbridge Road. 

The council anticipate that there will be less congestion on Uxbridge Road because there will be fewer cars turning onto it from Longfield Avenue.

The six month trial is expected to start in February and the council say comments from the public are welcome.

But locals say restricting this crossing point will increase pressure on the remaining routes leading to increased queues at St Leonard's Road, Springbridge Road and on the road past Ealing Broadway Station. They fear that some drivers may try U-turns in the Uxbridge Road to overcome the banned turns.

Cllr Seema Kumar, Ealing Broadway, Conservative Councillor  said:

''Repeated requests urging the officers to reconsider and be reasonable were rejected saying the scheme is going to go ahead.  We support our residents and a proper dialogue needs to take place. Listening to residents’ concerns does not come easy for this Labour Council.”

Cllr Alex Stafford, Ealing Broadway Councillor said: "Once again the Labour Council is running roughshod over the views and opinions of local residents. Just like with the forced introduction of wheelie bins to the area, views are at best being ignored and at worst being forced on people without full and proper consultation, either with the Ward Councillors or the local residents."

Cllr Anthony Young, Ealing Broadway, Ward Councillor said: “The main alternative route, St Leonard's Road, is already congested, and has a much worse accident record than Longfield Avenue. Restricting Longfield Avenue will put more pressure on St Leonard's Road and will lead to more accidents, not fewer.''

''On the Uxbridge Road, the separate lane for right-turning traffic into St Leonard's Road is due to be removed as part of other works. The right turn into Springbridge Road is already busy, and if the queue is too long, it obstructs the flow of traffic.

''Dickens Yard is starting to be occupied. When the shops open, delivery lorries will be forced onto the residential roads if Longfield Avenue is restricted, something that was promised not to happen when planning permission was granted. Those who live in the neighbouring residential streets are rightly concerned about the problems this will cause and by Labour’s decision to impose the change without consultation.”

Susan Dean Chair of GRASS Residents’ Association said:

''The GRASS Residents’ Association, which represents several hundred households in the area, supports the local Councillors in their attempt to have a debate about this issue. To impose closures without any consultation is undemocratic; a discussion would highlight the residents’ concerns and help to achieve a reasonable compromise.  

''We believe that these proposals without any consultation or survey are completely unacceptable. The trial should not proceed until it has been properly thought through and the officers have discussed it with the Ward Councillors and the local community.”

A council spokesperson:  ''There have been a number of accidents at this junction, including two in recent months where pedestrians were seriously injured. To make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and reduce rat-running by drivers we are introducing a six month trial ban on traffic turning left from Longfield Avenue onto Uxbridge Road and on turning right from Uxbridge Road onto Longfield Avenue.

“When Longfield Avenue was temporarily closed to traffic for five months during roadworks in 2013 and 2014, the impact on local roads was minimal with only an extra four cars per hour using St Leonard’s Road during the morning peak. We will however monitor traffic levels, as well as road safety throughout the trial before deciding whether to make the changes permanent.”

At the end of the trial there will be a review to decide whether the banned turns will be made permanent.

17th December 2015