Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Error in Lib Dems 'Rat Run' letter
The Lib Dems have distributed a letter to a few Ladder roads, including Hewit Road and Allison Road, entitled 'Rat Running from Wightman Road' in which there is a fundamental error which might be misleading, as follows:
“At present, traffic on Hewit Road flows from Wightman Road to Green Lanes, and the proposal is to reverse the direction. We do not yet know whether the proposal will involve reversing the direction of any of the neighbouring roads – if this is not done then 3 consecutive roads (Allison, Hewit and Warham) will be running from east to west. ...”
It should read "then 4 consecutive roads (Allison, Hewit, Seymour and Warham) will be running from east to west", as Seymour Road has been missed off the list.
Tags for Forum Posts: allison, beresford, effingham, fairfax, green lanes, hewit, ladder traffic, lib dems letter, mattison, pemberton, More…
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
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My apologies for the error. Geoff is of course correct in saying that it would be 4 consecutive roads running in the same direction, not 3. If I may, I'd like to put the mistake down to a new baby and sleep deprivation!
Although I did misstate the number of consecutive roads, I did say that if Hewit were to turn from west/east to east/west, the number of consecutive east/west roads would make it necessary to consider whether the direction of one of them ought to be reversed in order to restore the balance. So the essential point was made in a letter which after all did alert residents to the existence of and (via the envelope) the deadline for the consultation.
Turning now to the merits of the scheme, I would make two initial points. Firstly, the burden experienced by residents of Hewit Road is something of which I was aware for many years before I became a councillor, and I have long hoped to be able to help to address it. Secondly, addressing it must not be achieved at the expense of simply moving the problem to another road. The aim of any scheme must be to ensure a more even distribution of the load, and ideally an overall reduction of the load, rather than an excessive burden elsewhere.
The proposed measure for which the Council's leadership is pushing would not therefore have been my first choice. I would have preferred instead, either to reinstitute the "no right turn" restriction at the bottom of Hewit Road, or alternatively to restrict entry into Hewit Road from Wightman, so as to ensure that only northbound traffic or southbound traffic (it would not matter which) might lawfully turn into it - thereby cutting the amount of through traffic by half.
Having said that, I am for now minded (subject to reading the consultation responses) to support the proposed scheme, because it is experimental (and therefore will be revoked if its effects are undesirable) and also because, by eliminating a very easy way through from Wightman to St. Ann's roads, it may actually reduce the overall incidence of rat-running and benefit Wightman Road into the bargain.
My support for the scheme is, however, subject to three conditions.
First, in order to ensure that it really is an experiment, there must be a sunset clause - it must automatically come to an end after a year, unless the Council makes a deliberate decision, again subject to consultation requirements, to extend it.
Secondly, there must be a traffic count on Hewit, Pemberton and Beresford Roads, before the scheme is implemented and before the end of the current school term, so that necessary data will be available at the time when the renewal of the scheme is being considered.
Thirdly, there must be a commitment for urgent consideration to be given to the reversal of one of the other east/west roads. My own preference is that Warham Road be subject to that reversal because it has a similar problem to that of Hewit, owing to its position opposite the junction of Salisbury Road and Green Lanes, and also because there is a possibility that rat-running may be reduced overall if an easy route from St. Ann's Road to Wightman Road is eliminated.
These thoughts of mine are provisional and subject to the consultation, and of course as an opposition Councillor I do not have the right to make the decision. However, I hope that this contribution is helpful to the discussion.
David Schmitz
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward
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Permalink Reply by Geoff on
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Cllr Schmitz, thank you for your response. While useful, an ad hoc, limited traffic count is unlikely be quite enough – a more inclusive, integrated understanding and analysis of the traffic in the wider area is what is needed, combined with some blue sky thinking. A fresh look at viable alternatives based on a global overview, and a genuine consultation will get us a lot further.
We need stats that give a more accurate picture of the traffic flow throughout the area, rather than base action on highly localised, but possibly inaccurate, perceptions.
There are impacts on the entire traffic flow to be considered – for example, if the 20mph limit was rigorously enforced on Wightman Road – speed cameras and fines imposed – the volume of traffic going through the area is likely to be reduced.
It needs professional input based on proper consultation. Then the professionals could make their case and local residents would be involved – rather than a sectarian-style battle emerge which obscures the benefits of the broader scheme.
If the latest proposed traffic planning changes had been carried out with full consultation and with broad local involvement and not imposed as a swerve-ball under pressure at the last minute we might not be mired in this discussion. Traffic needs clear thinking, not knee-jerk reactions to isolated issues without considering the knock-on effects.
The best way to get things done to get the best solutions for the whole area is to work with residents in all roads, and for residents to be brought in to dialogue with each other, too, rather than with individual roads in not-so-splendid isolation. We need to start with a level playing field – then we'll get a traffic plan that complements the ambitious local plan.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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If I replace every mention of an area wide traffic plan in your post with "ten gold ingots" it makes just as much sense. ;)
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