Forum Topic

Gridlock Continued

I wondered if anyone had opinions regarding last Thursdays Transport Overview and Scrutiny Meeting with Wandsworth Council. Putney News describes the meeting as a masterpiece of evasion by the Council who don't want to acknowledge the mess or put it right. Certainly, the traffic is as bad as ever as my experience coming back From Barnes yesterday morning taught me. There was a queue which began at Barnes Common Cemetery gatehouse and a worrying scenario by Roskell Road when an ambulance needed to get past the traffic at speed. Regarding the Meeting, only one local councillor was reported as having got the message although they may all regret the fog which continues to roll over the subject when the Council elections come up next year.

Miles Thompson ● 1d10 Comments

It was easier getting out of communist East Berlin, than Putney at the moment!

John Grigg ● 7h

The reason also it seems there is so much traffic down the Lower Richmond Rd, drivers are avoiding the Upper Richmond Rd and Putney High Street, by cutting down also by Red Rover to the Lower RR, where the Fun Fair is held Putney Common was a complete standstill.  The weekend before the URR going towards Richmond was at a standstill in Sheen, that was probably due to Clifford Avenue. This weekend Mortlake was reasonably clear.

Barbara Stevens ● 11h

There were/are road works on Clifford Avenue again.I wonder why they bother clearing away the signs sometimes when they finish. Perhaps a dual purpose "road works"/"back Shortly" sign would save some money??As for the congestion zone - EV's and some hybrids are currently exempt. They now make up 10 to 15% of private vehicles so I'm not sure that is the reason. Public transport is of course better the more central you are.

Ed Robinson ● 19h

Barbara, yes we were in that area too.  Traffic was really bad.  Just wait until they start on the brewery scheme at Mortlake.  Can you imagine how congested it will be?! Michael, yes I agree it’s because of the Congestion Zone that the West End is so traffic free, but I worked in the West End for many years and, to me, it is so shocking to see roads such as Tottenham Court Rd, one of the major roads in central London, virtually empty of traffic and then come back to Putney and see not just our high street totally congested, but traffic madness in the residential side roads as well.  

Martine Guy ● 19h

Saturday lunch time we went to Richmond Sainsbury's, the Lower Richmond Rd, going towards the Bridge was at a standstill. Our side of the road was empty. Once you got to Mill Hill it was OK.  Also coming from Upper Richmond Rd, Gypsy Lane, to the Lower Richmond Rd were at a standstill, madness.

Barbara Stevens ● 19h

Martine,  I  don't want to detract from the problems in Putney, but that area is within the Congestion Charge zone which deters through traffic, and most people generally won't drive cars to events in that area as there's limited parking and what is there is very expensive. 

Michael Ixer ● 21h

We were in the West End recently. Walking from Tottenham Court Rd to Green Park there was no traffic, lots of empty roads.  It is a disgrace, imo, that the roads in Putney are so congested.

Martine Guy ● 23h

PHS was still gridlocked yesterday. Coming back I could see Lower Richmond Road was flowing better onto the bridge.It took over a hour for the 430 to get from Upper Richmond Road to just over the bridge. I got off at the Lilly Road junction. Fortunately the rain had eased off, so I decided to walk the next couple miles of my journey. And I walked all the way back home when finished.My bus/foot journey took over 90 minutes just 30 mins shorter than it took someone to drive from Northampton.Putney has lost the basic ability to cross a piece of water in a timely manner. The whole point about being in a city is you can move around and visit different places.

Ed Robinson ● 23h

Yesterday the traffic was awful.  PHS was moving, but only just, but it was the side roads that were badly affected.  Chelverton was full of traffic up to the Charlwood barrier.  Cars were coming down Charlwood and, not realising how bad the traffic was in Chelverton and/or not realising there was a barrier in Charlwood Rd, were turning their cars and heading back to URR. Traffic was also moving too quickly down around the side streets, thinking it was a shortcut to PHS I guess.

Martine Guy ● 1d

Hello Miles,I am afraid I did not go to the meeting but did read Putney News' report on it.  Let us say I was not impressed with what I read and it appears that it is always somebody else's fault - but not constructive comments made on how to solve the mess. 

Ivonne Holliday ● 1d