Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cost of cycle racks in Green Lanes
HOL readers may be interested in the formal answer from the Council to my question about the cost of the bicycle racks in Green Lanes (I have reproduced the Council's written answer to my question in full, but have omitted other Members' earlier seven questions):
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FULL COUNCIL: 21 JULY 2014
WRITTEN ANSWERS TO ORAL QUESTIONS
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ORAL QUESTION 8 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT FROM COUNCILLOR CARTER:
How much did the new cycling racks on Green Lanes cost to buy and install?
ANSWER
The Green Lanes major scheme includes the provision and installation of 72 new cycle racks at a cost of £17,000.
However, it became evident to officers following the receipt of the racks in May this year, that they were not fit for purpose with manufacturing and design flaws. The suppliers have agreed to replace all the racks at no additional cost to the Council.
Officers will shortly be consulting Ward Councillors and the Haringey Cycling Campaign to find a suitable alternative design.
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P.S. I have now added all the eight Answers to Oral Questions (in PDF form)
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Councillor
Highgate Ward
Liberal Democrat Party
Tags for Forum Posts: bicycle, design, flaw, management, money, public, racks, supervision, waste
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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I wonder what the replacements will be like.
Well, the Council's official position is that, Officers will shortly be consulting Ward Councillors and the Haringey Cycling Campaign to find a suitable alternative design.
However, there's no need to delay matters further where there isn't any great complication and to consult people with little interest or knowledge (I do not refer to the Haringey Cycling Campaign).
The mysterious and uncertain "suitable alternative" design might just be the accepted, standard British design for bicycle stands, found throughout the country.
Anyone would suppose the Council was contemplating the installation of 72 atomic anti-gravity devices along the road!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Careful what you wish for Clive!
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Permalink Reply by Cllr Emina Ibrahim on
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We raised this issue some time ago - I think the corners of the cycle racks are dangerous as they are so sharp, if a cyclist or a pedestrian was struck and hit the corner of the stand the injuries would I think be more serious. Also they are at head level for a young child. They are also difficult to differentiate from the pavement for people with sight problems. The cost is an issue but something that residents who have been campaigning on the issue and contacted us a while ago had already established. We were informed that they would be replaced. I think it's slightly odd for a Cllr for another ward who has never contacted the Harringay ward Cllrs about the issue to be claiming we have no interest in the matter considering he has never asked us our view or what we have done. This is about safety not party political point scoring. We have successfully pushed for the racks to be replaced. A pantomime style campaign by Clive is slightly late in the day - perhaps again as I said with Finsbury Park Clive should ask his colleagues what they did. As soon as I saw the stands I raised my concerns. One stand on the corner of Kimberly Gardens is already slanted and looks like it's been hit as the pavement looked slightly cracked. Clive your support is helpful but please don't come on here and make claims about what we are knowledgable or interested in as you have never had a conversation with us about it.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Emina, once again you are unjustifiably attacking Clive. I can see nothing in his posts to suggest that Harringay councillors have no interest in the matter.
As far as political point-scoring goes, you seem to be pretty good at it.
If you are interested in issues concerning Harringay, how about doing something about the 7.5T signage at the North end of Wightman which is still inadequate ( there is no signage to warn drivers approaching Wightman along Turnpike Lane from the Green lanes end ). If you prefer, I could contact the Council directly if you give me a contact address.
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I raised this issue John and responded to you on a different thread
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Direct quote from Clive for your benefit
"Well, the Council's official position is that, Officers will shortly be consulting Ward Councillors and the Haringey Cycling Campaign to find a suitable alternative design.
However, there's no need to delay matters further where there isn't any great complication and to consult people with little interest or knowledge (I do not refer to the Haringey Cycling Campaign)."
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Thank you. I did not interpret that as an attack on Harringay councillors but I agree that it could be taken that way.
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Hi John
I fear that the consultation proposed by the Council may be a delaying tactic, possibly because the financial aspects are not settled.
On the one hand, the official position is that, The suppliers have agreed to replace all the racks at no additional cost to the Council, but on the other hand, we now learn that "The cost [of replacement] is an issue".
It's seems to be a muddle.
The council also stated that, Officers will shortly be consulting Ward Councillors, but whether or not local Ward Councillors will be consulted, really, they just need to get on with it!
The lack of interest and knowledge about what might constitute an adequate cycle rack (surely not rocket science?) seems to pre-date the flawed management of the "major scheme" and I believe it goes back to last year.The original, published specification was flawed (please see attached file), so I'm not sure why the council refers to "design flaws" in what was built.
At the top of the back page of the attached PDF, under Material Palette, Street Furniture, a "Standard cycle stand" is depicted and described.
The description reads, "40mm diameter stainless steel cycle stand". What we got was different: square-section, galvanised steel – but that's not the point: the original specification, showing 90° corners in the illustration, was flawed!
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I hope I'm wrong, but this sorry tale seems to reflect a lack of care and attention to cycling provision.To demonstrate that this carelessness isn't an isolated incident, a similar, flawed sharp design was also specified for Wood Green too [PDF on LBH website here, p.5].
Cycle racks are not about art, styling or architecture, but they are functional things to do with safety and security.Why was this important task left to an architect?
I'm pleased that there seems to be wide agreement on the unsuitability and indeed, danger of this foolish styling. But what seems to be lacking, is any urgency to fix it.We are told, detachedly, "it [the unfitness] became evident to officers in May" and here we are in early August with the hazard still in place. An accident could occur later today, tomorrow or next week. The fact there's been no action speaks to indecision and/or ineffectiveness.
This botched job isn't only an issue for local residents but for any visitor to Haringey arriving on foot or by bicycle. I hope to provide more information shortly. - Attachments:
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Thanks, Clive, for the link to the drawings and the page number (5) in the Wood Green Plans.
I notice that the same rectangular design for Wood Green is labelled "Standard cycle stand". Once again, can anyone cast light on where exactly they are used as "standard". And also on who designed them; the name of the company; and its directors / senior staff?
In the same document, below the cycle stand there are also drawings of "bronze / stone perch seats". Anyone know where these have been installed? Are they comfy to sit on? And how much they cost?
Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting that everything can be supplied from a Pound Shop. Nor that a workmen/women aren't worthy of their wages. But somehow we don't always seem to end up with quality goods for quality prices.
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I notice that the same rectangular design for Wood Green is labelled "Standard cycle stand". Once again, can anyone cast light on where exactly they are used as "standard".
Alan, you make a good point.
Since, by British standards, these styles are non-standard (something on which everyone seems to agree), it begs the question as to why they were described as "Standard".
I speculate that the architect knew that these styles were such a departure from the accepted norm, that he thought he needed to put some reassurance in authoritative print.
Alongside, the cycle hoop and the street bench are also described as "Standard" for reasons that elude me. Unless I'm mistaken, the "informal cycle parking fixed to lamp posts along Green Lanes" has yet to make an appearance.
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But the sign is still missing. Why ? It's been months since I pointed this out.
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Hi John
I will certainly raise it again
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