Is Hounslow Council consulting on these schemes?
Yes, we are consulting on these proposals while we trial them. The text below explains the rationale for this approach.
Department for Transport data shows that while vehicle trips declined significantly during the initial lockdown period, traffic was already back to nearly 70% of pre-lockdown levels by early June. With more people returning to work and public transport capacity reduced for the foreseeable future, there is a high risk that traffic volumes in south Chiswick will soon discourage active travel, worsen air quality, and increase traffic congestion for those with less of an alternative to travelling by car.
The need to act now has been recognised by central government, with new statutory guidance instructing councils that “Measures should be taken… within weeks, given the urgent need to change travel habits before the restart takes full effect.”
This guidance outlines the ‘experimental’ and ‘temporary’ traffic regulation order process that councils are expected to follow to implement the measures as quickly as required, with consultation taking place during the trial. This will allow feedback to be considered alongside traffic data to help determine each measure’s effectiveness, and whether they should be changed, removed or made permanent after the trial.
