This is a developing story. East Churchfield Road remains closed westbound near Acton Central on Tuesday morning (29 September) while police continue a crash investigation following an incident late on Monday night. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Drivers heading through Acton this morning are facing major disruption after a key route in the area stayed shut into the Tuesday rush hour.
East Churchfield Road has been closed to westbound traffic since around 10.04pm on Monday, with the affected stretch running between Perryn Road and Goldsmith Road, close to Acton Central station. The closure was still firmly in place at 6.11am on Tuesday as officers carried out investigation work at the scene.
Few details about the incident itself have been released so far. But with the road out of action for more than eight hours, the scale of the police operation suggests officers are conducting a detailed examination of the scene.
What is closed and where
The closure covers the westbound carriageway of East Churchfield Road between its junctions with Perryn Road and Goldsmith Road — a short but well-used section of road just north of Acton Central station and close to Acton Park.
Westbound drivers reaching the cordon are being turned around, while traffic that would normally flow through the road is spilling onto surrounding residential streets.
Diversion routes and advice for drivers
Motorists heading west through the area are being advised to divert around the closure using Perryn Road to the east and Goldsmith Road to the west, rejoining their route beyond the police cordon. Drivers should expect queues on surrounding streets, particularly during the morning peak when traffic is at its heaviest.
Anyone who does not need to travel through Acton Central this morning is urged to avoid the area altogether and to allow plenty of extra time for journeys. Satellite navigation and live traffic apps can take time to catch up with emergency closures, so drivers should follow signs on the ground and the directions of officers at the scene.
With the investigation still under way, it is not yet known when the road will fully reopen. Drivers planning to travel later in the day should check for updates before setting off.
Bus passengers and the school run face disruption
The closure is expected to have a knock-on effect on public transport in the area. TfL bus services running through Acton Central and the surrounding streets may be diverted or held up, and passengers are advised to check TfL’s live status updates and journey planner before travelling.
The timing is particularly awkward for the school run, with schools and nurseries across the Acton area drawing traffic through the residential roads around East Churchfield Road. Parents doing the morning drop-off should set off earlier than usual — and consider walking or cycling for shorter journeys where it is safe and practical to do so.
Commuters using Acton Central station should also allow extra time, as buses and onward connections in the immediate area may be running behind schedule. Rail and Tube passengers can also check our round-up of planned Tube and Elizabeth line closures to see whether wider engineering works will affect their journey.
What happens next
Investigations of this kind typically involve specialist officers examining the scene in painstaking detail — measuring road markings, photographing vehicle positions and gathering CCTV and witness evidence. The length of the closure suggests that work could continue for some time yet.
Police have not yet said whether anyone was injured in the collision, and no further details about the vehicles involved have been released. We will update this story as soon as officers provide more information.
It is the latest traffic disruption to hit the area, coming after a crash that blocked Bollo Bridge Road in Acton — and follows a string of serious collisions across West London, including a Kew Bridge crash that left three people in hospital.
