Concerns over the potential impact of the Tram on the residential streets of West Ealing.Introduction:This document looks at the road network of West Ealing , the nature and structure of these streets, the plans for diversion of traffic from the Uxbridge Road that would take place should the West London Tram (WLT) scheme take place and proposes that impact of the WLT would have a severely negative impact on the residents of this area.
The maps, photographs and Transport For London (TFL) plans.Maps and photographs of West Ealing's residential streets:Use the map and photographs of the West Ealing area provided in the link below in conjunction with this document. This map will appear on a separate browser window if you click the following link:
The map uses google's mapping technology and enables you to zoom in and out of the area as well as change the view to show satellite images of the area. The markers on the area can be used to navigate to photographs taken on Friday March 9th around 1:30pm. The full gallery of these shots is available from this link.
Transport For London's West London Tran plans for West Ealing:
The current TFL plans illustrate that the Uxbridge Road will be closed to traffic through the centre of West Ealing.
The images below link to the TFL maps detailing their current plans:
Western side | Central | Eastern side |  | 
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The general impact of these plans is that the central section of the Uxbridge Road is effectively closed to traffic.
East bound traffic is to be diverted North to loop up Ecclestone Road, right (East) down Singapore Road, and South down Green Man Lane where it rejoins the Uxbridge road a little to the West of the Lido junction.
West bound traffic is diverted South of the centre down Leeland terrace which loops South just West of Dean Gardens and pops back onto the Uxbridge Road by Kwik-Fit.
Background details:Examination of a road map shows that the Uxbridge Road is the only traffic artery running East-West between the A4 ,as the Southern boundary, and the Ruislip Road as the Northern boundary. Save Ealing Streets research indicates that 27,000 vehicles use this road every day. The A4 and the Ruislip Road leave between them an approximately three mile wide corridor, and so are not close enough to the Uxbridge Road to make them viable routes for much of this traffic should it be required to seek alternative routes. I would propose that much of the traffic that would find these routes preferable is likely to have already shifted to using these faster flowing routes. Except on the Northern route it is likely the A40 would be used instead of the Ruislip Road as it is more suitable, yet even further North of the Uxbridge Road.
A point to note also is that a great deal of the traffic passing through West Ealing is also not just going East - West, but is dog legging North,South,East and West. For example, many commuters in West Ealing head West down the Uxbridge Road to the Iron Bridge past Ealing Hospital and then loop South and then West round Norwood Green and the South of Southall to join the M4 at junction 3 as this is a faster route than heading down to the Chiswick roundabout. I am sure one can imagine many combinations of non-specific East-West flows.
On examination of the google map satellite view, or through walking/driving around the West Ealing streets North and and South of the Uxbridge Road it becomes very clear that these streets have been built to house a large number of residents, and not with concern for free flowing traffic, as well as residential parking.
Adelaide Road, an example of one of the many long thin residential streets:
As a result, with cars parked on both sides of virtually all the residential streets, it is not possible for 2 cars passing in opposite directions to pass without one having to find a suitable place to pull in and allow the other to pass.
This is illustrated well in the photographs, e.g. the photographs below shows traffic running into such difficulties at two potential entry and exit routes that could be used by drivers attempting to avoid the Uxbridge Road diversions around West Ealing. For further confirmation examine the satellite view on the google map linked here and above.
Grosvenor Road - looking South from the Uxbridge Road Junction:
Leighton Road's Eastern entrance by The Forester public house - looking West:
The commuters likely to see a significant increase in travel disruption would be those who work West of West Ealing yet live South of the Uxbridge Road. This is due to the inability to turn down Leeland Terrace on the West of West Ealing, and the fact that Grosvenor Road is not suitable for two-way traffic, as per the photographs. Residents who live further East of St Kilda will also have to navigate through the long unbroken residential streets in order to navigate around the existing traffic calming blocks on Regina Road. See the Appendix for the an email to Christopher Dean of TFL with regard to how a resident of Westfield Road is expected to drive home from the West.
Existing traffic calming measures, and cyclist concerns.The residential streets South of the Uxbridge Road already have many traffic calming and diverting mechanisms that have been devised to deter the use of these streets as "rat runs". Such as the 2 blockages on Regina Road, speed bumps on many other streets (such as Westfield Road and Sydney Road), no entry signs at both ends of Seaford Road.
