Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hugh from Harringay Online on February 19, 2011 at 12:37

(Excuse the intervention from an interloper)

This all sounds depressingly familiar to the run-around we get in Harringay. Chopped logic by way of explanation, magician's choice consultations, and patronising attitudes as earlier this year when at a consultation meeting I had a finger wagged at me and was told "Ahh, that's what residents THINK they want".

I can live with most decisions as long as someone can explain the logic underpinning them to me (whatever it might be) and as long as they've been taken within the spirit of democratic intent.

I'm afraid that Haringey's traffic policy gets a big fail on both.

Is there any logic in our people talking to your people, as it were - and perhaps bring in the Hornsey Park people?

An experienced planner told me this week that just about all that works is direct action. I'm not about to plot the revolution, just wondering if there is a way to get the council to really listen and apply logic to what its doing on residential traffic.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin on February 23, 2011 at 20:59

Tom I prefer to treat the disease rather than the symptoms which is why I feel the Council's whole approach to the problem and traffic survey was flawed. Firstly the traffic counting survey that the Council carried out around the 13th of June was exactly the same time as there was no left turn from Durnsford Road into Bounds Green Road because of the Council's own over running work on the junction. Any traffic trying to go north to Southgate or west on the A406 had no option but to “rat-run” around the back and down Blake Road. On the 18th of June the A406 was closed due an accident again driving motorists off the A406 and onto local roads. The Council effectively caused increased congestion through their roadworks and then used it to justify their scheme. The removal of traffic lanes and the bus lay-bys at the Bound Green junction has reduced traffic flow, effectively leaving no southbound lanes whilst the buses are unloading at the Bounds Green stop, causing longer queues and encouraging more traffic to rat run. If the traffic flow at Bounds Green junction from Durnsford Road could be improved buses would have shorter journey times and there would be less incentive for motorists to rat-run to avoid long traffic queues back past the Garden Centre and even the Maid of Muswell.

A sensible junction like the one that Barnet recently installed at Summers Lane and the A1000 would improve traffic flow considerably reducing queuing, air pollution and rat running by allowing cars to turn left without need traffic control. What the Council has proposed will, as the Mayor of London recent report on Air Quality pointed out, do exactly the opposite as cars brake and accelerate over speed bumps.
http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Air%20Quality%20Strate...
2.5.5 Around 35 per cent of PM10 emissions in 2008 from road transport in central London come from tyre and brake wear, and this is projected to increase to around 40 per cent in 2011, and 55 per cent in 2015 as exhaust emissions of PM10 are expected to reduce. Emissions of PM10 from car tyre and brake wear are now greater than those from car exhaust emissions and over the next five years, this is also expected to become the case with heavier vehicles such as HGVs and buses. This reflects the fact that measures have been taken to reduce emissions from exhausts but similar reductions have not been achieved for tyre and brake wear emissions, largely because there are no technical improvements affecting tyre and brake wear on the market.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on March 11, 2011 at 21:24

Traffic and parking are a continual concern on this site and also for other Residents Associations and online forums across the borough. John McMullan a Harringay online site member  has suggested an informal get together to talk about traffic, rat-running and parking.

Who's up for a chat at the Gate Pub oppsite Ally Pally station on Weds 23rd at 8:00pm? RSVP on the Events listing page

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan Cole on March 12, 2011 at 16:34

Just to add more complication to this matter, it was proposed at a recent meeting at Ally Pally that Alexandra Palace Way should become a toll road.  They are intending to charge for parking there (I think that's been agreed) but the toll road is still a pipeline idea.

I also went to a (Muswell Hill)  council consultation surgery where they discussed the traffic calming measures through Alexandra Palace Road and up towards Muswell Hill - I did wonder at the time where the traffic that doesn't really want to be calm will shift to.  More than likely the result will be that they drive through Wood Green and Park Avenue.

There was a lot of support for these measures at the time but it seems that a borough-wide plan would be useful as rats will tend to find the path of least resistance.

In addition, I thought the council planned to make the whole of Haringey a 20mph zone - if that is the case, is there any need for speed bumps?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin on March 12, 2011 at 21:50

If the Council is serious about reducing traffic in the area I would suggest they ensure the Pinkham Way waste site proposals are not approved. The current plan is for over 560 26 ton rubbish lorries a day to visit the site, with the site itself operating 24 hours a day.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin on March 17, 2011 at 20:57

I fear you are wrong, the lorries will consist of a stream of rubbish carts dumping their payload of waste during the day starting from 7:00 until the end of their shift. The only way for the dust carts to get onto the A406 is via the residential roads and this will be during the day. The rest of the lorries will be taking the compressed waste away from the site. Note also Barnet plan to house all of their dust carts at the site.

• ▶ Reply