Request ID: FOI-1090-2223 Date published: 26 August 2022
You asked
Dear Sir
I read in the Chiswick Calendar (https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/next-phase-of-work-to-c9-to-go-ahead-in-september/?mc_cid=a56073e8c4&mc_eid=4b424e0391) that TfL is doing permanent works to C9, which is supposed to be temporary.
Is this story accurate?
Who took the decision to go ahead with these works at the same time as the highly disruptive roadworks on the A4 railway bridge (https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/a4-road-works-likely-to-cause-months-of-traffic-congestion-in-chiswick/?mc_cid=a56073e8c4&mc_eid=4b424e0391)?
How much money is being spent on these latest works to C9?
How much has been spent on C9 in total and how much is in the overall budget?
Will the total spent be more or less than the sum budgeted and by how much?
Who are the people in TfL responsible for this budget and for spending it?
When will the decision be taken on making it permanent or removing it?
How will the decision be taken on making it permanent or removing it?
Who will make the decision on making it permanent or removing it?
Please provide statistics for accidents involving cyclists along the C9 route since its construction and for each of the five years before. In doing so, please identify the numbers of accidents that are serious.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-1090-2223/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 2 August 2022 asking for information about C9 Works.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
Is this story accurate? All changes along Chiswick High Road are part of a new trial which LB Hounslow approved in July 2021. These changes are temporary and have been introduced with an Experimental Traffic Order.
All major works on strategic roads are considered by Transport for London as part of our Network Management Duty. The works to the A4 are safety critical and required to maintain the Cromwell Road Railway Bridge to ensure the longevity of this key arterial route, which carries the A4 Great West Road over a railway line between Chiswick Roundabout and Hogarth Roundabout. This will improve the long-term condition of the bridge, road, and pavements. To enable us to carry it out, there will be a series of lane closures and full directional closures on the A4 between Chiswick roundabout and Hogarth roundabout, To minimise disruption, all full directional closures will take place overnight or at weekends. The forthcoming works on Chiswick High Road are focused on the side roads rather than Chiswick High Road itself. We have not yet assessed if both Chiswick High Road works and A4 works can take place at the same time but discussions with London Borough of Hounslow officers are taking place to evaluate the scale of traffic management required, what impact it is likely to occur and therefore if the works can take place at the same time.
How much money is being spent on these latest works to C9? The final costs for the sections between Goldhawk Road and Chiswick Lane are currently being finalised. The budget for these works is £3.3m. Estimated costs for the section between Heathfield Terrace and Chiswick Lane is approximately £1m.
How much has been spent on C9 in total and how much is in the overall budget? Up to the 31 March 2022, the total spent on C9 was £12.6m. This include all design related works, public consultations, construction of Kew Bridge, Wellesley Road, Chiswick High Road, King Street, Hammersmith Gyratory.
Will the total spent be more or less than the sum budgeted and by how much? The final costs for the most recent works is expected to be in line with the estimated costs.
Who are the people in TfL responsible for this budget and for spending it? The Budget holder for the project is the Healthy Streets team within the Investment Delivery Planning Directorate. Currently the project is being funded using Active Travel Funding via the Department of Transport.
When will the decision be taken on making it permanent or removing it? The decision will be taken by LB Hounslow before the existing experimental traffic orders for Chiswick High Road end.
How will the decision be taken on making it permanent or removing it? Who will make the decision on making it permanent or removing it? The decision will be taken by LB Hounslow and will follow their standard decision making process and will take account of public engagement and traffic monitoring data.
Please provide statistics for accidents involving cyclists along the C9 route since its construction and for each of the five years before. In doing so, please identify the numbers of accidents that are serious. The data for cycling collisions is publicly available on our road safety dashboard and therefore this data can be extracted and formatted to meet your requirements: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/road-safety
As part of trial, TfL and LB Hounslow will continue review collision data to identify existing safety issues and collision patterns. Our analysis enables us to identify the most significant issues and provide any specific safety improvements as required.
Since the opening of the temporary scheme on Chiswick High Road in December 2020, we have been undertaking continuous safety monitoring to identify emerging collision trends and provide a comparison between the pre- and post-implementation periods. This monitoring has helped inform and develop the upgrades along Chiswick High Road, and will continue to form a valuable part of the process to decide whether these changes become permanent or not.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
