Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Wightman Narrowing Work is a Bodged Job
I can imagine wheelchair users are over the moon about this bodge job on Wightman Road.
Or kids on scooters, or me on a skateboard. Can't beleive they've just left it like this. Am I holding my breath hoping they'll come finish it?
The narrowing of the road to fit cars in better is good in theory but it's making it a pretty hellish place to drive down when people realise they can't fit 2 vans going opposite direction at the same time. It seems they chose more cars of any kind of bike lane then?
Tags for Forum Posts: harringay traffic study, wightman road improvements
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon on
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Thank you everyone for your comments. I am sending the link to the Highways officers and will be asking for an explanation and pressing fora meeting.
I will let you all know the response.
Enjoy the weekend and bank holiday,
Zena
Zena Brabazon
Cllr, Harringay ward
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Zena,
It occurred to me to wonder if, since the build-outs are on both sides of the ring roads, would simply moving the white stop lines up to a position parallel with the ends of the new build-outs fix the visibility issue. Perhaps they're already planning to do that?
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After writing my previous comment, I had a quick whizz arond the web and found a few bits on build outs and visibility, but have ended up none the wiser.
This is what Haringey's website says on the matter of kerb build-outs:
At some road junctions visibility is often reduced because of the shape of the road or because of parked cars. Building out the kerb into the carriageway can help solve this problem. It provides protection for motorists emerging from a side road as they can safely pull further out to see, and be seen. Pedestrians are similarly protected, have more space to stand and can also see and be seen better. Cars are forced to park further from a junction or crossing point.
I'm also attaching a couple of pdfs. The technical language of the Southwark one obscures the meaning for me as a non-expert (and who knows maybe to experts too).
I think they support what I wrote in my last comment. IF they do, then perhaps moving the stop lines forward is on the plan. But Haringey's way of doing things seems to be illogical and rather haphazard (as evidenced by the issue that started this post).
As much as I hate suggesting losing even more parking spaces, to improve visibility, perhaps we have to lose one more parking space to the right of Ladder road junction. (Though I'm not sure about this, I'd need to check on the ground). Whatever it is, there must be some combination of issues that would resolve the visibility issue.
- Attachments:
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DS 118 Build outs.pdf, 104 KB -
DesignGuidePublication.pdf, 1.8 MB
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Permalink Reply by JoeW on
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The plans do suggest that the stop lines at the end of each rung will be flush with the end of the buildout.
Since the parked cars are effectively inset behind the buildout then visibility for exiting would presumably improve once this is finished?
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Permalink Reply by Rory on
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That doesn't help with Raleigh Road, though. I imagine you'll see past a car, but a van? No chance, totally blind. And the work there has been completed.
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But once the lines are moved, how's it worse than before? Previously the lines were level with the kerb-line of Wightman. Anything parked on the road was about one third on the pavement. So you need to see past the two thirds of the vehicle jutting out on the road.
Once the stop lines are moved, you'll draw up roughly even with the outer edge of any parked vehicle. So visibility should be better.....shouldn't it?
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Actually Raleigh previously didn't have pavement parking either side, there were some on-street bays further north past the Polish supermarket, and nothing to the south outside the church:
The above images are from google streetview in 2018 and show a fairly typical scene with heavy traffic comprised of mostly single-occupant vehicles, in both directions of Wightman Road and a short queue of ratrunners waiting to exit Raleigh Rd.
The new layout adds a pavement buildout and additional on-street parking to the north and south of Raleigh:
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Thanks, Joe. I’d just assumed. I’d not been aware of the particular circumstances of Raleigh. So, am I safe in assuming that it will now be on a par with the other rung roads, or are there additional factors that make it different still?
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On paper it seems it will be on a par with other westbound rungs. I've seen a few accidents there over the years though - I think it's always been one of the more difficult junctions to negotiate - it can take a while for a gap to appear in both directions, maybe drivers get impatient waiting and/or feel under pressure from the queue behind them, so take a risk. I'm not sure though whether the new layout is more or less likely to encourage risk taking, whether the risk is more or less likely to result in actual accidents.
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Joe & Hugh, and all users of Wightman Rd: it isn't just the sightlines out of Raleigh Rd, poor though they now are. It also affects Wightman Rd drivers. Why?:
Denmark Road is opposite - makes it a crossroads not a T junction. And at that point Wightman Rd is at its absolute narrowest pavement to pavement, so vehicle width is an issue..
So; I drove from Turnpike Lane along Wightman today. Approached Raleigh - car waiting to turn right out of Raleigh. And car waiting to turn left out of Denmark Rd.
Both car noses beyond the stop lines for better visibility, leaving just enough road for a car. Narrow road - not enough for a van.
I could have carried on. But stopped since traffic behind me was light and slow: both junctions cleared. Had it been really busy behind me and faster traffic it would have been a tougher call in case someone ran into the back of me.
So, this is how it is, it seems. Every day from now on.
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