Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Imagining Possible Futures for Wightman Road
With all the attention on the benefits and disbenefits of the current closure of Wightman Road , we haven’t yet spent much time thinking about what the future of Wightman Road might be. With both the current closure and traffic study, now is the ideal time for us to start that process.
I should perhaps begin by saying that I write in full knowledge of the problems caused by the current closure, including the significant impact on some businesses and longer queues at some ‘pinch points’ especially at ‘rush hour’. I’m also very aware that there is more traffic on some roads such as Hornsey High Street, Green Lanes and Turnpike Lane as well as other roads further afield. Alleviating those problems needs to remain uppermost in our minds.
It seems like the most discussed longer-term solution to Wightman Road’s woes locally is permanent closure. Could limiting access, in the current way be the best solution to the danger, pollution and noise caused by the traffic in the block of residential roads made up of Wightman and the ladder roads?
I was one of those who previously thought this was impractical. But now I’m beginning to question this assumption. I’ve been taken aback by seeing and hearing how significant a difference it’s making to people lives; small children cycling to school, cyclists calling out to each about how lovely it is, Wightman Roaders being able to open their windows for the first time, kids skateboarding, hearing birdsong, walking to the station actually being pleasant.
The dangerous pollution levels along Wightman Rd which breach EU limits presumably have been eliminated, taking significant numbers of people including children out of real danger. As others have said this option could also create a pleasant and safe cycling, jogging and walking route, not just for residents of the immediate area, but for a wider group of people across Haringey and beyond.
The other reason for my change of heart is that as time goes on, the level of negative impact gives cause for hope that it may be possible to find good mitigating solutions for the traffic and pollution dispacement. Does anyone have any ideas about what could be done in the surrounding area to help buses flow or/and avoid traffic queues? Can anything be done about the pollution in Turnpike Lane and Green Lanes? What else would we need to think about?
If permanent closure is not the answer, it will be gut-wrenching just to go back to the old status quo and I think the Council will have a fierce fight on its hands if it wants to do that. So what other possible solutions are there that might both allow for an improved quality of life but allow some traffic flow to other Haringey residents? I’ve read elsewhere on HoL about the idea of road-pricing, or limiting access to HGVs. What could we do to drastically reduce cross London traffic rat-running along Wightman and the Ladder roads, yet still permit some access to more local traffic?
Is permanent closure the only option or is there another way?
Tags for Forum Posts: harringay traffic study, traffic, wightman bridge closure, wightman road
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I was here during the two way days Souvarine and it was horrible, but that was because my road (Warham) got massive east and west traffic. Traffic snarled up in both directions and games of chicken (who would back up first) and street brawls were a not an infrequent occurrence. However, with much reduced traffic flows it could work.
One of the problems I can see though is technology. It seems like the bollards in the Gardens fail with monotonous regularity, and there are only two roads that have them and alternative routes you can take if they do fail. Here there are over a dozen roads.
I'm sure that the technology must have improved since the Gardens bollards were installed but I wonder how keen Haringey would be to shell out on a scheme that would involve the installation of the barriers, maintenance and issuing fobs or remote devices to X number of drivers living on the Ladder? Looking out of my window now I can see 8 parked cars outside of stretch of the street with 14 houses. That's going to be one big scheme to administer.
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Permalink Reply by Anita charleswoth on
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This debate is really interesting. If anything is going to change it will be important for local councillors to get involved. They seem to be very invisible these days but I wonder if we could have a meeting for local people with the councillors to discuss the options. Has anyone managed to get hold of any of them about the wrightman road bridge? If so might it be possible to suggest a meeting to discuss fairly soon? I've tried emailing about a few issues and never get a reply - and I promise they were in green ink and signed from angry of tunbridge wells!
Anita
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Anita.
Given the political affiliation of the Harringay councillors, you might be better to try red ink
One of them posted on here about 10 days ago to say she and her colleagues were going to do a walkabout to assess the situation.
Has she been back on to report her thoughts ?
NO.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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Dont expect any walkabouts for anything other than leafleting for S Khan till after 5th May.
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Permalink Reply by Penny A on
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I agree Anita and a first good step would be for them to read this thread! I read somewhere else that councillors had been bullied off HoL, but wonder if any of them are active and will read all of these comments? Is it worth emailing the link through to them all. I'm happy to do that if a good idea and someone gives me the names/email addresses?
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I don't think it's fair to say that the councillors have been bullied off this website, Penny. It's almost inevitable that any councillor will get more than a few challenges to begin with, but people will quickly change their approach if they see that the councillor is listening and responding. I pointed our new councillors towards the example of Councillor James Barber, voted online Councillor of the year by the Local Government Association a few years ago.
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Thanks Hugh. I've sent a short email to all three of them alerting to this thread and Michael's map. Realise a more strategic approach is needed but useful as an intro.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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In my experience this is monitored closely by local political types, just not necessarily contributed to. If you really want them to see something, print out multiple copies (especially for photos) and give it to them all in a public meeting. Anything else they can deny.
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Hi John, yes a more detailed strategic lobby plus meetings are needed and I realise that. Thanks though!
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Permalink Reply by Ian on
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The council have commissioned a traffic survey and therefore this issue is obviously on their radar. Having said that, I feel we could and should be more proactive with our community response and not simply rely on councillors choosing to read the many threads on HoL. Would it be possible to create our own options appraisal document that could be shared with the council? Although there would be duplication with reports that the council has commissioned this would have the benefit of being written by the affected community and would highlight the strong feelings for a better solution to be found moving forward rather than returning to the status-quo.
Using google docs (or similar) and the numerous threads and posts already on HoL we could flesh out an introduction describing the natural state of traffic at the beginning of the year and highlight traffic management decisions in the area that have potentially resulted in certain areas dealing with an unfair proportion of overall traffic. We could highlight improvements to quality of life, air quality and transport, by cycle or foot, in roads where rat-running car numbers have been decreased. Finally we could outline various options (with benefits and disadvantages) for how we would like the area to be developed in the future. There have already been suggestions on this thread that could be explored and expanded upon. I appreciate that we may not be able to come to agreement on “the final solution”, but at least outlining options that definitely won’t work would be a start.
Do you think that we have sufficiently unified thoughts and desires to make something like this work? And do people have the time to input into it, I would be happy to help but it would require the communities input.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
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Ian, this is a great idea. Definitely willing to help.
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