Plans for West London Orbital rail link would close level crossings in Acton

Two level crossings in Acton and one in Isleworth may close

Transport for London has published its plans for the West London Orbital rail link for public consultation.

The route will include stations at South Acton, and a new station at Lionel Rd beside Brentford FC stadium and Kew Bridge.

The plans also propose to close level crossings at Churchfield Rd, next to Acton Central station in W3, Wood Lane in Isleworth, and Bollo Lane in South Acton, W4, radically changing the area for local residents.

TfL say:

‘If the crossings need to close, we would ensure pedestrians and cyclists can still cross the railway at the same location or as nearby as possible, and that any closures are mitigated by enhancements to active travel and the street environment.

‘Should changes be required, this would provide an opportunity to reimagine these locations as safer, greener and better-connected places.

‘Our aim would be not only to maintain convenient crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, but also to enhance the local environment through improved walking and cycling routes, public realm upgrades, new planting and measures that support thriving neighbourhoods and local businesses’.

Bollo Lane crossing

More trains make the operation of the level crossings untenable

The reason they propose to close the level crossings is that the West London Orbital will mean more trains, increasing the frequency with which the barriers would need to be lowered and the amount of time for which they would been to be closed.

‘This would have implications for safety, traffic flows, and how local streets operate’.

Under current railway operating rules, the level crossing barriers – which are already lowered for around 40% to 50% of the time during the day – would be closed for longer periods and the safety risks of continuing to operate the crossings would increase.

‘For example, there could be an increase in risk taking behaviour from drivers and pedestrians frustrated by a long wait to cross the railway’, say TfL.

‘When West London Orbital services are added, the barriers would be lowered for up to 75% of the time for periods as long as 11 minutes at a time.

‘While technology improvements are being explored which could result in barrier down times not increasing this much, based on the current rules closure of the level crossings to road traffic would be required’.

Regardless of the West London Orbital, closing level crossings where reasonably practicable to separate the public from the railway is a national Network Rail policy for safety reasons and a programme of level crossing closures(External link) is ongoing nationwide.

A cyclist was seriously injured at the Bollo Lane crossing last year when they were hit by a bus coming out of Chiswick Business Park. The road there is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists because there is no pedestrian crossing, the pavements are narrow or non-existent and because of the proximity of the bus hub.

Displaced traffic

Transport for London say they are looking at where displaced traffic might go and how they would minimise the impact on local residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists if the level crossings have to close.

‘We are also assessing whether there are safe and practical ways for any of the crossings to remain open. For example, reducing vehicular traffic using the crossings to local residents only, while also providing alternative ways for pedestrians to cross the railway, could offset the increased safety risks resulting from longer barrier down times’.

When a level crossing is closed, traffic levels would reduce in the immediate area but are expected to increase on some surrounding roads.

‘Where traffic reduces, there will be opportunities to repurpose street space to improve the local environment and prioritise people with, for example, wider pavements, cycling improvements, pedestrianisation, and planting’, say TfL.

‘Where traffic increases, measures could be introduced to control vehicle speeds or restrict vehicle access’.

Promise to pedestrians and cyclists

In the consultation proposals Transport for London promises care will be taken to ensure pedestrians and cyclists can still safely cross the railway; that ‘accessible, convenient and attractive routes’ are still available for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the railway safely.

READ ALSO: Bollo Lane “super dangerous” say residents after cyclist injured

The alternative pedestrian and cyclist crossing solutions we are exploring include footbridges at all three crossings ‘which could allow many users to cross without a long detour. These structures would need to be high enough to clear the railway and include either lifts or ramps to be accessible for all.

‘The subway that already exists at Acton Central that could also offer step-free access’.

A bigger challenge is their promise that displaced traffic will be able to continue to move around the area without causing problems.

‘We need to do further work to fully understand traffic impacts and this will involve ongoing engagement with local communities and further formal consultation in the future’, they say.

Tfl map showing Churchfield Road level crossing

Churchfield Road, Acton

The area around Churchfield Road is surrounded by residential properties and local businesses. It is situated within a conservation area, with the high street to the west and Acton Park to the east. The level crossing is adjacent to Acton Central station which is served by the Mildmay line.

‘Closing the level crossing would have the potential to improve the local environment’, say TfL. ’We will be looking at options that could be considered to improve the street environment either side of the crossing. We are looking at options to maintain pedestrian and cyclist access across the railway if the crossing has to close.

‘The solution could involve a new pedestrian/cycle bridge or make use of the existing station subway. We are considering several factors to help determine the most appropriate solution’.

Tfl map showing Bollo Lane level crossing

Bollo Lane, South Acton

The area around Bollo Lane includes a mix of commercial and residential uses, with several developments planned to come forward in the next few years.

READ ALSO: More tower blocks planned for Bollo Lane

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Bollo Lane has two level crossings in close proximity to each other:

• The ‘Kew line’ to the north, which would be used by West London Orbital services, and is currently used only for freight trains
• The ‘Richmond line’ to the south, which is currently used by both Mildmay line and freight services

‘Due to the proximity of the crossings, if they were to remain open to traffic when West London Orbital services begin to run, the barriers on both crossings would need to come down for a train passing on either line, to avoid the risk of vehicles queuing over the other crossing.

‘Under current railway operating rules, at least one level crossing would therefore likely need to close, and through traffic would be displaced onto other routes. It would be more practical to close the Richmond line level crossing on the Mildmay line, rather than the Kew Line (potential WLO) crossing because:

• It would ensure access remains available to Chiswick Business Park and other properties between the two crossings, including for bus routes 440 and 70, so these bus routes would not need to be changed
• The Kew line barriers for WLO trains would be able to remain open for traffic for around 60 per cent of the time since few other trains would be using this crossing. This is acceptable from a safety perspective considering that through traffic would no longer be using Bollo Lane
• Closing the Richmond line crossing would also reduce the amount of traffic on Bollo Lane needing to queue while barriers are down at the Kew line crossing
• Reducing through traffic on Bollo Lane would also support the redevelopment plans for the area which are to prioritise pedestrians where possible

‘If this crossing has to close, the most likely option to maintain pedestrian and cycling access at this location could involve a new pedestrian/cycle bridge. We are also considering whether alternative pedestrian and cycle arrangements could be provided at nearby locations. This will be explored as part of the next design stage’.

Tfl map showing Wood Lane, Isleworth level crossing

Wood Lane, Isleworth

The level crossing on Wood Lane, Isleworth is located in a mainly residential area, with some commercial properties, the Old Isleworthians Sports club and the Woodbridge Park Education Service Aspire Centre nearby.

‘If the crossing has to close, we will look at any feasible options to maintain pedestrian and cycling access. We are considering several factors to help determine the most appropriate solution.

‘We would also need to consult on changes to the H28 bus route, which currently uses this level crossing, if the crossing has to close. Any proposals for the H28 route would need to be consulted on in detail before changes could be made.

No impact on the level crossings ‘in the next few years’

Transport for London say they need to do more work on these proposals as part of the overall development of the West London Orbital project. Construction would not start until the early 2030s, so there would be no impact on the level crossings in the next few years.

They acknowledge the changes would have impacts, both positive and negative, for local residents and businesses and they are now conducting a public consultation to get feedback to help inform the work.

Members of the public are asked to complete TfL’s survey.