Dear all,
I would like to let you know that the the recent Cabinet of the 8th of March Haringey Cabinet has approved the Walking and Cycling Action Plan which includes several measures involving our ward:
- Quietway 10 : protected cycling lane linking Bowes Park with Farringdon via BoundsGreen, Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, Hornsey, Crouch End and Finsbury Park; funded
- Alexandra Park Road : recommened cycling corridor between Albert Road (B106) andBuckingham Road ; unfunded
- Alexandra Park - Muswell Hill : recommened cycling corridor between Muswell Hill to Alexandra Palace and towards Colney Hatch Lane; unfunded
- Alexandra North LTN - Low Traffic Neighborhood implemented via Modal filters, planters, ANPRs, improving walking and cycling environment; funded
It is good to see that funding for the Low Traffic scheme has materialised despite the initial information received; have asked for further confirmation.
In the meantime officers have adviced that the initial engagement will start following implementation of the three approved LTN in Bounds Green, Bruce Gove / West Green and St Ann’s, now postponed to after the May elections. I hope this is a welcome news as this is an increadible opportunity to redesign the area and tackle the traffic issues that have plagued Albert Road/Crescent Road/Crescent Rise for ages and link to the interventions to be implemented in the Winton Avenue/Bidwell Garden side with the BG scheme. None of this would have not been possible without the work of Annabel and the Low Traffic Group and the engagement of many of you that thorugh these pages and on Twitter have raised the issue and allowed us Councillors too to keep it on the agenda. Thank you !!
Please have a look at https://www.haringey.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/travel/transport-strategy/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-haringey to have a look at the current schemes and to have an idea of what can be expected in the next months in terms of solutions, engagement and consultations. I also imagine that with the improvement of the Covid situation there may be more in person engagement events in addition to online meetings.
I will keep posting more information and update on this as soon as received, in the meantime any comment or query please get in touch.
Replies
Alessandra, I understand that the consultation on the proposed Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Palace Gates will start soonish, and that letters will be sent out to everyone in the neighbourhood about it? Do you have information about where the traffic and air quality monitors are, or will be, placed? Thanks.
Dear Cllr Rossetti,
Thank you for your report. I have looked at the March Cabinet minutes and the attached delivery plan. This says the proposed Alexandra Park North Low Traffic Neighbourhood is unfunded. Cost eastimated at £250k. Could you clarify please?
in light of the rejection by residents of the extension of the CPZ in this neighbourhood ,will any proposed LTN be subject to similar consultation. If it is rejected will it be set aside? I ask this as it looks like these proposals will be held back till after the local elections in May. My understanding is that rejection by residents does not mean that the LTN is stopped as the regulations are different for LTNs.
I do think it's ironic that that this is part of a strategy to improve walking and cycling given the awful state of pavements in our and some nearby streets.
Finally ,given the local elections in May could be our only opportunity to express a view that will be listened to , could you make clear your own position and that of our other local councillors on the introduction of an LTN please?
Many thanks.
Thank you for your questions Jon, and apologies for the delay in addressing them
1) I have received confirmation from Haringey that the scheme is funded. It looks like the confusion was due to the fact that were different prior versions of the plan where the scheme was unfufned and officers as well had mentioned uncertainty about the funding
2) If Haringey will follow the process inplemented for the BG scheme there will be several stages of consultations, a trial and a statutory consultation at the end. There is more detail in the Q&A section of the webpage I have linked in the original post
3) With respect to a position on the LTN you will probably know from this Forum that there have been several community engagement events with meetings at the Sweet Tree Bakery, O.Tambo Rec (was Albert Rec when the open meeting took place) and online during Covid organised by the Low Traffic Group demanding better air quality, more cycling lanes and less traffic and asking for something done to stop the rat runs thorugh Alert Road, Crescent Rise and Crescent Road and the congestion on Palace Gate Road. At the same time a similar group was trying to stop the run through Blake Road , Winton Avenue and Bidwell Garden on the other side of Dunford Road. These issues were also raised with and presented to Haringey officers and Cabinet members several times over the years and after these wokshops so eventually after the introduction of the Quiet Zone Scheme in Enfield - and the availability of funding from TfL - Haringey started looking at the traffic isses in several locations, including in our ward, starting with the Bounds Green LTN. The Alexandra ward Councillors, including myself, have supported the community efforts in these years and we are certainly in favour of a trial. The devil is always in the detail though so we need to make sure the scheme work for the residents and can be adapted and changed during the trial if something that looks good on the paper does not work on the groud. This is way I was agreeing with Susan that dogmas never works. And this is also why what we also need to go with, and are asking for the BG scheme, it is proper monitor in place to make sure that we can measure if traffic evaporates rather than moves and air quality improved, and with clear signage to make sure drivers are aware of these zones.
