A new gate has been installed to stop motorists cutting through Bishop's Kings Road
A notorious rat-run in West Kensington has been closed off by Hammersmith & Fulham Council after listening to residents’ concerns.
Worried residents had contacted the council because of the high number of motorists regularly using Bishop’s Kings Road as rat-run, or speeding along it.
In February this year, the council consulted neighbouring homes and businesses asking how best to tackle it and their preferred option was to close the road off with a gate, which has now been installed.
“When residents raise concerns with us over road safety we take them very seriously,” said Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Residents’ Services.
“We want to do things with residents, rather than to them. So we offered three options and this was the one they chose.
“We’ll continue to monitor traffic levels and ensure it’s working.”
Persistent problem
Rat-running has been an ongoing concern for residents. The road runs close to St James Junior School, St James Senior Girls’ School and Avonmore Primary School, so pupils are regularly walking nearby.
The council monitored traffic levels in the road last year and met twice with the residents ahead of launching the consultation.
See a photo and Tweet about the gate
The gate was installed in October, but still allows access for emergency services and service vehicles. The change also includes installing a speed table and making Earsby Street one-way.
The other options offered to residents were to introduce a banned right turn from North End Road, with speed humps and one-way traffic, or to leave things as they were.
The February consultation had a 23 per cent response rate, with 60 per cent of those choosing the gate option.
