Works to significantly upgrade and improve Hammersmith Gyratory for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists began on Monday (29 November).
This semi-permanent scheme forms the third phase of works to create a full east-west Safer Cycle Pathway route in Hammersmith. These upgrades are being undertaken and paid for by Transport for London under a trial traffic order.
These works should be completed by Spring next year.
Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “Our goal is to make getting around in H&F better and safer for everyone – no matter how you travel.
“The Hammersmith Gyratory is a busy section for all cyclists, pedestrians and motorists and we’re committed to a final scheme to replace this trial. We will look at the data and listen to residents to develop the best Safer Cycle Pathway that we can.”
The full, permanent east-west scheme through Hammersmith is still being developed. It will only be introduced once we have heard from residents, analysed traffic and usage data and fixed any issues or problems with this latest interim scheme.
What’s planned
A new interim two-way segregated cycle track on the northern side of King Street will be created to connect with the Safer Cycle Pathway scheme at Lyric Square.
This will continue across the northern side of the gyratory to Hammersmith Road. The works also include new separate traffic signals at junctions for cyclists and a new single traffic lane on the northbound of the Shepherds Bush Road exit. The upgrade will also improve pedestrian safety at all junctions with side roads and introduce additional pavement space for pedestrians at the Black’s Road junction to make crossing safer, while retaining the existing parking spaces.
A new parallel crossing at the Butterwick junction will allow westbound cyclists to join the two-way cycle track, while the pedestrian crossing over Queen Caroline Street will be extended.
We’ve also asked TfL to optimise traffic light timings so people can safely cross surrounding roads in a single stage.
King Street works continue
Meanwhile, works continue in the second phase of works to upgrade the interim Safer Cycle Pathway in King Street.
The improved cycle lane will run on the northern side of King Street running from Lyric Square to Macbeth Street. It will then change to the southern side of King Street passing the new Civic Campus development until Goldhawk Road. Cyclists can travel in both directions in this lane.
The route will also feature upgraded pedestrian crossings designed to allow for much better access for Disabled residents. We have worked closely with our local Disabled Residents Team (DRT) and Disabled Residents Working Group (DRWG) to design these changes, and recently visited similar schemes in Hounslow to discuss what would work best in Hammersmith.
Jane Wilmot OBE, co-chair of the Disabled Residents Working Group for the Safer Cycle Pathway, said: “We’re delighted to be working together with H&F in trying to provide a positive experience for blind, visually impaired and Disabled residents who face barriers in using the Safer Cycle Pathway.”
Future plans
Once this interim scheme is completed, feedback from residents will complement the work underway from the Residents’ Cycling Commission, DRT and the DRWG – all of which will feed into the final design of the Safer Cycle Pathway.
This will ensure that the final Safer Cycle Pathway is a world-class piece of transport infrastructure working for all residents as we re-imagine Hammersmith town centre, with even more green areas, trees and benches.
We’ve also negotiated with TfL to fund a complementary scheme of improvements for a cycle highway along the A4 to make it ideal for faster and experienced commuting riders. The improved cycle highway alongside the A4 will be a much better fit for those riders who simply want to get from A to B as quickly and safely as possible.
Climate emergency
“Both the climate emergency and Covid have forever altered the way people are travelling in London and we need to respond,” added Cllr Harcourt. “We need everyone to consider low or no-carbon ways to travel so we can hit our goal of net carbon zero by 2030.”
As a council, we’re adapting the way we run our services and the way we work, in line with our ambition to be the greenest borough in Britain.
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