There are also several designated cycle routes that use this road network South of the Uxbridge Road. These cycle routes have been plotted in order to attempt to find a safer, more traffic free route for cyclists to ride through the neighbourhood. As can be seen in the photograph below even cyclist have little room should they encounter traffic coming in the opposite direction:
Cyclist encounters traffic on Coldershaw Road:
Conclusion:- Traffic is not going to evaporate. It is clear many people depend on their cars in order to undertake their every day activities. Some may find alternatives where they can, but for many there are no other reasonable option.
- Between the A4 and the A40 there are no other viable East-West free flowing two-way roads down this heavily populated corridor of the West London suburbs.
- The residential road network of West Ealing is wholly unsuitable to two-way traffic.
- These roads just about function at present.
- Blockages on the Uxbridge Road that cause diversion of traffic into these unsuitable roads will cause misery to the car commuting residents and make the streets less safe for all.
- All should be done to deter traffic from using these residential streets.
- The WLT project would lead to an increase in traffic down these streets, and for many new convoluted longer road routes home will be required.
The Uxbridge Road is congested at many times of the day, however, for many daily users, this road provides a very adequate passage for their varied commutes. It is also ideal for Emergency vehicles to maneuver quickly around the borough, as there is width for traffic to pull safely out of the way, as displayed below.
Diversion of the traffic flow from the Uxbridge Road has to be fought against.
Uxbridge Road, at Eccelstone Road junction:
Appendix:Correspondence with TFL regarding a simple route to get to the Northern end of Westfield Road, when returning from work from the West of West Ealing. | Initial Question | -----Original Message-----
From: Nick
Sent: 11 September 2006 17:40
To: westlondontram
Subject: How do I get to my house if the WLT goes ahead?
Hi there,
I have been looking at the pdf maps of the proposed West London Tram and can not work out how I get to my house when I am driving in from the Hanwell trying to get to the north end of Westfield Road. Can you point out what route I'd take? thanks Nick | | TFL Director Response | westlondontram wrote:
Ref: WLTS/01146/4/3/ER
Dear Nick Thank you for your email of 11 September. Under the current design, eastbound traffic will be able to access the north end of Westfield Road by turning down
Grosvenor Road
, turning left into
Oaklands Road
and continuing into
Regina Road
and
Westfield Road
TfL anticipates making an application for a Transport and Works Order next year. Following the application there will be a six week formal objection period. However, if you simply wanted to make general comments on the design and the modelling you could do this at any point between application and Public Inquiry (usually six months, though this can vary). The Inspector may decide to take on board comments received outside the formal objection period, though he is under no obligation to do so. Yours sincerely Christopher Dean
Project Director | | WEN member response: | Hi Christopher, your suggested route for me is currently not correct or drivable. Regina Road is currently blocked just before the Sydney Road junction, so I'd need to do an extra loop, also the Northern end of Westfield Road is one way. So I actually need to turn right off Regina down Adelaide Road, then left down Brisbane Road and then left down Westfield Road, then right down Bonchurch Road, left down Seaford Road, left down Leeland Terrace and finally left down Westfield Road to get home after a hard days work in a place where the Tram does not go or aid my journey. Below is the actual map of what I'd have to do, as you can see I'd need to drive for .8359 miles through narrow residential roads where at no stage is there room for 2 cars to pass due to parked cars being either side of these roads. I am one resident of thousands, what you are proposing here will cause utter chaos to our lives, surely you are able to comprehend that this is far from a workable solution. Diversion of traffic off the Uxbridge Road around West Ealing will have horrendous results, as my simple example illustrates.
I'd also like to point out that Oaklands Road and Regina Road are also on a marked cycle route and that your suggested route for me is to encourage more traffic to mix with cyclists, which is clearly something else that should be avoided on these narrow streets.
Yours sincerely Nick |
On further reflection the last response also failed to take into account the fact that Regina Road is also blocked to traffic to the West of the St James Avenue junction. As a result, a journey that would involve 30 yards of driving on roads that are only wide enough for single file traffic would require almost 1 mile of such unsuitable driving. As illustrated in the map below: 
A second option is to travel from the West all the way to the East of West Ealing following the Singapore Road Northern diversion and then double-back down Leeland Terrace. Clearly such an extra loop is going to also be costly in time as it involves having to pass through junctions whose majority flow time will not be for those trying to cut South down Leeland Terrace from the West, but will be biased normal Uxbridge Road traffic from the East heading West.
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