Church Street, Isleworth Trial Closure Monitoring Update Isleworth - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Church Street, Isleworth Trial Closure Monitoring Update

Mark Frost Head of Traffic & Transport

Monday, 26 September 2016

Isleworth & Brentford Area Forum 15 September 2016

Church Street Closure – Data Collection

As part of the introduction of the trial closure of Church Street initiated on 7 December 2015, officers have commissioned an independent transport consultancy (SDG consultants) to collect a range of data in order to assess its

• impact. This includes:
• automated traffic counts (ATC) for general traffic in Church Street, North Street, Park Road, South Street and

Twickenham Road. Officers are also collecting data in other surrounding roads, including St John’s and Worple, to see if there have been any quantifiable impacts on these roads from traffic possibly displaced by the trial closure, as has been reported by some. – Data is collected over a one week period. The numbers provided represent an average weekday flow (averaged over five days) or average weekend flow (averaged over two days).

• bus journey times along South Street, Twickenham Road and London Road (these also provide proxies for general

traffic given the absence of bus priority along most of these lengths). – These are based on averages of all trips made by all buses serving a particular route across within a single week.

• cycle and pedestrian numbers with video surveys taken in Church Street to assess whether the closure has led to

increases in people using these modes of travel. – These are based on surveys undertaken over two week days and averaged.

• Officers have also collected air quality and collision data, however in both cases we would stress that it is too early

to draw any firm conclusions as to the impact from the closure on these issues.

Church Street – Pedestrian & Cyclist Numbers

• The numbers of pedestrians and cyclists using Church Street was monitored by video survey in October 2015

and May 2016.

• Weather conditions in October 2015 and May 2016 were similar in temperature, mostly dry with little rain.

Cycling in central London is 27% higher in the summer compared to the winter.

• Based on these surveys there has been an increase in the number of pedestrians and cyclists using the link,

by 45% and 47% respectively

• Video survey shows most cyclists route through Church Street via Syon Park and vice versa, with fewer

using Park Road. Church street pedestrian comparison 2015 – 2016

October 2015 May 2016 Difference % change

859 1245 387 +45%

October 2015 May 2016 Difference % change

504 740 236 + 47%

Church street cycle comparison 2015 – 2016

• Surveys were undertaken in November 2014 and May 2016
• There was a recorded reduction in traffic flow at weekdays – 80% southbound and 72% northbound in weekday

morning peak.

• There was a recorded reduction in traffic flow at weekends – 73% southbound and 57% northbound at weekends

Church Street – Vehicle Numbers

Northbound weekday Southbound weekday

• North Street has three sets of monitoring data – November 2014, January 2016 and May 2016
• Analysis in January 2016 revealed North Street had seen an increase in traffic since the closure of Church

Street.

• However, since then some flows have now started to decrease - weekday AM peak figures are now back to

pre-closure levels at weekends and in the westbound PM peak.

• Vehicle flows do however remain above pre-closure levels in the eastbound PM peak remain above pre-

closure levels.

North Street – Vehicle Numbers

Eastbound weekday Westbound weekday

• Park Road has also seen a decrease in AM peak volumes (both directions) and southbound peak volumes

since the introduction of the closure on weekdays.

• However, there has been an increase of 21% in PM peak volumes northbound, equivalent to around one

extra vehicle every two minutes.

• Overall traffic levels (7am – 7pm) are down by around 770 vehicles/day compared to pre-closure.
• This could be due to variations in visitor numbers to Syon Park.

Park Road – Vehicle Numbers

Northbound weekday Southbound weekday

• Traffic flows have decreased slightly on South Street since the closure heading westbound.
• Eastbound flows during the weekday PM period have increased by 27% (equivalent to just over 1 additional

vehicle per minute).

South Street – Vehicle Numbers

Eastbound weekday Westbound weekday

• Traffic data for Twickenham Road has shown an increase post closure southbound, during both peak periods

and through the inter-peak period. Weekday data shows that the largest increase has been in the morning peak, with an 18% increase.

• Traffic flows heading northbound have remained similar in off peak period and the evening peak, but reduced

by 11% in the morning peak.

• Weekend data shows a similar pattern, with southbound flows increasing by 11%, whilst northbound flows

have remained consistent.

Twickenham Road – Vehicle Numbers (1)

Northbound weekday Southbound weekday

• Across both weekdays and the weekend from 7am to 7pm the total number of vehicles (in both directions) on

Twickenham Road has increased by around 500 vehicles since the closure.

• This represents around 2-3% of the total flow on Twickenham Road during those hours.

All journeys between 7am and 7pm

Northbound Southbound weekdays weekends weekdays weekends 2014 8042 7735 8393 8027 2016 7555 7384 9351 8927 Number change

• 487
• 351

+958 +840 Percentage change

• 6%
• 5%

+11% +10%

Twickenham Road – Vehicle Numbers (2)

• Route 267 is the main bus service running along Twickenham Road.
• Northbound journey times on the 267 have remained consistent between Syon Lane/London Road to

Isleworth library pre and post closure.

• Southbound journey times in the 7 – 10 AM peak have increased since November 2014, of just over 1

minute.

