West London road that's used as rat run by 4k people daily is now off limits unless you live locally

Hammersmith and Fulham Council is restricting out-of-borough drivers from entering a residential road as part of an 18-month trial following a 'series of near misses'. The trial will involve the use of a smart tech camera in Rivercourt Road in Hammersmith and it is hoped to cut congestion and air pollution while improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The council says more than 4,000 drivers use Rivercourt Road daily, causing gridlock back to Great West Road at its southern end. Nearly 80 per cent of those are estimated to be out-of-borough commuters.

Under the scheme, which the local authority said comes at the request of residents 'following a series of near misses', the road is restricted to those from outside Hammersmith and Fulham wanting to use it as a cut-through.

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Anyone with a vehicle registered in the borough can still use Rivercourt. Residents can also provide access for visitors using the RingGo app, as can businesses for their staff, deliveries and customers.

RingGo has been rolled out in residential areas across Hammersmith and Fulham and is used in the council’s South Fulham Clean Air Neighbourhood (CAN).

A number of changes are also being made to Rivercourt Road. It will be opened to traffic in both directions as opposed to its current northbound-only layout, and a new turnaround bay will be added near the entrance from the A4. There will be a change at the intersection of Rivercourt Road and King Street, providing greater lines of sight for users.

The camera is live, and for the first three weeks anyone contravening the restrictions will receive a warning. Once the three weeks are up, the council will begin issuing fines.

Donald Grant, Chair of the Traffic Camera Consulting Group (TCCG), accused the council of keeping the scheme 'under the radar' and said the South Fulham CAN has led to 'ongoing hostilities'.

"This third low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) will bring congestion and pollution to other residential roads around Rivercourt, similar to that which now plagues Wandsworth Bridge Road, King's Road, New King's Road and other populous roads in Fulham," he said.

Mr Grant also claimed the turning bay would be dangerous, comparing it to parklets on Wandsworth Bridge Road which he said had worsened congestion. Christopher Johnson, a resident speaking on behalf of a group of locals who have been pushing the council for changes to the road, however said the response to the scheme has been positive.

He said residents have been pressing for something to be done for around three years. Among the issues the group is concerned about are vehicles backing up, idling, increasing pollution and putting people at risk. "There have been accidents," he said. "People have been hurt. We have been arguing for about three years, pressing the council to do something about the volume of traffic."

Asked about the rollout, Mr Johnson said: "The residents on the street are delighted that the improvements are being made."

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