Our Ref: FOI-0687-2122

 
Thank you for your requests received on 4 and 10 June 2021 asking for information about traffic volumes near the Hammersmith Gyratory.
 
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
 
Please can you explain why there are substantial gaps in the data for Breadon Road?
 
The SCOOT loop N11/102b1 at Breadon Road has not recorded any data since September 2019 because the SCOOT detector which has been replaced is awaiting a new link to the London Urban Traffic Control system.
 
In addition to the data requested, please can you also provide traffic data for traffic on the Hammersmith gyratory from 1^st April 2019 until now and also cycle usage of the temporary cycle lane on Hammersmith gyratory since the temporary lane was installed until now.
 
We have already shared the data files we have on the traffic flows related to Hammersmith Gyratory in a file labelled FOI-0687-2122.zip in a previous correspondence. We do not have any additional traffic counting sensors in the area, other than those that have been placed by TfL to monitor the impacts of the CS9 cycle scheme.
 
Please can you also provide data over the same time horizon, 1^st April 2019 until now for the volume of cycling on Hammersmith Road?
 
The roads surrounding Hammersmith Gyratory are borough roads and the appropriate Highway Authority to contact for any additional data with respect to traffic or cycle data or the mode mix of traffic on these roads is the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
 
It should be noted that highway authorities do not normally place sensors for counting traffic close to junctions or entrances to a gyratory, as these locations would lead to inaccurate counts. Traffic counting technology is usually placed mid road link, where traffic is free flowing as this will lead to more accurate counts.
 
We do not have any cycle counting technology at these locations that have collated cycle data from 2019. Please contact the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for any ad-hoc cycle counts they have in this area. Traditionally cycle counts are undertaken by manual enumeration by all London based highway authorities on an ad-hoc basis.
 
The ability to count cyclists accurately, particularly in mixed traffic conditions using technology, is a newly established capability (2020-21), made possible by the installation of digital cameras that use (AI) Artificial Intelligence capability. We have recently validated and established this technology and are using it to monitor the impact of the CS9 cycle scheme. Digital cameras have recently been installed at 2 locations relevant to this request, King’s Street  (installed 12^th April 2021) and Fulham Place Rd (installed 22^nd March 2021). Please find attached data from the cameras at these 2 locations and maps below.   
 
 

 
 
I want to complain about the Bus Performance answer you sent me previously, as attached, because it fails to attribute any delay in journey times to the reduction in capacity on the gyratory by virtue of the temporary cycle lane and the loss of road space from three lanes to two and in one place from two lanes to one. Not mentioning this factor, possibly because it would embarrass TfL over the congesting nature of its temporary cycle lane is what I believe might now be described as institutionally corrupt. Therefore, please can you find out:

1. Why the temporary cycle lane was not mentioned as a cause of increased bus journey times
2. Why there was no acknowledgement of the reduced traffic volumes in the analysis
3. Who was responsible for a) drawing up and b) approving the presentation sent to me

 
The purpose of the data provided in the presentation regards bus journey time performance at Hammersmith Gyratory was to monitor bus journey times, relative to those achieved in 2019 our baseline year, with the aim that these should be flagged if they became significantly worse than baseline, and actions specific to protecting buses could be taken as required. The report details the causes of disruptions to bus journey times, such as roadworks, bus lane removal and signal timing changes, where they are known. 
 
Traffic demand and available capacity are linked in complex ways and a mechanism to identify the contribution of each to their impact on bus or general traffic journey times or excess traffic journey time (delay) from the historic data is not available or known. Therefore, in the absence of this knowledge or capability, the mechanism applied by highway authorities worldwide, is to set service level agreements for the amount of bus or general traffic journey time that is acceptable under changed circumstances. 
 
The digital cameras scheduled for Hammersmith Road await approval for installation from the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
 
Can you provide the same data on all roads into and out of the gyratory but this time, also with a segmentation by vehicle type, distinguishing between buses, cycles, private cars and other vehicles.
 
The only data that we hold on mode contribution to traffic flows in the time scale of the analysis is contained in the attached files from the recently installed digital cameras.
 
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Eva Hextall
FOI Case Officer