CSH9 and the

slip road

Hammersmith Gyratory - Fulham Palace road Slip Road project

The slip road project which allows the surface level crossings of the Fulham Palace road is designed for buses and motor vehicles, with consideration for the convenience and safety of cyclists appearing to be an afterthought. This is expected to be finished in 2011/2012.

The latest design is given here. Cyclists on E-W / W-E routes are expected to pass through a gap less than 2.5m wide between a flyover support [marked as a black rectangle just below the Talgarth rd on the right] and subway railings [marked as Subway entrance / exit]. There will also be pedestrians using this gap. A small island is meant to cater for cyclists going both ways.

Cycling Superhighway 9

is being designed.This will come sometime after the Olympics.

We would like to see Hammersmith Bridge and the short link to CSH9 included the project.

To deal with Hammersmith gyratory TfL have decided the route will go along the A4 pavement and cross to the south side of the gyratory by the Apollo. The surface level crossings of Fulham Palace rd are expected to be built this year. The route crosses to the Novotel and up Shortlands to join the Hammersmith rd. There are a large number of crossings on this mainly off-road route.

The route passes through the said gap and the island. This gap will not only have to cater for westbound cyclists intending to go down King Street, but also for those going over Hammersmith Bridge.

LBHF are designing these projects for TfL, and it is not clear if TfL are completely satisfied with the results so far.

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RESULTS OF OUR SURVEY ON CSH9 / Hammersmith gyratory [72Kb pdf file].
[Over 60 responses on how cyclists deal with the gyratory at present, and their suggestions for improvements]

CYCLING SUPER HIGHWAY 9 goes from Hounslow to Hyde Park Corner via Hammersmith.

Unfortunately it is not the intention of TfL to spend a vast amount of money on resolving major obstacles along the route, for the most part just to mark a route that many cyclists will follow.

Part 1 of the CRIM - an inspection of the route - led by many TfL Officers and Officers from Hounslow and Hammersmith on 17 March 2011, looked at the route through those boroughs. Tom Bogdanowicz and John Griffiths were present along with LCC representatives from Hounslow.

To deal with Hammersmith gyratory TfL would like the route to go along the A4 pavement and cross to the south side of the gyratory by the Apollo. The surface level crossings of Fulham Palace rd are expected to be built this year. The route crosses to the Novotel and up Shortlands to join the Hammersmith rd. There are a large number of crossings on this mainly off-road route.

TfL have spent time on this route and their principle argument is that it can be made safe.
TfL's preferred route through LBHF with comments
[3.2Mb pdf file]

A photo of part of the LBHF map used by TfL - that may not be the final design - shows the intersection of Talgarth rd running E-W, and the bus tracks from Fulham Palace rd running S-N, N-S.

The white sausages represent bikes at 2m x 0.75m on the island. A straight-across crossing may have some advantages, shown in yellow, which John will propose. As it is part of a Bus Priority scheme TfL are likely to consider signal timings as critical.

On the day we cycled this preferred route, and also inspected the north side of the gyratory.

We presented the results of our survey, with all the comments contained in it to TfL. We also presented comments by Tom Bogdanowicz, John Giffiths, Rik Andrew and Stephen Donnelly concerning the gyratory and CSH9.

John Griffiths put forward the argument that help should be given to cyclists who would use other routes to take the pressure off crowding and pedestrian interference on the Apollo route. ie

1] Have shared use on the pavement on the north side of the gyratory upto the Piccadilly line entrance, mainly for westbound cyclists.
2] Widen Beaden rd
3] Make the gyratory 20mph

Stephen Donnelly proposed a cycle track beside the kerb instead of shared use, and leading through the crossing and pedestrian space to King street.

Rik Andrew suggested making King street 2-way for buses and bikes only.

In Hounslow, there was discussion as to whether the route should go over the centre of Chiswick roundabout, preferred by TfL, or along Wellesley rd.