Ealing Council's plan for the West Ealing Liveable Neighbourhood fails to deliver any significant improvements for cycling.
- It fails to provide a west-east cycle route along one of TfL's highest priority cycling corridors.
- It provides no signalled crossings of the Broadway for cyclists heading north-south.
- It removes cycle access from two roads: Leeland Road (no access from the south) and Walsingham Road (no access from the Broadway)
TfL's Strategic Cycling Analysis has designated the Uxbridge Road as one of London's top priority cycle corridors, and it's a primary active travel route on Ealing's new Local Plan. It should meet TfL's Cycle Route Quality Criteria. This calls for segregated cycle lanes on routes with more than 500 vehicles per hour at peak times. The Broadway carries around 1,800 vehicles per hour at peak, but this scheme doesn't even provide light segregation with wands. The Lido junction should also have a separate phase for cyclists, but according to the consultants this would slow buses down too much. It looks like bus times have been prioritised over cyclists' safety.
The scheme could offer an alternative east-west parallel route to the south, along Leeland Terrace. The planned contraflow cycle lane goes some way to providing this, but there is no safe way for cyclists heading east along the Broadway to access Leeland Terrace. To turn right on such a busy road, there should be a signalled crossing.
Ealing's New Local Plan also has a primary active travel route running north-south along Drayton Green Road and Northfield Avenue. It will also need a signalled crossing of the Uxbridge Road for cyclists.
We urge everyone to respond to the consultation and ask for a safer east-west cycle route through West Ealing. Please support the proposed contraflow cycle lanes on Leeland Terrace and Singapore Road and ask for signalled cycle crossings over the Broadway.
The consultation closes on 31 March 2024. You can see details and respond here: https://livewestealing.org
