Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Dangerous crossing, Warham Road
I was going to put this in the Warham Residents, but I figured others who walk the Passage might want to comment
I'm talking about this one
I was discussing the narrowed crossing point with my neighbour Maggie and saying how, of all the crossing points going along the Passage, it is the one that makes me the most nervous. There is a large barrier in front of the crossing which I believe obscures the view of drivers and may prevent them from seeing smaller members of our community coming out of there (not to mention the parked cars up to the barrier). As a driver, she agreed this was the case and that she finds that this crossing point makes her very nervous.
The railing seems pointless, if its purpose is to discourage people from running across the road, as it doesn't cover the mouth of the Passage. There are no signs up warning of the possibility of children crossing, despite being the next street up from a school.
Add to that the fact that Warham Road is a rat run and cars tear up the road from the lights at speeds that would almost certainly kill a child. I helped pick up a little boy knocked down there a few months back, it wasn't recorded because the carers decided to take him home and not call an ambulance.
You will also notice in the photos the inevitable dumping that space attracts.
So what to do? Let's design the problem out.
How about replacing the barrier and bollards with planters on either side, removing the railing which serves no purpose and dropping the kerb slightly to the left as in Pemberton Road/Mattison Road so that the way is blocked by a planter. We could get a Making the Difference Grant for the planters and get some input from highways to help move the kerb.
So what do people think?
I'm talking about this one
I was discussing the narrowed crossing point with my neighbour Maggie and saying how, of all the crossing points going along the Passage, it is the one that makes me the most nervous. There is a large barrier in front of the crossing which I believe obscures the view of drivers and may prevent them from seeing smaller members of our community coming out of there (not to mention the parked cars up to the barrier). As a driver, she agreed this was the case and that she finds that this crossing point makes her very nervous.
The railing seems pointless, if its purpose is to discourage people from running across the road, as it doesn't cover the mouth of the Passage. There are no signs up warning of the possibility of children crossing, despite being the next street up from a school.
Add to that the fact that Warham Road is a rat run and cars tear up the road from the lights at speeds that would almost certainly kill a child. I helped pick up a little boy knocked down there a few months back, it wasn't recorded because the carers decided to take him home and not call an ambulance.
You will also notice in the photos the inevitable dumping that space attracts.
So what to do? Let's design the problem out.
How about replacing the barrier and bollards with planters on either side, removing the railing which serves no purpose and dropping the kerb slightly to the left as in Pemberton Road/Mattison Road so that the way is blocked by a planter. We could get a Making the Difference Grant for the planters and get some input from highways to help move the kerb.
So what do people think?
Tags for Forum Posts: Warham Road, safety
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by David Jones on
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Liz,
Michael & I have been meaning to put forward similar proposals every year when the Area Committee ask for proposals for environmental improvements out of their budget. But we have never got round to it.
I'm sure you will be more tenacious. You have our full support.
David Jones, 8 Warham Road.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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The planters in Frobisher (also a rat run, but not as bad as Warham) do a much better job. They also look better.
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Permalink Reply by RussellV on
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This may be the time to revisit the issue of Salisbury Road feeding Warham Road with through traffic from St Ann's - a compulsory left turn from Salisbury Road into Green Lanes would dissipate the through traffic to other ladder streets sharing the pain a bit and giving Warham road a well earned break after around 20 years!
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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Great idea Liz -It does look naff at the moment.. Can't you do a deal with the council ..? they provide the planters -you lot do a Guerrilla Garden action on them.....
this one is a GGarden too..
BTW - I presume your schools have these sort of signs too? Painted/designed by the kids themselves - I especially like the drooling eyes which intend to let drivers know that kids often are thinking about many other things, but NOT about crossing the road.. You could add this sort of sign before the crossing too..
You can enlarge by clicking on the photo:
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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But we do ....
Much simpler, more eye-catching and more effective than the German one - and doesn't make patronising assumptions about the children :-)
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We have those too. They are legally required - the others are set up by many schools as part of a scheme to get children involved in traffic awareness. They are certainly not, as you suggest, patronising. They are also meant to be humorous - but obviously don't always hit the mark.
At hot spots some even have blinking lights when vehicles pass too fast.. Name and shame, so to speak..
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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Unlike the "old people" sign which shows two hunched-over wrinklies and is extremely patronising!
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Permalink Reply by Caroline on
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I think that we should be campaigning for planters on all of them. The existing barriers and empty spaces only encourage dumping. However council maintenance where there are planters can be, umm, tawdry, and so maybe we ought to consider some alternatives like planting them ourselves ... with vegetables. In my more fanciful moments I can see a potager stretching the length of the passage.
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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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Liz I think this is a great idea, and such an improvement. It is a difficult crossing, especially as it is one of the busiest roads. But there is another crossing on one of the roads further north that is really bad too - I think the only other one that has no barrier to stop a child running out of the passage into the road. Is is Effingham? Anyway, this is a great idea and let us know what we can do to help it happen. Am certainly up for the gardening side of it!
In terms of people keeping an eye on the plants, there are a couple which are obviously looked after by residents. The rest just look pretty awful. Adopt a planter? I would if there was on on Seymour...
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Permalink Reply by Paul Harvey on
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Hi all -
I'm on Warham Road too - and do agree that this crossing point is particularly risky for little ones. Any additional traffic 'calming' a-la Pemberton Road at that juncture would also serve to reduce the speeds of those racing up from the lights at the bottom..
You have our full support too,
Cheers,
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Thanks for all the feedback so far. I think the first priority would be to deal with the redundant street furniture, barriers etc and get the dropped kerb moved. So that would involve liaising with the council.
Then the planters; there is room for three small ones. There would be an issue with removing the Virgin box on the right hand side but there may be better heads than I that can work round this. We would be happy to organise a plant out and keep an eye on litter etc
When all that is in place,we could perhaps get some signs up a la the Gardens project, seen here but i would want that to be after all the other stuff is in place as I would not want the Council to just stick a school sign up and claim they had improved safety.
I have contacted the local councillors for Harringay in the first instance to help us get started and talking to the right people.
David, you mention the Area Committee. I'm not sure what that means. Is it the Neighbourhood Management people or someone different and how do I contact them if it is?
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The street sign !
Why put one on a railing and one on a lamp post? Surely better to have both on the lamp post so that they can be seen over the parked cars..
and why do they have to be so large..? They only really need to be that large if the traffic is speeding past.. and well, if a driver can't see a slightly smaller one, maybe he shouldn't be driving anyway..
Another point, if you are thinking of moving kerbstones , perhaps it might better to at least consider re-modelling the whole crossing? Putting a platform here instead? and BTW planters can hide kids too !
I agree about fixing signs when everything else is complete -
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