Burns Way area - Traffic Consultation

Overview

We would like your views on possible changes to the way traffic can use Burns Way, as a way of reducing the impact of through traffic.

The council is consulting on four options:

Option 1: Make Burns Way one-way northbound (away from Henlys roundabout).

Option 2: Close Burns Way at the north end, at its junction with Browning Way.

Option 3: Close Burns Way at Henlys roundabout.

Option 4: No entry into Browning Way from Springwell Road.

Further details on these options can be found in the 'related' section at the bottom of this page.

We welcome your comments using the survey on this page. Please contact us if you need this information in an alternative format.

If you would like to view the proposals in more detail with council staff present, please come along to the drop in session on 17 January, as detailed at the bottom of this page.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The council has received many concerns from Burns Way residents about the volume of traffic using the road as a through route between the Great West Road and Cranford Lane.

This matter was raised in a petition by residents and discussed at the Heston and Cranford Area Forum on 25 January 2018, where it was agreed to undertake further investigation of traffic on Burns Way and assess the feasibility of implementing further traffic management measures on the road.

In September 2018 we collected traffic data to understand driver’s origins and destinations, as well as volumes and speeds. Surveys confirmed a high volume of traffic using Burns Way for a residential road - further details of this can be found here Traffic survey data. 

The council is committed to maximising access for cyclists, and will consider how best to achieve this depending on the outcome of the consultation. If you have any views on this, please include them in your survey response.

Options that were considered but are not being formally proposed

The council does not favour a "do nothing" option. While the accident statistics would not usually necessitate an intervention in themselves, the council sympathises with residents’ longstanding safety concerns, and believes these options would help improve the urban environment here in line with Transport for London’s Healthy Streets Approach. 

The council considered the option of making Burns Way one-way southbound, but our analysis indicated this would only decrease traffic by 30% and would likely displace most northbound traffic (around 950 vehicles per day) onto Springwell Road.

The council considered the option of a full road closure at Browning Way/Springwell Road. However, this would create serious servicing issues (e.g. access by recycling vehicles), whereas a "no entry" (Option 4) has a dramatic traffic reduction effect while enabling better flexibility for residents.

We have not therefore included the three possibilities listed above among our proposed options,  but you may still indicate a preference for one of them on Q.6 of the questionnaire. 

Why your views matter

We’re carrying out this consultation to hear your views on the proposals, and we welcome your feedback so that it can inform our plans.

Please note that each resident of the household is entitled to respond to this consultation. However, in making decisions about transport schemes, the council typically summarises the feedback we receive in terms of households as well as in consideration of individual responses.

Consultation feedback will be summarised and presented to Ward Councillors for consideration later in 2019. It is proposed that should the consultation show support for intervention, that a trial of up to 18 months be undertaken to monitor the impact of traffic in Burns Way and the surrounding area, and gather further information and feedback.

What happens next

Following this consultation, the officers' recommendation to the July meeting of the Heston and Cranford Area Forum was to approve a trial of a 'no entry’ restriction into Browning Way from Springwell Road. Councillors decided not to approve this, so the proposals will not be progressed any further.

Full details can be accessed on the Area Forum webpage.

Thank you again to all who took the time to participate in this consultation.