Earl’s Court
When we build our landscape around places to go, we lose places to be.
The Earl’s Court development: A once in a lifetime opportunity to get sustainable transport Right in West London
The Earl’s Court Development Company (ECDC) Planning Application for the development of the former Earl’s Court Exhibition Center has now been approved by both the Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham Councils.
The revised final planning application submitted by ECDC for approval excludes the protected cycle lane initially proposed on Warwick Road. This would have enabled safe cycling from the site with connections to Quietways east and north. They have instead provisionally offered to implement stairs (!!) and a lift. This would throw cyclists straight onto the junction between West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road, one of London’s dangerous junctions and two 3-lane highways. What could go wrong!
This very significant development is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get sustainable transport right in West London. It is now up for the Mayor to review and approve this application.
We believe ECDC’s revised application as it stands is not good enough for safe and easy cycling and walking. It is in breach of the National Planning Policy Framework and RBKC”s Local Plan as both state that large developments should promote and make walking and cycling more attractive, safer.
Please send your views and comments on the walking and cycling plans to the Mayor of London’s office and the West Central London Assembly member by clicking the above button
Did you know? During ECDC’s early construction phase, Earl’s Court one-way traffic network will experience up to 180 construction trucks a day!
Earl’s Court one-way gyratory traffic
system - Has time now come to remove it?
The “one-way gyratory system” in Earl’s Court captures the traffic management arrangements that split traffic flows into one-way motored traffic routes, northbound from Gunter Grove through Finborough Road and Warwick Road to Holland Road and southbound from Addison Road, through Warwick Gardens, Earl’s Court Road, Redcliffe Gardens to Edith Grove. These 2 to 3 lane-roads act as catalysts or magnets and attract pass-through traffic to densely populated areas.
This set-up has been particularly bad for residents’ health with air pollution levels 3 to 4 times over the World Health Organisation thresholds, noise pollution, and many of the junctions on the way being a constant and repeated source of serious or fatal incidents for pedestrians. It has been bad as well for local businesses and for our high streets that have struggled to attract and benefit from a scarce footfall along heavy-traffic 2 to 3 lane-highways.
What would we like to see? We should return to two-way traffic roads, restoring healthier and safer streets, and making space for sustainable transport. This would make the area less attractive for pass-through traffic, releasing more capacity for local traffic, naturally reduce speed in low traffic times. This would help and contribute as well to regenerating the Earl’s Court high street.
Many studies and discussions between parties involved have occurred over the last 25 years. The Earl’s Court Development that will result in 22,000 additional people living and working in the area while creating heavy construction traffic over the next 10 to 15 years is the perfect trigger to get change delivered!!!
Tell us what you think should happen!!!
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