Earl Purple wrote:
Richard J. wrote:

Grade-separated = destroying the London street scene / river frontage,
and probably destroying many homes and workplaces too.
--
Richard J.


Grade-separating is a clever way to separate through traffic from local
traffic wishing to access the area, improving conditions for both.

Warwick Gardens and some of the other roads in the West Cross Route
like Edith Grove / Gunter Grove are residential roads.

It can't be bad for the environment, at least for residents of those
areas, to push traffic away onto their own newly-built road which, if
built in reality, would probably run close to the railway. Tunnelling
can be preferable to raised roads if the tunnels are reasonably short,
though I'd propose that a new bridge be built over the Thames. Bridges
and high-up roads don't need to be ugly structures - some of them can
be built with very nice architecture. And they are not as noisy as you
think. The areas under these raised roads can also be used conveniently
for open markets as they provide some shelter from the rain.

(Note, I would also connect the top of the WCR with the M1 at Staples
Corner).

No, no, no, please, no, to all of that. They planned to do it some time
ago (http://www.btinternet.com/~roads/lon...ringway1.html).

Of course, the Westway was a roaring success for the residents of the
area it cut through. These urban motorways only serve to generate new
car traffic (whether tunnelled or not), and are also incredibly
expensive (particularly if tunnelled). Which is thankfully why you'll
never see a grade-separated South Circular any time soon.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London