Wightman Road Improvements

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on July 9, 2019 at 6:16

Look at Google maps and you can see the Ladder is surrounded by traffic reduction schemes - the Gardens, Hermitage, Harringay Road, Stroud Green - all of which were implemented without consultation with neighbouring areas and all of which have in effected made Wightman the “easy” way to get through.  The Wightman scheme was a chance for Haringey to really do something where they could adopt an holistic approach to traffic and they bottled it.

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Permalink Reply by V&M on July 9, 2019 at 9:57

I'm bothered about all three. I don't ever open the windows at the front of our flat because the air quality is so horrible. Being able to access the road as a resident and park your car near your flat/house is not incompatible with improvements in air quality and reduction in noise, because as has been pointed out ad infinitum - a large chunk of the traffic doesn't start or end its journey locally. 

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Permalink Reply by kotkas on July 9, 2019 at 11:34

The Wightman road changes are based on a simple, logical premise which I welcome wholeheartedly. Moving parking bays to the main road makes it more difficult to speed, slowing down traffic, and discouraging drivers from taking it. No doubt the council could have made it more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. I do hope they will - at the expense of motorists. 

Yes, there will be a period of time where there will be congestion as drivers process that information but over the longer run, this should bear fruit. As I have stated repeatedly on this forum, owning a vehicle in London makes no financial sense, and the more complicated/expensive conventional vehicles become for the average urban dweller, the quicker we will get to a cleaner air environment. 

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Permalink Reply by DavidJ on July 9, 2019 at 12:56

 "Wightman road changes are based on a simple, logical premise which I welcome wholeheartedly. Moving parking bays to the main road makes it more difficult to speed, slowing down traffic, and discouraging drivers from taking it"

I am not sure this is a very accurate representation of what happened. Since it is now illegal in London to park on the pavement, Haringey had no choice but to redesign the road and shift the parking off the pavement. To do that of course exposes the reality that Wightman Road, much like the rung roads, is a narrow residential street that cannot fit 2 lanes of traffic and parked cars. 

The choice then made was to favour traffic and the convenience of people who want to be able to drive through Harringay, over the health and well being of local residents.  

In my view to have a road scheme that depends on congestion to reduce speed is fairly crazy.

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Permalink Reply by kotkas on July 9, 2019 at 11:39

So you seem to suggest that you have an issue with non-borough traffic polluting our air, but you'd also like to maintain ownership of a vehicle and a parking spot for it. Presumably you just want to keep it parked and stare at it for the duration of its productive life?

Or would you just drive it locally, thereby ensuring only Harringay residents pollute Harringay air? 

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Permalink Reply by Natasha * on July 9, 2019 at 11:42

Point well made Kotkas. 

There seems to be a high degree of hypocrisy from some WR residents.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on July 9, 2019 at 12:26

In this respect, I should think that the majority of Wightman Road residents probably want what most of the rest (but not all) of the borough have. Breathable air, a reasonable level of peace, and yes the right to own a car and to drive it when they need to (normal rights and responsibilities notwithstanding).

I can't give you figures for Wightman Road in particular, but the level of car ownership on the Ladder is much lower than the borough average.

When you start throwing facts into the mix, it's less clear what the cake is and who exactly wants to eat what.

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Permalink Reply by AndrewAW1 on July 9, 2019 at 12:41

So I guess with the ownership level being so low then arguably we should be getting rid of all this bargain priced parking that the minority enjoy and using the space for improved pedestrian facilities, cycle infrastructure or what have you.

It seems unfair that every house has to endure having a car parked outside when only a small minority own a car.

Permalink Reply by Hugh on July 9, 2019 at 12:44

I guess the 33% should have the same rights to car ownership as every other borough resident. Or do you suggest that there’s an argument for treating Wightman Road residents differently?

Permalink Reply by kotkas on July 9, 2019 at 12:53

I think that's quite positive. From the data you share it's clear that ladder residents are 40% less likely to own a vehicle, than the borough average, so in principle the Wightman changes should face less opposition from our neighbourhood than they would from the wider borough...

Permalink Reply by Natasha * on July 9, 2019 at 14:07

If vehicle ownership is this low, then a great argument to get rid of parking altogether and create more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

I also dispute that the majority of the rest of the borough has breathable air and a reasonable level of peace. A significant number of schools in the borough have pollution levels above the safe limits. These schools are disproportionately in the East of the borough.

Permalink Reply by AndrewAW1 on July 9, 2019 at 14:34

I guess the 33% should have the same rights to car ownership as every other borough resident. Or do you suggest that there’s an argument for treating Wightman Road residents differently?

Agreed, I was talking about Harringay rather than Wightman specifically.

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