Forum Topic

Insane blocking of quiet roads will cause hardship and risk for elderly

Having just seen some of the proposals for the blocking of and creation of labyrinth access which will divide South Ealing and Northfields into two and gridlock South Ealing Road Little Ealing Lane and Northfields Ave which in turn will have the areas suffer increased pollution where people walk about and  shop not to mention stuff any chance of passing trade for both shopping areas.If this what Ealing spend money on using Covid as a smokescreen then they must be desperate.The Rat running in South Ealing is a direct result of 2 years of endless roadworks on South Ealing Road and Northfields ave. Even then theres very rarely any congestion in the residential streets apart from the odd boy racers and large delivery vehicles. Most congestion is on a monday caused by refuse trucks.Not once have any steps even temporary been taken to deal with the roadworks induced rat running. It is generally just local residents trying to get to or from work.But the effect this has on older citizens and those for who walking and cycling is not an option is pure discrimination.  Funny how the double standards exist.  On one hand any discrimination is verboten and poison and on the other being ageist is OK.

Raymond Havelock ● 1771d10 Comments

Not at all easy to drive on a road that is closed irrespective of traffic levels!

N V Brooks ● 1757d

Good!All those people choosing to stay at home will make the roads quieter and easy to travel on for everybody - drivers included!

Tony Colliver ● 1757d

I live locally and agree that the (necessary) Covent gas pipe replacement is presumably necessary. It is certainly causing holdups now that traffic is back on the road. Where is this RAT RUN?

Mary Geddes ● 1768d

I agree about the couriers and delivery vehicles and it is a great shame that less freight is going by rail. It is also a great shame that rail is so expensive for everyone and ticketing no longer suits those who who don't work a 9-5 week.  People take to their cars when rail is expensive or unreliable.  The battle created between Govt and the unions doesn't help - and neither does this virus!

Philippa Bond ● 1770d

Only so many can work from home. In my street we have neighbours working from home now at loggerheads because one makes noise and the other "needs' silence.It has not taken long but work needs still differ unless you are a button presser on a computer. Delivery vans are now the most dominant vehicle and freight by rail has declined with a huge upsurge in road freight because the local rail freight locations have all gone and cannot be replaced because the spaces have been developed upon.So we will see a new form of congestion and movements and really won't be any better off.

Raymond Havelock ● 1770d

A lot of people don't want to and won't return to the old normal.  They have now learnt how much better it is to work more flexible hours so that they aren't all travelling at the same time and can spend more time working from home. They are taking part in online business meetings and also online coffee meetings. It is good to be able to walk children to school without having to rush off in a car to be somewhere else for a set time.The instructions are still to work at home if you can.Aren't these street closures experimental?

Philippa Bond ● 1770d

The rat running in Southg Ealing and Little Ealing is a direct consequence of the road works, now into the 3rd year of disruption.School run is the only normal time it gets bust and that is a short time.Otherwise this streets are really quiet and easy to Cycle without any need for all this stuff.it's pure vendetta against cars even if it makes the place look like war torn Beirut.

Raymond Havelock ● 1770d

At last the Victorian gas main is being replaced.  This is a great improvement from the patching and venting over so many years.I think rat running is probably more as a result of an increase in cars simply due to higher density of population, online shopping and the use of apps to find alternative routes.  Although there is no longer the same cachet in owning a car and many youngsters no longer aspire to this in the same way as the generations before - and cars have actually only been in general use for a few generations!

Philippa Bond ● 1770d

It’s a massive stitch up by Sadiq Khan with full collusion from Bell and co. No consultation, no warning, no chance of these restrictions being ‘temporary’.The roadworks are a disgrace. While I understand the need to replace expired gas mains and the like, things are not helped by nonsensical tinkering with junctions such as that of the A4/Windmill Road.Of course, the Council hasn’t moved to take away the shared use bays, such as those on Little Ealing Lane, which actively encourage commuters to drive into the area. Nice little earner, albeit just £3 a day.However, these moves don’t affect the likes of Bell and his cronies as they have no bed to drive since they don’t do an honest day’s work.There will be more congestion, more pollution and more frustration. Local businesses will close if their already tight margins are affected by this.But if you voted Labour at the last local election then you are probably happy with this policy.

Simon Hayes ● 1771d

Where can details of these proposals be found?

Andy Jones ● 1771d