Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Another Assault on Our Road Use
Just when you thought Haringey Council's anti-residents parking assault had been beaten back a bit.....
Now the Council intends to spend more money it doesn't have on narrowing the borough's roads - including through routes - and further eliminating space to load, unload and park.
This time, the proposals are characterised as a "Kerbside Strategy". When I last looked, "kerbside" was either "road" and "pavement" separated by a kerb, and sometimes "road" and "verge" likewise.
Now, in a deceptively-worded policy trail in a Commonplace consultation at https://haringeykerbsideandevstrategies.commonplace.is, we are asked to accept that parts of "road" are to be made available available for other uses:
"The kerbside is the space that sits on the road next to the pavement. You might currently find cars, trees, cycle parking, or taxi bays here. Well-designed streets and spaces should benefit everyone, not just a few. We are considering proposals for other kerbside uses such as more trees, planting, car clubs, seating and outdoor eating areas and deliveries. "
The consultation that follows does not ask whether you agree to removing parts of the road for the other uses. It just asks questions as to what one would like to see or prefer for these uses. It also asks you to " Suggest locations for things you would like to see prioritised at the kerbside in Haringey." https://haringeykerbsideandevstrategies.commonplace.is/en-GB/map/Ke...
Some may disagree, but you may want to respond to the survey at Commonplace, and/or to tell your councillors that you do not want any further narrowing of roads or reduction of the limited space currently available for loading and parking in busy parts of the borough. The proposed narrowing at Turnpike Lane is a good example of a costly further restriction in an already slow-moving through road.
NK
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon Farcas on
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I think we should all "suggest locations" that coincide with the home addresses of our elected councillors!
Traffic congestion is already ridiculous. Narrowing roads is only going to make it infinitely worse. People don't drive for fun in London. All this will do is make people's lives worse.
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“People don't drive for fun in London”.
Ferraris exist in London but I’ve never seen one in a B&Q car park.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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the home addresses of our elected councillors – this is the start of a slippery slope that can lead to violence against the elected. Little wonder that so few want to stand for election.
Traffic congestion is already ridiculous – the ridiculous car-centric who are the traffic, are so blinkered that they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge there are too many cars. Already!
… infinitely worse – an example of the hysteria of the more extreme car-owner. This was seen vividly in the howling anti-LTN mob that led to a full council meeting being abandoned. The mob had been whipped up by the dishonest and disgraceful Tottenham Conservative Party.
People don't drive for fun in London – here, "people" implies all residents. When there are cars in the head, boy-racers never drive for "fun"; no car-owner makes an unnecessary trip and no journey is too short to be made other than by car.
… make people's lives worse – we have air pollution and a growing problem of obesity, other effects that some car owners cannot acknowledge. Reducing car-use would tend to encourage physical exercise and reduce the effects of burning fossil-fuels for those with respiratory problems.
In other words, tend to make people's health better.
Given the societal benefits of reducing car-ownership and car-use, it is surprising that the council has taken so little action over such a long time. Is there not a wider role to play for Haringey's Director of Public Health? One suspects he is confined to medical matters and not allowed to speak out on prevention.
A few council employees and even one or two councillors favour action on active travel, but the Highwaymen are well-armed and have succeeded in holding-up progress on the carriageways for two decades.
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Permalink Reply by Yasmin Jefferies on
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What a fantastic commentary! Thank you for posting.
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THANKS; unfortunately there is Net-Zero political at Haringey Council. This has been the case for many years.
They once published an excellent Haringey Cycling Action Plan, but this is deleted from the council's server and regarded as superceded. Date of publication?
2004. Not a typo: two thousand and four (page 16 in the linked pdf).
A few years ago they published another municipal action plan that added walking (!?)
When sufficient dust has gathered on that action plan, they may publish another glossy one before mid-century.
The consistent themes are Net-Zero Action, a lack of leadership and bureaucratic sclerosis.
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Permalink Reply by Brian
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The problem of pollution has been greatly exacerbated by the increase of gridlocked traffic on the Boundary Roads. (As a direct result of the introduction of the LTNs) This is recognised by individuals who are unfortunate enough to live, work and study on these thoroughfares. The consultation undertaken by Haringey Council showed that the vast majority did not want LTNs to remain, that their journeys had increased both in journey time and distance with commercial outlets saying that trade had markedly reduced since their introduction. See my post below.
Haringey Council ignored the outcome of the consultation and made the LTNs permanent. So much for the democratic process in Haringey.
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Not the vast majority as the majority decided not to respond to the consultation presumably because they were either in favour or neutral. They aren't referendums. Commercial outlets also ignore all the evidence that footfall and sales increase if people are actually walking past not driving past and instead focus on their own ability to drive to. and park close. to their shops etc.
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Permalink Reply by kotkas on
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Removing parking on Green Lanes in favour of a bus lane would be a great start.
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Yes, I tend to agree. However, the shopkeepers and their masters have strong ties with the Labour leadership of Haringey Council so it ain't gonna happen.
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