Hi all,

Portal Way, in the middle of the old one-way system by North Acton tube
station, opened last Sunday.

Unlike the old one-way system, which was complicated enough, the new one-way
system is too complicated to easily describe. Suffice to say that the petrol
station in front of North Acton station, which used to have most northbound
traffic and 50% of turning traffic going past it, will now have no-one going
past it, except buses, cycles, and traffic accessing a handful of buildings.
In effect, the petrol station is now on a dead end road - this must destroy
the business case for it, and I would expect it to close shortly.

The full list of traffic restrictions affecting this stretch of Victoria
Road seems unnecessarily draconian, as if they are determined to turn this
road containing nothing but industrial premises and transport cafes into a
backwater. Since the tube station is hidden behind the petrol station, I am
guessing that the plan is to drive the petrol station into bankruptcy, so
that it can be bought out more cheaply and then replaced by a bus station
and a less menacing entrance to the tube station. I wonder what has happened
or is happening behind the scenes - the owners of the petrol station must be
furious, but have they been compensated, or will they be compensated?

While I'm here, ISTR that both footpaths to the tube station contained steps
only six months ago, but now the eastern footpath is wheelchair-accessible.
Have I misremembered?

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

John Rowland wrote:

While I'm here, ISTR that both footpaths to the tube station
contained steps only six months ago, but now the eastern footpath is
wheelchair-accessible. Have I misremembered?

I've only entered North Acton station a few times, but have no recollection
of steps on the approach footpaths. Steps and I anr not good friends and I'm
likely to remember.

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
While I'm here, ISTR that both footpaths to the tube station contained
steps only six months ago, but now the eastern footpath is wheelchair-
accessible. Have I misremembered?

I have a feeling I cycled down the eastern path over six months ago, meaning
it must have been ramp-only then. I could be misremembering though!

John Rowland wrote:

Hi all,

Portal Way, in the middle of the old one-way system by North Acton tube
station, opened last Sunday.

Unlike the old one-way system, which was complicated enough, the new one-way
system is too complicated to easily describe. Suffice to say that the petrol
station in front of North Acton station, which used to have most northbound
traffic and 50% of turning traffic going past it, will now have no-one going
past it, except buses, cycles, and traffic accessing a handful of buildings.

The new one-way system is as simple as the old, but with an extra link
to the north of it.

The full list of traffic restrictions affecting this stretch of Victoria
Road seems unnecessarily draconian, as if they are determined to turn this
road containing nothing but industrial premises and transport cafes into a
backwater.

Say rather, a route for some buses and cycles to avoid the one-way
system, which can be congested and is no fun to cycle round. I believe
the road past the petrol station will be narrowed somewhat. Other
vehicles benefit from the one-way loop being shorter than it was.

Since the tube station is hidden behind the petrol station, I am
guessing that the plan is to drive the petrol station into bankruptcy, so
that it can be bought out more cheaply and then replaced by a bus station

The road will take on the character of a bus interchange. I know of no
plans for a bus station.

and a less menacing entrance to the tube station. I wonder what has happened
or is happening behind the scenes - the owners of the petrol station must be
furious, but have they been compensated, or will they be compensated?

There were discussions, but I don't know the outcome.

While I'm here, ISTR that both footpaths to the tube station contained steps
only six months ago, but now the eastern footpath is wheelchair-accessible.
Have I misremembered?

The east entrance has been ramp for a year or two at least.

Colin McKenzie

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...

The new one-way system is as simple as the old,
but with an extra link to the north of it.

As far as most traffic is concerned, yes, but try describing how to get a
road vehicle from the BBC to Acton Cemetery!

The full list of traffic restrictions affecting this
stretch of Victoria Road seems unnecessarily
draconian, as if they are determined to turn this
road containing nothing but industrial premises
and transport cafes into a backwater.

Say rather, a route for some buses and cycles to
avoid the one-way system, which can be congested
and is no fun to cycle round.

This could have been achieved adequately without banning the right turn from
Victoria Road to Chase Road, and without banning cars in the eastbound
direction past the Holiday Inn.

Other vehicles benefit from the
one-way loop being shorter than it was.

Agreed.

I am guessing that the plan is to drive the petrol
station into bankruptcy, so that it can be bought
out more cheaply and then replaced by a bus station

The road will take on the character of a bus
interchange. I know of no plans for a bus station.

Thanks. It will be interesting to see if bus station plans suddenly
materialise after the petrol station goes bankrupt. I've never seen a petrol
station survive in what is effectively a dead end road.

the owners of the petrol station must be
furious, but have they been compensated,
or will they be compensated?

There were discussions, but I don't know the outcome.

Thanks.

The east entrance has been ramp for a year or two at least.

Thanks.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

"John Rowland" wrote

, the new one-way
system is too complicated to easily describe.




Tell me about it. I tipped at Makro at North Acton last week. Not good.

Vince
--
Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk

That Petrol garage should survive, after all, It is a busy industrial area
around there, im sure a lot of business will still occur.

John and others,

On the front of today’s Ealing Gazette it had a story about the petrol
station and the new road layout. Apparently the owner arrived two weeks
ago for work to find half the road outside the petrol station forecourt
was for buses only. Trade has already dropped by half, about £3000 a
day. Staff have been laid off as well.

Businesses in the area have signed a petition (with 500 signatures)
saying they can’t get to the petrol station with the new road layout.
Ealing Council had not received a compensation claim from the petrol
station owner, but did not comment whether he would be eligible (that’s
what it said in the Gazette).

Incidentally, Victoria Road eastbound was closed today (probably to
install cameras to ensure only the bus uses that part of road).

Jeff.





--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Jeffrey Asante wrote:
On the front of today’s Ealing Gazette it had a story about the petrol
station and the new road layout. Apparently the owner arrived two weeks
ago for work to find half the road outside the petrol station forecourt
was for buses only. Trade has already dropped by half, about £3000 a
day. Staff have been laid off as well.

I need some petrol. Perhaps I'll see if it's possible to get there at
all. Maybe I'll have to do what I do when I want petrol for the
lawnmower - stuff a can into one of the bike panniers and ride in to
fill it up.

It's slightly different from most highway schemes in that it was done
by a developer's contractors, not the council's. That may have
affected the consultation process. It certainly speeded things up.

Colin McKenzie


--
The great advantage of not trusting statistics is that
it leaves you free to believe the damned lies instead!

"Colin McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Jeffrey Asante wrote:

On the front of today’s Ealing Gazette it had a story
about the petrol station and the new road layout.
Apparently the owner arrived two weeks ago for
work to find half the road outside the petrol station
forecourt was for buses only. Trade has already
dropped by half, about £3000 a day. Staff have
been laid off as well.

Thanks for posting this!

I need some petrol. Perhaps I'll see if it's
possible to get there at all.

It's possible, but it is effectively on a dead end road. Drivers who know of
the petrol station's existence can still get there, but apart from hotel
guests, new people will never stumble across it so as people move out of the
area or change jobs, its trade will disappear.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes