Richmond council agree plan to improve The Terrace for pedestrians
Changes due within eight months with scope for more to follow. Story 142
Welcome to Bridged2050: creating an even better Barnes during this climate crisis
Richmond council has signed off a package of quick, practical upgrades for The Terrace – the first phase of what could become a broader rethink of one of Barnes’ most important walking routes. They should make The Terrace
more accessible, sustainable, and welcoming public environments.
This one of two new pedestrian improvement pilot projects, the other is Hampton Road in Twickenham. They were chosen after analysis which included factors such as
focus on roads away from town centres
not the responsibility of TfL
where the street or segment of street fit into the pedestrian routing across the area,
the proximity to attractors such as rail stations and bus stops
as well as the presence of vulnerable pedestrians.
The council explained the 452m of The Terrace provides,
.. connections to the local (Barnes Bridge) rail station and connects two shopping parades which are situated at either end of the street making it an already well-used pedestrian corridor.
Furthermore, due to its adjacency to the Thames and many non-through streets, The Terrace is a key local walking route without a good alternative option for pedestrians.
Over one-third of residents in the adjacent output areas are either young people or older adults (above the average for the other 2,700 street segments considered for this project), and The Terrace scored the second lowest on the quality assessment out of the seven locations where it was conducted.
The works will also dovetail with two ongoing projects: the Thames Towpath upgrades and the Community BlueScapes flood-resilience scheme.
Council’s quick wins
These ten proposals are expected to be delivered by summer 2026,
Plant new trees along the eastern side of the street where conditions allow and trim back overgrowth of existing trees including raising the tree canopy where applicable;
Support the local community in their aspiration to re-introduce Network Rail old-style way-finding murals on Barnes Bridge directing passengers to the Barnes Bridge train station;
Improve cycle parking provision outside Barnes Bridge train station and introduce two new e-bike and e-scooter parking bays on TerraceGardens and Elm Bank Gardens subject to consultation;
Remove redundant signage at the roundabout with Barnes High Street. and Lonsdale Road;
Address concerns about regular ponding under Barnes Bridge byclearing gullies and keeping surface water from accumulating during extreme weather events;
Resolve the pinch point in the carriageway created by the last vehicle parking bay outside 3A The Terrace;
Address the trip hazards on the ramps from the towpath to the roundabout with Barnes High Street and Lonsdale Road;
Review the optimal lining and markings on the carriageway to support traffic calming and pedestrian and cyclist safety;
And explore the strengthening of the current 18t weight restrictions on HGVs due to the heightened safety risks posed by HGVs specifically on the Terrace, strong support from local councillors and residents, and a prior total ban on HGVs on The Terrace. Officers will also investigate the practicalities and cost of enforcement of restrictions as part of the long-term measures.
The council has recently published a petition, the results of which will feed into this review of weight restrictions on The Terrace.
Council officers are also going investigate the feasibility of three further proposals. These are described as ‘longer-term improvements’ which because of design and funding, if approved would take longer to deliver. They will be progressed in parallel with the items above,
Introducing new zebra crossings outside the White Hart and TheWaterman’s Arms pubs to provide safer crossings and better access to the towpath;
Widening the narrowest point of the footway located outside 32 and 33 The Terrace;
And installing raised tables on the junction with Elm Bank Gardens to slow vehicle speeds and increase driver awareness and improve accessibility for vulnerable road users.
Notes & thoughts
There’s more reporting to come on this decision - the methodology behind the selection is said to to be innovative for a borough-level scheme. Councillor Alexander Ehmann (Liberal Democrat) said approach had been benefitting cars for decades, bikes more recently and now it was the turn of pedestrians. He described it as ‘class-leading for a local authority’.
Council Ehmann also recognisedthe best pedestrian experience will only come when there’s a reduction in the dominance of cars and other vehicles. ‘That is not for this project to to solve’.
For now, Richmond council deserves credit for this initiative. It should improve the walkability of this important stretch of road. A renewed Terrace features prominently in Bridged2050’s vision for a better Barnes.
A good first step.