Transport for London (TfL) are consulting on a safety scheme at the junction of Sussex Gardens, Edgware Road, and Old Marylebone Road (A501). Those who use this junction will know that pedestrians cross multiple times and can become stranded on small islands in amongst heavy traffic.
There have been 17 collisions at this junction in the three years up to 2019: seven people were seriously injured and in 2019 tragically one person was killed here.
The scheme has therefore been identified as a priority safety scheme by TfL, intending to make the junction safer for people walking and cycling, as well as simpler to navigate for all users.
For pedestrians there will be new, direct pedestrian crossings on all arms of the junction of Edgware Road, Sussex Gardens and Old Marylebone Road. This will make it quicker and easier for pedestrians to cross the road, without having to wait on the small traffic island in the middle of the junction. New countdown timers will show you how long you have left to cross. Additional pavement space will be created from the junction changes, outside Halifax on the east side and Koshary on the west side. This space comes from reallocating the two existing left turn lanes which traffic currently uses to turn left into Sussex Gardens and left from Old Marylebone Road into Edgware Road. TfL will remove the traffic islands within the junction and modify the remaining traffic lanes, to allow traffic to continue to make the left turn into Sussex Gardens and out of Old Marylebone Road onto Edgware Road.
For cyclists new cycle signals will help cyclists to move through the junction. Cyclists turning right both into and out of Edgware Road, would do so in two ‘stages’ under the protection of cycle only signals. TfL’s proposals also include new ‘early release’ cycle signals for cyclists on Edgware Road, to help them pull away ahead of traffic.
On the western side of Edgware Road between Sussex Gardens and Burwood Place TfL plan to create four new rain gardens, forming a natural barrier between pedestrians and the vehicles, and adding an attractive landscape feature. Rain gardens capture rainfall, filter run-off from roads and pavements, acting as a sponge and reducing the risk of flooding. Unhealthy trees will be removed, and new trees will be planted in their place, in the four new rain gardens.
Kerbside arrangements will be amended following site visits with Westminster City Council officers and Veolia, to make sure this stretch of pavement can be adequately serviced for waste and recycling collections from businesses. The taxi EV charging point will remain, along with the bus stop and shelter. The disabled parking bay at 161 Edgware Road would be changed to a dual use 20-minute loading and three-hour stay disabled parking bay from a bay with no time limits – this will enable more disabled shoppers to park and visit Edgware Road. The three resident or pay by phone (available 8.30-6.30pm) parking spaces outside 153 – 155 Edgware Road will be removed.
Have your say
An exhibition of the proposals will be held at Waitrose Edgware Road (168-176 Edgware Road), London W2 2DX, where you can meet the team, ask questions, find out more about the scheme and give your feedback.
- Saturday 25 November 10am to 2pm
- Wednesday 6 December 3pm to 7pm
You can submit your comments by Monday 18 December 2023 to TfL by following this link.
