FRF Home

What have we done so far?

1999

On Wednesday 28 April 1999 there was a successful meeting of a good number of residents, as a result of which we produced our first newsletter for April 1999. In July, Charmian Boyd, founder of the Five Roads Forum, along with a number of other interested parties from around the country, visited several Home Zones in Holland and Germany.  A video film of the visit was produced by Heads Together.
On Wednesday 4 August 1999 there was an event held in Broughton Road at which Transport Minister Lord Whitty announced that the Government would be supporting nine pilot Home Zones throughout England & Wales, including the Five Roads Forum.
Ealing Council conducted an initial traffic study and there was an exhibition of initial proposals for our new Home Zone in December. We became one of the pilot Home Zone schemes and were unique amongst these for two reasons: our Home Zone area was the most highly trafficked area considered for treatment in the UK, and it was the only one driven by residents' demandsrather than local councils.

2000

The Council appointed Rachel Fenton as Project Officer and a Home Zone Designer (who started detailed planning). In June there were consultation meetings with residents. Consultation survey documents were circulated to all households.
September 8th was the date of the first of our Street Parties, organised by Jane Gardiner and held in Broughton Road.

2001

The results of the consultation were presented at the Annual General Meeting of 29^th January 2001, and the FRF Home Zone was approved by the London Borough of Ealing Ealing Area Committee in January. Meetings to review detailed plans for each road were held in February. The issue of parking also came to the fore and a consultation process about a CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) in the FRF Home Zone was conducted.

In  September we held the second FRF Street Party, this time in Denmark Road. That month also saw both the approval of our CPZ by the Ealing Area Committee and the start of the first stage of road works: Six gateway features consisting of a raised table and width restriction to mark the entry to the Home Zone and improvements to the street lighting, doubling the number of street lights in the area

2002

Delays in the road works were caused by regulatory problems over the design of the planters. However, planning went ahead for implementation of the CPZ. A new positive development was the suggestion that rat-running could be reduced by closing the Western end of Hastings Road with a gate.
A third Street Party, on 2 June 2002, to mark the Queen´s Golden Jubilee, was held.

Rachel Felton left the project to return to her native New Zealand, and Ealing Council appointed a new project officer to take over. Another antipodean, Evan Bates, started working with FRF in September.
The Hastings Road closure was approved in October following consultations with residents and neighboring areas. Layout planning for the Home Zone following the introduction of the CPZ commenced.

2003

In February, road works commenced on the final pase of implementing our Home Zone -

• shared surfaces
• changed road layout to incorporate 30-degree parking bays, marked on alternating sides to create chicanes which will help slow traffic down
• 20mph zone
• Home Zone signs

The annual Street Party was held in September 2003 in Hastings Road.
And the ill-fated Gateway Planters were rebuilt in more robust materials

2004

January - the AGM saw changes in the committee of FRF.
A big push to complete the Home Zone was made, targetting a formal launch on 24th April. Lots of "snagging" work to complete works or fix problems were undertaken, trees were planted and a Crime Safety event planned.

And still outstanding........

• a decision on the Arden Road play area.

Lessons learned
"It is worthwhile for residents to begin the process of trying to get a home zone. It helps to rebuild a sense of community in the neighbourhood whatever the end result. People begin to know and support each other. Some people begin to think about whether they need to use their cars!"A long consultation period gives the opportunity for people to think about what they really want and accept new ideas. It is useful for the residents to have a mediator from outside their group and it is important to involve the local councillors/other residents' groups. Enjoy the process: it's slower than you could possibly imagine!"
Charmian Boyd, Five Roads Forum.