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Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on August 25, 2010 at 11:02

It is hard to think of roadworks having a positive effect - I tend to experience the noise, dirt and delays as a nuisance without thinking that they are actually planned to make improvements!

Locally it seems like several years of digging up the roads have made it difficult to get around - I am thinking of the re-laying of the Victorian water mains across the area; the development of one-way streets in the roads just South of the North Circular; the Gas Main work along the North Circular last year and the Major work currently in place between Green Lanes and Bounds Green Road.

Realistically I'm not sure that any of these roadworks can be judged as a success until all the work is completed, which is why I really like your idea of locally initiated environmental improvements - as someone who regularly walks my two daughters to Bowes school along the North Circular I have often thought about how things might be better - and specifically made better for people walking rather than driving through an area. Re-focussing roadworks on people other than drivers would be a start!

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Permalink Reply by Ed Balleny on August 25, 2010 at 14:24

I guess I was trying to see what people thought about the changes as I believe they were intended primarily to provide more space for pedestrians in terms of islands and crossings. For instance the pavement has been significantly widened by the kebab shop and pizza place as you come up to the corner of Bounds Green road and Brownlow road.

It seems to me that some of the changes also have been to the detriment of the traffic flow as there is now no left hand turn lane or filter at the junction of Brownlow and Bounds Green road by the two fruit and vegetable shops. Or this effect negligable of not having the left hand only lane on traffic queueing down Brownlow?

The pavement also by the fruit and vegetable shops should have been widened into the small turning road rather than just extending the bit nearer the tube to narrow the road and take away the left hand only turn (it is a bit difficult tp describe but I hope you know what I mean).

As Richard says what could be done further to make this junction and Bounds Green road from Whittington up to the junction more attractive: Resurfacing of the pavement, flowers troughs on the railings as I have seen in Southwark which look great and bring a smile to your face to see. Any other ideas?

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