I hope I have addressed your points and happy to talk more in person or over the phone.
Hi Jon,
I kept getting the draft Walking and Cycling plan when looking for the final report - here is the final report, and the proposed LTN in this neighbourhood is marked as funded, on p.81:
https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/s130968/Appendix%20D%20-%20Walking%20and%20Cycling%20Action%20Plan.pdf
Since the consultation will not start until after the Bounds Green LTNs etc have been implemented, this could be a few months yet - so there'll be lots of time for informal discussion in the neighbourhood!
Dear Annabel I have also received confirmation from officers that 'under the WCAP, £250k has been allocated to fund the Alexandra North low-traffic neighbourhood.'
Thanks, Alessandra.
Dear Susan, many thanks for your comments. I also live in Alexandra Park Road and appreciate fully your experience, one of the first thing I did when I moved years ago was to install doble glazing because of the traffic and noise. I also agree that dogma never helps, either side of the argument. Which is why I am asking to have monitoring in place before and after any scheme is put in place (would be better before any design is discussed) so we can make sure that any measure is really improving the situation rather than displace traffic. Everyone likes a quiet area, but I agree that does not mean that other larger roads like Alexandra Park Road, Dunsford Road or Victoria and Albert Road ( or Bounds Green Road) have to take the load, but rather achieve the same.
I read that LTNs in some areas have caused INCREASED pollution . .forcing more cars to some roads . .moving slowly , belching out fumes . ..
It is similar to closing arteries. .in the end , sometihng has to give . . . and it will be residents in those roads to which more traffic is directed .
I may be naive. . but sometimes "DOGMA" can prove counter productive. Driving to help look after an injured friend in the Bounds Green LTN has been ,as mentioned, quite complicated .Not all the residents are happy either.
No wonder Haringey are wating until AFTER the local elections..
Grosvenor Rd was closed off some years ago .Dukes Avenue wanted to follow suite. Alexandra Park Road has become congested at rush hours . It USED to be a quieter road until other roads were favoured to prevent "RAT RUNS " . . .NOW it can take AGES to get to Bounds Green . .or back in the other direction even by bus .
Sadly, approaching 80 I am not prepared to cycle . I do walk . .but the fumes from stationary traffic in APR affect my breathing .
It's important to remember that motor vehicles increase pollution - not LTNs or Safer Neighbourhoods or cycle lanes or 'School Streets' or any other measure undertaken to encourage active travel. Cars, vans, lorries increase pollution. Anything that encourages active travel helps to reduce pollution.
I dread to imagine what ANOTHER LTN will inflict on the area . Islington Council released a report which stated in the "KEY FINDINGS" section, that levels of nitrogen dioxiide (NO2) had decreased in Highbury West and Highbury Firelds LTNs.
BUT the council's own report showed pollution had risen 26% accross Hiighbury leading to residents lodging a formal complaint against the authority.
There were GRIDLOCK NIGHTMARES. 44% increase in NO2 outside Highbury Grove School .
EALING Council axed 7 LTNs after public outcry . There was NO material change to air quality .
I wonder what Haringey expect from the expenditure? Poor AIR . .and public outcry . . .only after a period of misery and frustration led by poor science?
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