• The 4 - 7PM peak period journey time increased by 36 seconds.
• Some of this increase in southbound journey occurred prior to 7 December 2015.

Bus Journey Times - 267

Route 267 – Southbound average journey times

• Journey times for H37 and 235 are provided below.
• Both show negligible increases in journey times as a consequence of the closure, supporting the findings from the

traffic flow data.

Bus Journey Times – H37/235

Route H37 Route 235

Air Quality/Collisions

Air Quality

• Air Quality data has been collected for the first six months of the year by an independent consultancy.
• The data collected shows that there have been decreases in 6-month mean concentrations at all sites in 2016

relative to the annual mean concentrations in previous years, particularly 2011 and 2012.

• A full year’s worth of data is necessary before having any confidence in these findings, which also need to be ‘bias

adjusted’ to account for differing weather conditions etc.

• This decline would however be consistent with the finding that overall traffic levels on the local network have

apparently declined. Collisions

• Published data is only available for the first two months of the calendar year. This does not show any significant

increase in collisions on Twickenham Road however that is not a robust amount of data on which to base any strong conclusions.

• Further data will be available prior to any final decisions being made.

Open consultation

• All address in Syon/Isleworth were sent letter in November 2015 of the 18 month trial closure of Church Street.
• Dedicated FAQs set up on council’s website.
• Exclusive email (churchstreet@Hounslow.gov.uk) set up to receive all comments/feedback.
• Social media (Facebook/Twitter) has been received and monitored.
• As of end of July 725 emails received from 350 individual respondents via the Church street inbox, 18 were

received prior to closure.

• 265 emails were received within the first month (7 Dec – 7 Jan) of the closure, of which 62 were received on 15

December, a week after closure.

• Email traffic has decreased to around 20 emails being received during July 2016.
• The council has also had representations expressing some concern about the impact of the closure from some

local business including – West Middlesex Hospital, – Octink – Wyevale Garden Centre – Hounslow Chamber of Commerce.

Consultation Feedback (1)

Open consultation

• The majority of the feedback received is in opposition to the closure.
• Specific feedback varies, but common themes include:

– Church street to be re-opened shortly after closure because of delay to journeys made at various times – Concern about air quality impacts on the Twickenham Road – Concern about safety on the Twickenham Road, and in particular for children travelling to school – Concern about impact on business and revenue, particularly from Syon Park based businesses

• There have also been a number of comments made about Church Street itself and the nature of the closure:

– support for the street to remain closed – issues with parking on single yellow line in Church street – vehicles turning at closure point – blocking of cycle lanes through closure – Change in the environment in Church Street required to maximise benefits from removal of traffic flow – Possibility of it being re-opened as one way

• A full breakdown of responses to be provided ahead of any permanent decision on the experimental order.

Consultation Feedback (2)

Open consultation

• At the meeting of the 15 September 2015 councillors also asked us to consider potential for improvements on

Twickenham Road south of South Street.

• SDG consultants have modelled the removal of traffic signal controls at Worton Road and Mogden Lane

junctions and replacement with a mini-roundabout and zebra crossing arrangement

• The results show reductions in journey times for all road users, particularly those heading northbound
• However there are some safety concerns raised in relation to:

– The use of the new alignment by cyclists given advanced stop lines and some cycle lanes are to be removed – Pedestrian safety arising from the interplay of mini-roundabout/zebra crossings in close proximity.

• Further modelling and feasibility to be undertaken in the next few months, particularly to explore interplay

between this section of Twickenham Road and north of south Street/A316 roundabout.

• A public consultation on the concept is proposed for 2017
• The cost is likely to be between £500-750k.
• No funding currently allocated at this time.

Possible Improvements to Traffic Flow

• n Twickenham Road

Open consultation

Based on the data analysed as part of this report it is not possible to say that the closure has led to a severe impact on the local network, however some increase in flows and journey times southbound along Twickenham Road are recorded. Other key findings include:

• Some local access journeys are taking longer if they previously utilised Church Street. These increases will be most

significant for those living in Syon Park or north of the closure and making trips by vehicular means to the south. It is not possible to quantify the numbers impacted.

• Majority of feedback received from the public has been in opposition to the closure.
• Some concerns have been raised by the hospital in relation to non-emergency patient transfer times
• No concerns have been raised by the emergency services, nor any formal objections received.
• Some concerns raised by local businesses which suggest an impact on sales.
• Overall vehicle trips on the network when compared to 2014 appear to have declined
• Walking and cycling rates appear to have increased
• Air quality data shows a decline in levels of pollution, supporting contention that traffic flows may have declined and

more trips are being made on foot or by bike. This would also suggest a possible decrease in carbon emissions

• It is too early to say whether there is any impact on collision rates
• Impacts on buses are minimal, with much of the recorded increases in journey times southbound on Twickenham

Road occurring prior to the closure being implemented

• Findings from draft EqIA have not raised any concerns by those with protected characteristics on the intervention,

however this will continue to be monitored as the trial continues

• Public consultation on potential improvements to Twickenham Road south of South Street junction proposed for 2017

Conclusions

Mark Frost Head of Traffic & Transport Mark.Frost@hounslow.gov.uk