Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cycling Along Wightman - What We Found Out at Monday's Bike Breakfast
There was an enthusiastic response to Monday’s Bike Breakfast on Wightman Road organised by Living Wightman and Haringey Cyclists. The event was part of national bike week, an annual opportunity to promote cycling and show how getting on your bike can easily be a part of everyday life.
We were delighted that Joanne McCartney, London’s Deputy Mayor, Peray Ahmet, Haringey Council Cabinet Member for the Environment and Emine Ibrahim one of our local Harringay Councillors joined us to celebrate national bike week and came along to hear what a positive difference the bridge closure is making to cyclists from across Haringey.
What we Found Out
Well over 300 cyclists use Wightman between 7:30 am – 9:30 am each day to commute to work. This means 300+ less people driving to work or adding to crowds on public transport, benefiting everyone.
Haringey Cyclists pointed out
‘A safe, low-traffic Wightman Road could provide a key part of a strategic cycle route connecting Haringey with Barnet and Enfield to the north, Hackney and Islington to the south, and beyond.’
It was interesting to learn where people began their commute, here's where people started
Area |
% |
Hornsey/North Ladder |
42.6% |
Finsbury Park/South Ladder |
23.4% |
South Tottenham & Wood Green |
13.7% |
Enfield |
8.5% |
Barnet |
4.3% |
Muswell Hill |
2.1% |
Stoke Newington |
2.1 % |
Islington |
2.1% |
Waterloo |
2.1 % |
Equally interesting was where they cycled to
Area |
% |
City |
34.0% |
Islington |
14.9% |
East London |
12.8% |
West End |
12.8% |
Camden Town |
6.4% |
South London |
6.4% |
Ladder |
4.3% |
Euston |
4.3% |
Finsbury Park |
2.1% |
Wood Green |
2.1% |
Cyclists told us about their journey through Harringay. Our survey found that 96% of cyclists would prefer Wightman Road to remain a very low traffic road, as it is now, with 4% as yet undecided what the best solution going forward is. It was inspirational to hear stories from cyclist of how removing through motor traffic from this road has transformed their lives for the better.
Before the bridge works cyclists said they found Wightman Road dangerous and 72% said that the main benefit of the current arrangement is increased safety.
Tom one of the cyclists we surveyed said
‘Huge difference, every day. Despite travelling to and from central London every day, Wightman road was the obviously dangerous and threatening part of my journey in each direction. Cars would only pass dangerously close to me as I would cycle and drive concerningly close to me if they could not pass.’
Cyclists also mentioned that their cycle was far more quiet and pleasant, quicker and less polluted. They had noticed more children playing and cycling and the local community enjoying their street.
Even in the short time since the closure,16% of cyclists had shifted their journey from Green Lanes and 4% had shifted from public transport or driving to cycling their commute since the bridge works.
Our Vision
One reason for retaining a low traffic route, perhaps similar to the current configuration is that Wightman could then be promoted as a safe cycling route. It would become part of a 4mile+ safe cycle route through Alexandra Park along Wightman and through Finsbury park, linking Muswell Hill and Alexandra Park to Central London. More people locally and further afield would be encouraged to give up their car commute. This is one example of how Living Wightman’s vision is about improving the people’s lives locally and in other areas of Haringey and in other London boroughs too.
We’ve noticed dozens of children enjoying the chance to cycle safely along Wightman to school.
Whilst this has immediate benefits, it also lays the foundation for cycling into adulthood, by increasing confidence on the roads.
As one mother on Harringay Online has previously said
‘The Wightman closure has greatly improved our cycle ride to school. My kid is delighted at being able to ride on the road, there’s no way I would allow him/her to cycle on this road if it was open to traffic, even with my supervision.’
We appreciate that the traffic at peak times and during the weekends, especially on Green Lanes and Turnpike Lane is currently creating longer journey times for car and bus users. Living Wightman is also campaigning for solutions to reduce these. We believe it’s particularly important to get the buses moving. There has always been a problem with bus journey times in the area and the Harringay traffic review and our campaign presents us with an opportunity to improve these. We’re confident a lot can be done. Whilst traffic experts are the people who need to identify what will work best, the positive, wide ranging ideas generated by Justin Guest's post about possible solutions is also just what we need.
Meanwhile let’s recognise that the bridge works have taken hundreds of cyclists out of danger and encouraged our children to cycle and celebrate that.
Tags for Forum Posts: cycling, schools, traffic, wightman bridge closure, wightman road
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by linka on
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While appreciating the joy everyone feels at having the safer commute, the proposed cycle route sounds like a very specifically socio-economically focused corridor between areas of comparative wealth. Some broadening of thought about its context and costs would be welcome. I have longed for a safe transit point into a N-S route through Finsbury Park from Green Lanes or Hermitage Rd. Some crucial bus routes are still crippled at certain times too.
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Permalink Reply by ThaiDi on
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Hi Linka, do you mean a cycle route N-S? Hermitage road is already designated a cycling through-route or whatever the technical term is, the new speed bumps that were put in earlier this year were designed to be cycle friendly, and the crossing at Green Lanes/Hermitage road is for cyclists and pedestrians. Now if only the cycle route actually extended all the way up and down Green Lanes, rather than just a small patch between Hermitage and Manor House going southbound only. This would mean getting rid of parking on Green Lanes north of Harringay GL station, which I think a lot of people would like to see in order to create a proper bus/cycle lane.
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Kentish on
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I agree that a low traffic Wightman Road sounds great, but as an Endymion Road resident near the Green Lanes T-junction, living with the Arena shopping centre overflow parking, I think a much wider solution is necessary. The priority ranking would be, in my view, first, public transport, then cycling and then private transport.
The Arena shopping centre brings huge volumes of traffic and is bad for Green Lanes traders. Measures to reduce kinds of traffic such as articulated lorries, etc would help the overall situation.
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Permalink Reply by Antoinette on
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Absolutely right Barbara.....public transport should be prioritised over cycling, not the other way round
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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My priorities (in order) are pedestrians, public transport, bikes then everything else. The amount of walking people do in their commutes is vastly under counted. For instance today I walked to Manor House (a kilometre?) took the tube to Hyde Park Corner, walked to a meeting then walked to Cambridge Circus, had my hair cut then I'll walk to Leicester Square, get the tube and walk home from Manor House
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I only didn't include pedestrians because I don't view us as "traffic" but completely agree. The congestion on Green Lanes puts pedestrians at a considerably greater risk. It's almost impossible to cross the road safely at busy times. Another category we haven't and should include is the emergency services. I was talking to a pizza delivery guy who had to wait for 25 minutes for an ambulance to get through when he was knocked off his bike. He'd only suffered minor injuries, but to a heart attack victim or someone who's stopped breathing that could be game over. Shall we slot emergency services in at No.2?
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Some of Mayer Hillman's publications are available on his website. For others he invites people to contact him.
You'll aIready know this link, Michael. But I thought others may be interested.
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Why is that? And bikes have been ignored for decades.
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A bus carries up to 50 people Tom and takes up the road space of three cars tops.
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Actually apparently it's 66 seats + 18 standing so that would be 84 passengers.. only 10% of people cycle to/from work according to the census...and they should be able to do so safely but to encourage a large shift to cycling for the daily commute doesn't make sense...we should be encouraging the best solution for the majority, and the vast majority use public transport
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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Exactly right Antoinette, we need to do stuff to encourage people currently not cycling to get on bikes, not pandering to the wants of the existing cyclists.
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Have you seen the road environment? How many would take the bus if they were assaulted every second ride?
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