Councillors Deliver Road Safety Whilst Protecting Local Businesses

6.52.52pm GMT Fri 30th Jan 2009

Cllrs Munira Wilson and Piers Allen by the dangerous slip road at the Hospital Bridge Road/Staines Road junction

• LOCAL councillors have secured traffic calming measures for the treacherous slip road at the junction of Hospital Bridge Road and Staines Road, whilst ensuring trade to the Fulwell Park parade shops is not affected.

The slip road is regularly used as a rat-run, mainly by drivers heading into Twickenham from the A316, trying to avoid queues at the Hospital Bridge Road/Staines Road junction opposite the Fountain pub. For some years, councillors have been supporting residents' and shopkeepers' calls for safety measures to slow down the traffic. Cllrs Munira Wilson and Piers Allen represented Hospital Bridge Road residents and Fulwell Park parade shopkeepers at Wednesday evening's Transport Consultative Group meeting. Cllr Trigg approved measures at the meeting to reduce speed in the slip road, which will be implemented as soon as possible. Speed humps will be installed but Cllr Trigg turned down a proposal to make the eastern portion of the slip road by the parade one way, following representations from Fulwell Park shopkeepers.

Cllr Munira Wilson said, "I am delighted that our long campaign to make the slip road safer has finally paid off. For too long, residents and shoppers have felt unsafe as cars have cut through at high speed. The speed humps, as well as the future planned improvements to the junction, will deter rat-runners and cut speed without harming trade. Safety is everyone's number one priority but original plans to make the eastern end of the slip road one-way and alter parking would have reduced passing trade from Staines Road. In these tough economic times and with our post offices constantly under threat, protecting our small shops and sub-post offices and promoting their interests is vital."

Traffic calming measures will be installed in the slip road in the next two to three months. Improvements to the junction will be consulted on further and implemented later in the year.