I was thinking of sending this using the TfL on-line feedback form.
Comments anyone?

***************
Kew Bridge bus lane

This restricted bus lane was recently opened to all traffic. However I
think the restriction should be reapplied for the following reasons:

There is no improvement to traffic flow that I can see. I use Kew Bridge
every weekday in the peak traffic hours, and the two northbound lanes are
both jammed solid at these times.

Buses are now delayed.

More traffic which is actually going to Chiswick is keeping to the left
lane; then forking right at the lights after the bridge and squeezing into
their proper lane later. This is now common and obviously upsetting more
law-abiding drivers, whereas it was rare before.

Cyclists travelling towards Chiswick are now vulnerable if they try to join
the traffic at the northern end of the bridge, as they have to cross the
traffic flow at this point.

There is now the hazard of flower/newspaper sellers at the northern end of
the bridge, which I do not remember previously.

zerling wrote:
I was thinking of sending this using the TfL on-line feedback form.
Comments anyone?

***************
Kew Bridge bus lane

This restricted bus lane was recently opened to all traffic. However
I think the restriction should be reapplied for the following reasons:

There is no improvement to traffic flow that I can see. I use Kew
Bridge every weekday in the peak traffic hours, and the two
northbound lanes are both jammed solid at these times.

The problem with the bus lane was that it caused such long tailbacks of
general traffic that buses got stuck in them before reaching the bus
lane, thus nullifying its benefit.

Buses are now delayed.

They were delayed when the lane was there (see above). Do you have
comparative times?

More traffic which is actually going to Chiswick is keeping to the
left lane; then forking right at the lights after the bridge and
squeezing into their proper lane later. This is now common and
obviously upsetting more law-abiding drivers, whereas it was rare
before.

The signage indicates that the left lane *is* available to drivers
heading towards Chiswick. Making full use of both northbound lanes on
the bridge helps to maximise the traffic flow through the lights, thus
helping to reduce delays. There is no law infringement involved.

Cyclists travelling towards Chiswick are now vulnerable if they try
to join the traffic at the northern end of the bridge, as they have
to cross the traffic flow at this point.

Not sure what your point is here, but I would agree that separation of
cycle and motor traffic is inadequate at that junction. TfL have plans
to remodel the junction, including extending the lights to cover the
junction with Spring Grove in connection with a proposed new bus route
serving Strand-on-the-Green. It's worth asking them what their plans
are for safer cycle routes through the junction.

There is now the hazard of flower/newspaper sellers at the northern
end of the bridge, which I do not remember previously.

Tell the police if they are causing an obstruction. It's not directly a
bus lane issue.

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Thanks for the comments


There is no improvement to traffic flow that I can see. I use Kew
Bridge every weekday in the peak traffic hours, and the two
northbound lanes are both jammed solid at these times.

The problem with the bus lane was that it caused such long tailbacks of
general traffic that buses got stuck in them before reaching the bus
lane, thus nullifying its benefit.

true, but at least no delay from the southern end of the bridge for buses


Buses are now delayed.

They were delayed when the lane was there (see above). Do you have
comparative times?


no I just see them stuck in traffic

More traffic which is actually going to Chiswick is keeping to the
left lane; then forking right at the lights after the bridge and
squeezing into their proper lane later. This is now common and
obviously upsetting more law-abiding drivers, whereas it was rare
before.

The signage indicates that the left lane *is* available to drivers
heading towards Chiswick. Making full use of both northbound lanes on
the bridge helps to maximise the traffic flow through the lights, thus
helping to reduce delays. There is no law infringement involved.

sorry if I wasn't clear - traffic is stuck in the left hand lane before
even going on to the bridge and stays in that lane even if going through to
Chiswick roundabout. Except that they have to filter into the right hand
lane once beyond the lights

"zerling" wrote in message
...
sorry if I wasn't clear - traffic is stuck in the left hand lane before
even going on to the bridge and stays in that lane even if going through to
Chiswick roundabout. Except that they have to filter into the right hand
lane once beyond the lights

The solution to that problem would be to remove the 24/7 bus lane on Chiswick High
Road n/b between Kew Bridge and Chiswick Roundabout, which restricts the
capacity of the road outside Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre. All the traffic
including buses would flow more freely over Kew Bridge if this bus lane was
removed.

There used to be a sign on Kew Bridge advising drivers "Use both lanes for
Chiswick Roundabout". The sign was removed when the bus lane was suspended.


Robin

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 17:13:29 GMT, Richard J. wrote:

Not sure what your point is here, but I would agree that separation of
cycle and motor traffic is inadequate at that junction. TfL have plans
to remodel the junction, including extending the lights to cover the
junction with Spring Grove in connection with a proposed new bus route
serving Strand-on-the-Green. It's worth asking them what their plans
are for safer cycle routes through the junction.

as well as removing the bus/cycle lane, when the bridge was "improved" they
also removed the on-pavement cycle lane on the other side.

I pointed this out to TFL many months ago, as well as the fact that a
cyclist has already been killed on the approach to the bridge. Their
response, "they are looking into it". Fat lot of good looking into it does
*after* they have changed the road layout.

I would favour on road cycle lanes on both sides, with a width restriction
on the south bound side to make the morons aware that there really is only
one lane going south.

Steve

More traffic which is actually going to Chiswick is keeping to the left
lane; then forking right at the lights after the bridge and squeezing into
their proper lane later. This is now common and obviously upsetting more
law-abiding drivers, whereas it was rare before.

There is nothing to say you can't cross and it gets you there faster. There
is a system in Aylesbury (Gyratory System) where I always stay in the Right
hand lane and change over by the Pub when going to Southcourt because it's
faster.
--
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"Richard J." wrote in message
...

The problem with the bus lane was that it caused such long tailbacks of
general traffic that buses got stuck in them before reaching the bus
lane, thus nullifying its benefit.

This is a general problem with Bus Lanes. Speaking as a bus user, I think
they are a terrible idea, the sooner they go, the better.