The A4 Hogarth Lane is currently closed in both directions after an HGV collided with the central reservation overnight, resulting a large diesel spillage damaging the road surfacing on both carriageways. All six running lanes need to be resurfaced over a 30 metre long stretch of road between Junction 3 of the M4 and the A4 Hogarth Roundabout.

Garrett Emmerson, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport, said: “Following a lorry collision a large amount of diesel was split, damaging all six lanes of the A4. I would like to apologise to motorists for the disruption and reassure them that we are working hard to reopen the road as quickly as possible. The carriageway needs to be completely resurfaced over a 30 metre length which we expect to be completed by mid-afternoon.”

Emma Gaydon, RMP Project Manager for TfL writes

Closures on A1 Holloway Road (N19) from 21 October 2016

Reason for closure

From 22:00 on Friday 21 October Transport for London (TfL) will begin a series of closures on a section of the A1 Holloway Road at Upper Holloway (N19) so we can continue work on replacing the century-old Upper Holloway Bridge.

A new service bridge was built in June but a number of problems were encountered while the pipes and cables were moved across. These included difficult ground conditions, a complex web of utilities (some in a very poor condition) and a leaking water main. We needed to safely resolve these issues before continuing the works, and this has delayed the project.

Dates and diversion route

To make up time and ensure we are able to demolish and replace the existing road bridge as planned at Christmas and New Year the following closures on the A1 will be needed. The road will be closed between Fairbridge Road and Wedmore Gardens. Signed diversions will be in place via Junction Road and Tuffnell Park Road.

·         Friday 21 October 22:00 – Monday 31 October 05:00 - closed to all vehicles in both directions

·         Monday 31 October 05:00 – Saturday 24 December 22:00- closed to all vehicles travelling southbound

·         Friday 18 November 22:00 – Monday 21 November 05:00 - closed to all vehicles in both directions

·         Friday 25 November 22:00 – Monday 28 November 05:00 - closed to all vehicles in both directions

Date for replacement of the bridge

This will be followed by the pre-planned full closure between 24 December 2016 and 16 January 2017, when the bridge will be demolished and replaced.

What we are doing

To mitigate disruption, we are reviewing the improvement works at Archway and Highbury Corner and working with the surrounding boroughs to ban all non-emergency roadworks on nearby roads. TfL has also put in place plans to swiftly remove any vehicles blocking key surrounding routes to help reduce disruption. We are also undertaking face to face engagement with businesses across the traffic impact area.

More information

Variable messaging signs will be in place on the A1 and surrounding routes advising drivers of the closure, and TfL will be providing up-to-date information through the @tfltrafficnews Twitter feed. You can also get real time information on closures and impacts at tfl.gov.uk/traffic/status. For more information, the diversion map and traffic impact map is at tfl.gov.uk/upper-holloway-bridge

Angela McConville for TfL writes...

We are writing to let you know that the Mayor of London has today announced proposals to “make London’s roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists by removing the most dangerous lorries from the capital’s roads by 2020.”

Why?

Over the past two years Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) were involved in 23 per cent of pedestrian fatalities and 58 per cent of cyclist deaths in London, despite accounting for just 4 per cent of the miles driven in the city.

As you will know from the research we have carried out over the past few years, the restriction of drivers’ field of direct vision by vehicle design has been proven to have contributed to many of these fatalities.

‘Off-road’ HGVs were involved in around 70 per cent of cyclist fatalities involving HGVs in the last three years.

What?

Research we commissioned to better understand the blind-spots around HGVs, carried out by Loughborough University, identified variation across the existing fleet in terms of what a driver could see. It found that ‘off road’ construction vehicles were, on average, 32% higher than ‘on road’ vehicles with bigger front and nearside blind spots. It recommended the need for a Direct Vision Standard to categorise and rate vehicles based on the amount a driver can see directly from the cab of the vehicle.  

Working with industry, this Direct Vision Standard, an objective way of measuring how much a driver can see directly from a cab  has been produced by TRL.

How?

The new Direct Vision Standard, which has been presented to, and developed in conjunction with industry will use a ‘star rating’ to rate construction and other HGVs based on the level of vision the driver has directly from the cab.

The next step is to rate the existing fleet of HGVs against the standard to understand the current situation. The rating ranges from zero stars (vehicles ‘not suitable for the urban environment’) to five stars (‘best in class’ vehicles with features like low-entry and remodelled cabs to drastically reduce blind spots).

Timing?

The Mayor is launching his proposed enforcement timetable now, and a consultation process will begin in January 2017. The CLOCS working group and community will be a key group informing the consultation.

Under the Mayor’s proposals, zero star HGVs will be banned from London’s streets entirely by January 2020 and only HGVs meeting 3 stars or above would be allowed on London’s roads by 2024.

The Direct Vision Standard, in combination with the requirements of the CLOCS Standard, will help ensure that only the safest vehicles are on our roads, minimising the risk to vulnerable road users.  

We hope you will be in support of this announcement and we thank you for your contributions to both the CLOCS and Safer Trucks programmes to date.

If you would like further information on the Direct Vision Standard, please visit tfl.gov.uk/direct-vision-standard. Information on the rest of our Safer Trucks programme can be found here at tfl.gov.uk/safer-trucks  

Best wishes

Angela McConville | Project Officer

Freight & Fleet Programmes | Strategy & Planning | Surface Transport

Mail:          Zone 11G8, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, United KingdomSE1 8NJ

Phone:      020 3054 6720 (86720 internally)

Email:       This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Emma Gaydon, RMP Project Manager for TfL writes

I am emailing to update you about the City of London’s closure of Tower Bridge. To make sure you have information to plan ahead, please find attached an up to date diversion route map; a map of the mitigations TfL is putting in place to keep traffic moving and an up to date traffic impact map.

The closure extends from the junction of Tower Bridge Road and Queen Elizabeth Street on the south side to the traffic lights by the A100 Tower Bridge Road and A1203 East Smithfield junction on the north side.

Tower Bridge is currently on the boundary route of the Congestion Charging Zone and vehicles crossing the bridge do not incur the charge. Clear ‘charge free’ signage will be in place to guide vehicles. Not using the signed route during charging hours (Mon-Fri 07:00 to 18:00) without paying the daily charge may incur a significant penalty.

The two diversion routes in place are:

·         Northbound - crossing over London Bridge from Borough High Street to Monument and east onto East Cheap Street or Fenchurch Street

·         Southbound - crossing over Southwark Bridge from Upper Thames Street, to Southwark Bridge Road/Marshalsea Road and onto Great Dover Street.

Traffic on the diversion routes will be heavier, with journey times impacted. We would encourage deliveries to customers to be outside peak times as much as possible. Our on street enforcement teams will be actively monitoring the area to ensure vehicles are not stopping illegally on the diversion routes and the London Transport Control Centre (LSTCC) will be monitoring all roads and changing light phasing on key routes to help manage traffic. Additional ANPR cameras are also being installed.

The Freight and Fleet team have been out visiting businesses in the impact area but we suggest you also contact your clients as well to discuss retiming deliveries.

More details at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/towerbridgeclosure

Remember we have live updates on road disruption and delays at www.tfl.gov.uk/traffic/status