Hounslow councillors vote to reject traffic officer’s decision on Grove Park LTN

Image above: LB Hounslow’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Hounslow House on 11 April; YouTube

Overview and Scrutiny committee votes to reject Chief Officer Decision 

A cross-party committee of councillors has rejected a decision by Hounslow Council’s chief traffic officer to reopen access from the A316 to Burlington Lane.

The change was proposed by Jefferson Nwokeoma to address complaints about the introduction of a barrier to prevent access to Grove Park from the A316. Residents had complained that the traffic restriction had been causing problems with deliveries and difficulties for carers.

When the traffic officer made his latest proposal to allow restricted access to the road instead of a permanent barrier, there was then a backlash from Grove Park residents concerned it would result in a flood of commuters driving through the area. The Chief Officer Decision (COD) would have restored access to Grove Park from Burlington Lane and put school street restrictions in place instead.

READ ALSO: Grove Park LTN decision pushed back after traffic officer’s view published

The proposal was discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, made of up nine councillors from both Labour and the Conservatives on Tuesday evening (11 April). Objections to the proposal were raised by local resident groups and ward councillors. When it came to the vote, eight councillors opposed the chief officer’s decision and one abstained.

Conservative Councillor John Todd spoke against the proposal during the meeting, citing the council’s own analysis, which showed its plan could increase congestion by up to 160% on the road. He called for a rethink of Grove Park schemes and a single scheme that allowed access only for drivers registered in the borough and their visitors.

Labour Councillor Amy Croft said the council had “failed to properly communicate the scheme” and that it had to “own up to that.”

The decision was referred to the committee by Cllr Katherine Dunne, the Cabinet Member responsible for transport, in an unusual move. Normally, such decisions are discussed first by the Cabinet before being given over to the scrutiny committee. But Cllr Dunne cited significant public interest as reason for bypassing this stage.

Images above: Hounslow’s Conservative Group Leader Cllr Peter Thompson; Cllr Jack Emsley

Always clear reopening Burlington Lane was “daft”, says Hounslow’s Conservative Leader

The Committee’s vote is only advisory, and the Cabinet, which will meet to discuss the issue on 18 April, can still proceed with the reopening.

Councillors voted to keep the arrangement for Staveley Road as it is, making the existing restrictions permanent.

Speaking after the vote, Peter Thompson, Councillor for Chiswick Riverside and Leader of Hounslow’s Conservative Group said:

“It was always clear that reopening Burlington Lane whilst maintaining every other Grove Park traffic scheme would simply create more problems for local residents. I’m glad the Committee rejected this daft proposal, and hope the cabinet will now listen to the councillors from both parties who have rejected this plan. It’s time to stop implementing piecemeal traffic schemes in Grove Park and create a single scheme which works for residents, local businesses and their visitors.”

Jack Emsley, Conservative councillor for Chiswick Homefields said:

“[The Council] now needs to rethink the way that it has implemented schemes in Grove Park and work with us to create new proposals to stop cut-throughs whilst easing access for residents and their visitors across the area as a whole.”

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