Bottom line is they have selected very quiet residential areas which do not really have a problem. Not seen any plans for areas in the borough with real on long established problems. The nature of the beast is that some streets are connecting roads and some are feeder roads. That's how it was built and when you move here you know that.Some which link one part to another are busier. This has been the case since they were built as they gain access for services and residents and link the neighbourhood between shops and main routes. It is reflected in the house prices and always has.In one or two cases some through roads have longer front gardens and bigger houses which mitigates a road being busier.Memories are rather short but, Windermere Road for example, where I lived for a while when at school, was a race track and was a real rat run. Often blocked during the school run. Ever since the installation of rather sever speed humps that reduced the rat running and speeding significantly. Airedale and Bramley are nowhere near as busy as they were in the 1970s to late 80s .The 20 zone is well observed by all but a few and those few are a problem everywhere not just here.Rat runs are busier because of nearly 4 years of disruption on South Ealing Road and other local bus route/ main roads.But most of this is actually residential traffic and the school run which is a mere 30 mins 5 days a week for term time only.Cars and larger vehicles are massively cleaner than 25 years ago and the streets are not choked with idling traffic. However many of these initiatives create exactly this. Deliveries will still happen, shopping trips will still happen, work ( not all can make a productive living from an iPad ) will still happen, appointments and visits will still happen and there is the inescapable fact that a closed vehicle is the only current safe means of protective travel.People are not stupid. They know this and know that authorities have steered clear of this. Cycling on masses is not ideal either. Have been covered in spittle and flying sweat from Uber Cyclists whilst riding along Chiswick High road and through Brentford on several occasions. I have suspended cycling for now as the irresponsibility of others is not acceptable and I cannot change their behaviour.The agist overtones are truly offensive and discriminatory, most of us will all one day be old and have the ailments that come with it. Not heard anyone in authority address that. Facilities and amenities are being moved further away or being closed or being made unaffordable locally. Why is that not being addressed so you can at least walk or cycle ?And the key other fact for walking and Cycling locally. Ealing is rather hilly. Some of it is not noticeable when in a car or a bus, but it certainly is if walking with shopping or riding a bike. You have to be pretty able to do both and sustain it. Try cycling with a full load or walking more than a mile with shopping. Or in crappy weather or in the dark. It's just not practicable unless you have time on your hands and possess good stamina. That can only ever be a small proportion of us. And we all get old and points, hearing and vision and reflexes slow, all really vital when on two wheels.If these areas had real problems then a drive to sort them is a good idea, possible a school hour restriction near the schools but that was effective when the simplest tool was used for decades, Lollipop men and women and Police doing point duty when needed as a stand in.But most fundamental is residents and residents only, not external pressure groups and idealists and use of unsound data and manipulated statistics, should be fully consulted and included. They know their streets and those around.This funding would be better spent in sorting the miles of uneven pavements and lumpy and rutted roads.I note that a few streets in Northfields that I cycle along have been resurfaced.Maybe the authors of some of these proposals should cycle these roads and do their job in ensuring quality.They are just as lumpy, bumpy and rutted as they were before, even the potholes are still visible under the chippings. Do they not check anything taxpayers pay for?Clearly Ealing do not. as a road works diversion into a tine double bend street proved last week causing chaos.
Raymond Havelock ● 1744d