TFL Plans for Wood Lane & Shepherd's Bush - Jun 5th

TFL have released consultation plans to re-arrange the traffic routes on Wood Lane & Shepherd's Bush Green, and to judge by the number of adverse comments in the threads at NextDoor, lots of locals are unhappy.  But don't forget that these are only consultations, nothing is fixed in stone. Right now TFL are asking local people what they think of the proposals, and the next public consultation is to be held this week at the Bush Theatre on Wednesday 5th June, at 5pm. So if you'd like to know more, come along and have your say.

Tube Strike on the Central Line on Friday

Central Line is on strike on Friday

London Underground station staff on the Central Line are to go on strike on Friday.

The strike is scheduled to start just after midnight, lasting 24 hours.

To see the full story, read the Evening Standard report.

Wood Lane Petrol Station Plans

Petrol Station on Wood Lane by Karl and Craig

According to a news item at WhiteNoise, the old Esso petrol station on Wood Lane is to be taken over by Elephant Magazine, who are to turn it into "a new space [to] act as a meeting place and hub for performance, discussion, film screenings, talks and workshops put together by our editors and curatorial team. A café , shop and outdoor garden area complete this."

So, in plain English then, the old petrol station will become an arts cafe.

H&C Line Upgrade from Early 2018

S Class train at Hammersmith

According to Transport for London, service on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines will improve early next year, following testing of a new digital signalling system. 

TFL says the new system will allow trains to run closer together, meaning a more frequent service, and shorter waiting times.

Hammersmith Bridge Closed from 21 - 29 October

Hammersmith Bridge will close for a week from Saturday

According to TFL, Hammersmith Bridge will be closed to traffic from  5pm on Saturday 21 October until 5am on Sunday 29 October, while essential repair works take place.

This latest bridge closure will once again create traffic chaos, forcing drivers over Chiswick Bridge or Putney Bridge instead. 

Hammersmith Bridge currently operates under severe weight restrictions, with only one bus in each direction permitted on the bridge at any one time.

Tube Strike Planned for Thursday

Central Line and Hammersmith & City line are likely to be affected

London Underground station staff may be striking again on Thursday.

Members of the drivers' union Aslef are set to strike on Thursday in a dispite over working conditions. Talks between the two sides are supposed to continue today.

Even if the strike is only a partial one, conditions will be horrendous for those able to get to work. Thursday might be a day to work from home, for those who can.

Wood Lane Esso Station to Become Art Installation

former petrol station on Wood Lane. Google Maps

Anyone who drives in London knows how hard it can be to find a working petrol station these days. The old Esso station on Wood Lane closed a while back (see photo above), and site owners Transport For London (TFL) don't seem to have an immediate plan for what do with it. In the meantime, it's fast attracting graffiti and rubbish. So, White City developers Stanhope have agreed to lease the site so as to "improve the area’s appearance and eventually introduce pop up uses."  Stanhope is taking a three year lease (with a two –year break clause) from TFL, and has appointed artists Craig Redman and Karl Maier to "create an art installation" at the former petrol station.

Re-Imagining Shepherd's Bush Green

Imagine if Shepherd's Bush Green was a pedestrian area, rather than a giant traffic island. An impossible dream? Not according to architects Henning Stummel, who have made a proposal to pedestrianise the north side of the Common and re-route two-way traffic around the west and south. The proposal is supported by the Hammersmith Society and was included in their most recent newsletter.

TFL Gets Planning Permission for Railway Arches

Restored arches near Wood Lane - how it might look

In November 2016 Transport For London showcased its plans to redevelop the arches near Wood Lane Tube station, to take advantage of the Westfield extension and the new proposed public park which will straddle the Hammersmith and City railway line.

TFL’s plans to transform 31 railway arches near Wood Lane Tube station into retail units and commercial space have now been granted planning permission by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

TFL Open Day on 14 and 15 November at TVC Pavilion

TFL are inviting Shepherd's Bush residents to a public exhibition of plans to transform the disused railway arches below and adjacent to Wood Lane Tube station, which will be turned into retail and commercial units. 

The newly restored arches "will provide new jobs and opportunities for businesses and deliver revenue to be reinvested into the transport network." 

Night Tube To Begin On 19 August

The Night Tube, the 24 hour Underground service that was scheduled to start last September, is now due to start on 19 August, with the Central Line leading the way.

This means that trains from Shepherd's Bush to central London will run 24 hours a day, making London (like New York City) "The City That Never Sleeps".

A good thing then for late-night clubbers, and night-shift workers, but less welcome perhaps for anyone in Shepherd's Bush who wants a quiet life.

Shepherd's Bush's New Park

Proposed public park. 

Did you know we're getting a new public park in Shepherd's Bush? It's all part of the new Westfield development, and that of St James to the north - on the old M&S warehouse site east of Wood Lane.

The whole area is being redeveloped, and the price exacted by the Council from the developers was a new public park. It's not huge and, since it runs below the Hammersmith and City tube line, it will be noisy. But still - new green lungs for our very urban neighbourhood can't be a bad thing.

To imagine what it will look like, see the photo to the left.

Why Can't Drivers Turn Left from Uxbridge Road into Wood Lane?

Why no left turn onto Wood Lane?

Why can't traffic on the Uxbridge Road turn left into Wood Lane?  It's inconvenient for drivers and it makes no sense, pushing traffic into residential side streets instead. After all, it is generally right hand turns that cause traffic delays, not left hand turns. Why not free up the traffic on the Uxbridge road and restore the left hand turn? Well, TFL (who are in charge of such things) say that a left turn would bring a "loss of capacity" (whatever that means) and also that "the corner is too tight" - which it isn't.  It's roughly a 90 degree angle, just like most left turns.  The bigger problem here is the lack of accountability at TFL since, unlike the Council, we can't vote them out, and as a result they get to do whatever they please. Which, in this case, is nothing at all.

Night Tube Launches On 12 September

The London Underground will soon run 24 hours a day on the weekends - just like the Subway does in New York City.  The Night Tube, as it's officially called, will soon be running all night on Fridays and Saturdays. The new extended service will launch on Saturday 12 September, allowing Bush residents to get home from the West End on the Central Line at any time of day or night.

Shepherd's Bush Tube Station Ticket Offices to Close

Shepherd's Bush Tube Station Southern Entrance by Sunil060902 via Wikimedia Commons

The ticket windows at Shepherd’s Bush Tube station are closing on 9 February, as part of TFL's plans to "modernise the Tube".  TFL say they are "moving their staff into the ticket hall" where they will apparently be "able to assist [the public] more effectively". And "the station will continue to be staffed between the first and last train times." So, all part of improving the service then?