Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
FAO: Zena Brabazon - Endymion Roundabout
Have written to Zena Brabazon about this already but wanted to share my outrage and possibly gain some advocacy on this issue.
I frequently run and walk by the Endymion road mini roundabout - as some of you may know vehicles tend to enter it at excessive speed.
I was therefore pleasantly surprised that the council had installed traffic islands which I noticed had achieved the desired traffic calming effect, and negotiating the roundabout is now very pedestrian- and cyclist friendly.
I walked by it today and was dismayed to see that the whole section had been re-surfaced and the added layer of tarmac has effectively levelled the islands with the main road (no more than 1.5" height - won't be felt by the average van) and the sidewalk, where it is 100% level. The result - the islands now have traffic calming properties of 0, and the roundabout is wide open to manouvres on to the pavement!
Given the speeds at which vehicles drive through this creates a lot risk for pedestrians, cyclists and bikers.
- for pedestrians, and especially individuals with impairments/disabilities, the lack of elevation may cause one may struggle to identify where the road ends and sidewalk begins
- for cyclist and motorbike riders it now creates ambiguity - some may not notice it at all in adverse or low visibility conditions, could run unexpectedly into the island and cause an accident. I have personally witnessed a fatal accident involving a motorcyclist in a similar situation (newly installed roundabout.)
Complete and utter shambles. The council and subcontractor need to be held to account.
UPDATE: 11 October 2018
Here is the full explanation from the officers in charge of the fiasco. Note the multiple contradictions such as references to crossing facilities, while discounting the traffic islands as such, and the interesting rationale for the raised junction table. I have set out a number of questions back to the council.
"The traffic islands at the junction have been designed and installed such that they can be overrun by traffic (particularly large vehicles) whenever necessary, however still providing the needed visual contrast to the asphalt junction table and thus help to slow down traffic going through the junction. Unfortunately due to the tightness of the junction, we are unable to install a pedestrian refuge islands with high heights and with ‘keep left’ bollards as desired as these will be subject to abuse, requiring regular maintenance and also jeopardise the safety of pedestrians using the crossing facilities at the junction.
The raised junction table was installed at almost the same level as the adjacent footway to ensure the required gradient for the raised table ramps were achieved whilst avoiding undue adjustments to the adjacent footways, which in some instance could result in the backfall of surface water on to adjacent private properties."
Tags for Forum Posts: traffic
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on
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Looks like it's already been logged by Haringey, there are white spraypaint markings around it. Not quite on the pavement, with a closer look rather than the earlier peek as I drove past, but bad enough.
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A while back I saw a car had driven so fast down Shepherds Hill, Crouch End that it had completely 'mounted' the bell.
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Permalink Reply by Shar on
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What a missed golden headline opportunity - Bell Bent in Crouch End Fender Bender by ______ Speeding Around Bend.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on
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I saw this too after it had been up rooted. I drove past it the other day and turned right down Endymion towards Homebase (something I rarely do). I had to move quite a way out into the roundabout and swing quite sharply to make the left turn- my wife even commented as I made the turn.
My first thought on seeing this was that it was an HGV (I saw an 18 wheeler on Wightman the other day). Now I am sure of it, as that turn is way too sharp even for cars I reckon.
I predict it will not last long before it is uprooted again!
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I noticed the other day that the turning from Endymion westbound into Wightman is now pretty tight as well. I did wonder how bigger vehicles were going to make it. In fact I wondered if it was designed to discourage them.
Either way, it's inept. As a discourager, I doubt it'll work. If it's not intended to discourage, it's grossly incompetent.
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It won't discourage anyone entering Wightman Hugh. Basically, you only realise it does not work once you are at the roundabout- at that point you are committed. What do you do, you cannot reverse back up Allroy Road with traffic backed up behind you.
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As it set up, no it doesn't. But properly constructed and sign-posted, it could.
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Don't disagree. I wonder what the council can do in terms of talking to sat nav firms to make sure they know the route is unsuitable etc. I am sure once bitten as it were drivers may (may) start to get the message, though I am not sure if that means they will just start going down rung roads (like with wider Burgoyne for example)
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If the intention was to discourage (and that’s not a small if), then they need to control all entrances to the Ladder. To only control one sets up the sort of problem you’ve outlined above. I think anyone can alert a mapping company to an existing restriction.
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I think this is one of those unintended consequences Hugh. Remember the discussion we had with Razak and he indicated it was being redone because the previous contractor got it wrong (and had not been paid indecently).
I wonder how hard it is to get these things right, you would think not to hard with clear direction, but who knows. Maybe this is a mistake too. I will contact Razak and see.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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As has been mentioned on here before, the real problem is at the top entrance to Wightman Rd where there are FIVE lanes (two in, three out). It is no mystery as to why the bottom of the road sees this kind of work and the top nothing given where out current and ex politicians live.
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