Sir – I have some sympathy for your correspondent’s suggestion last week that traffic flow in the short one-way section of the Vineyard be reversed for the duration of the Hill Street closure.

It was my knee-jerk reaction too and I raised it some weeks ago in email correspondence with councillors Pamela Fleming and Sir David Williams However, both they and the police were against the idea and, on reflection, I have to agree with them.

In the last line of her letter, Judith Gunton says: “It need not be signed as a diversion, for it is incredibly narrow and not suitable for heavy traffic, but it would help to keep those of us living in this area sane.”

It is not just this section of road that is narrow, but all the roads around it. They are difficult enough even without any extra traffic.

And, while I agree it would be useful for us locals to be able to nip through on to Hill Rise, the reality is that we would not be the only ones doing so.

Other people know it is there and are already using it in droves. For every one person who is prepared to use it illegally, there must be 20 who would like to. Reversing the flow would have a huge impact on residents. It would also lead to queues of traffic on the very steep Compass Hill, as drivers tried to turn right on to Petersham Road.

In an attempt to stop people ignoring the no entry sign, the council installed a CCTV camera (RTT, October 3).

It was supposed to be a deterrent, but, because the camera is very high up and there is no obvious sign alerting drivers to its existence, it has had little effect. While there is some satisfaction in the thought that the offenders may be prosecuted, what we really want is for them to stop this dangerous practice before there is an accident.

More often than not, when we turn into the Vineyard from Hill Rise, we find a car, van or motorcycle being driven illegally the other way – even at 10.30 at night, when there is no traffic congestion on the official diversion routes.

We have had some near-misses, and the aggression of some of the drivers when challenged is quite extraordinary.

The Hill Street closure has been frustrating for everyone, and with Richmond Park closing ever earlier (4.15pm after the clocks go back on October 26), it will get worse before it gets better.

I am assured that Hill Street will be fully open by the end of the month unless something serious and unexpected happens.

Judith Gunton and the rest of us will just have to hang on to our sanity for a little while longer.

FRANCES DINNICK
Lancaster Park
Richmond