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 John McMullan on
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Before the closure I would have been happy just to see the HGVs stopped using it as a cut through but now... the difference in the quality of life it has made for people here is amazing. There is a vocal minority of private motor vehicle commuters and I do feel terrible for the bus passengers (mostly on Westbury Ave) but one is causing a problem for the other. Private car ownership in London has to end. Surely the diesel scandal shows us this? Just look at the historical pictures of Wightman Rd on HoL and see what roads used to be for and will be again.
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Permalink Reply by Frederick Guy on
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It's a good idea, but instead of "closure" could we say "filtering of thru motor traffic"? Wightman's not closed at the moment - it's just not being treated as an arterial, or through road.
Filtering roads one at a time can have nice some results (it's improved a lot of neighbourhoods), but it can also divert traffic to nearby roads. To achieve an overall traffic reduction, we need to look at a bigger piece of the map. The nice map shown by Michael Anderson is a good start, but the issue is not just areas between busy roads (like the pale yellow areas on his map), but the busy roads themselves, the arterials-by-default like pre-filter Wightman, that need to be dealt with.
IMHO, the only N-S arterials in Haringey east of the mainline tracks should be Seven Sisters Road and the A10. Cut all rat runs, don't do it piecemeal (though Wightman's so nice in its filtered state, fight to keep hold of that until an overall plan is agreed).
Green Lanes should *not* be a red route, as some here have suggested, but should also be filtered at several points between Manor House and Wood Green, allowing buses & cycles but no private motor vehicles through. Private cars would have access, but those wanting to travel *through* by car (incl. taxi) would have to think about whether it was worth going out to Seven Sisters / A10 rather than taking a bus or a bike. This would improve the air in the whole area; make it easier, at most times, to get *to* Green Lanes by car (as opposed to crawling *through* it in dense traffic); and, because it would allow buses in both directions to flow smoothly 24/7, vastly improve travel times and predictability for the majority of people traveling on Green Lanes, who are on buses. Accompanied by some modest improvements in cycling infrastructure, it could make the whole area safe for cycling and walking to school, and make cycling to shop attractive for far more people.
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Permalink Reply by Penny A on
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Yes, very interesting ideas. I wonder if it would be possible to introduce the most basic of these ASAP to gauge effect during this period of Wightman Road traffic filtering i.e. Remove parking from Green Lanes from Manor House through Grand Parade/Green Lanes to Turnpike Lane junction and introduce 6am to 8pm bus lanes in both directions where the road has enough width to allow.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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With traders in every 'town centre' being fiercely protective of shopper parking and those in Harringay already complaining of loss of business from the Wightman closure, I'm afraid this just won't stand a chance right now.
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But there would still be parking at the bottom of the ladder roads and also if people are brave enough the Arena/Sainsbury's car parks. But I see the problem.
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Permalink Reply by Grant on
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Is this traders on GL complaining? Surely Wightman closure means more of what they consider 'potential customers' (people in cars) passing their businesses?? This is the problem when opinions appear to be formed from anecdote not evidence - by far the majority of GL shoppers arrive on the bus or on foot. If replacing car parking with bus lanes improved bus journeys it could well be a huge boost to business.
Conversely I expect a lot of shoppers who arrived by bike are now on Wightman Rd!
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No, it's the universal position of all traders which our own traders also hold.
It's true that studies often show that more customers arrive by public transport or foot than traders realise. But it's also fair to point out that, to the best of my knowledge no such study has been done for Harringay. If I ran a business on Green Lanes, my fears would probably be the same as theirs.
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My point is, if traders think most of their custom comes by car they should surely welcome extra car drivers (their perceived potential customers) using GL?
You are correct it is the position of most traders, and it's universally wrong whenever studies are conducted. There have been studies carried out on Harringey and elsewhere in the borough that you can dig up off the council website if you can find them, but you're right they're not comprehensive. Equally I've had traders refuse to believe data when it's presented to them, suggesting that their business is somehow different, etc. etc.
It's a real shame when perceptions stand in the way of making places more people and business friendly.
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That's one approach to getting the buses moving, but it would serve to increase through motor traffic while reducing parking for Green Lanes businesses - a step in the wrong direction, I think. Better to target through traffic (which is an overall negative for most in the community).
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I can see now that there are advantages to keeping the parking, but I'm not able to visualise the filter idea at intervals to restrict "through" traffic between Manor House and Turnpike Lane but allowing local private vehicles access so they can move around their locality. How would the filters work in practice to restrict that "through" traffic? Do you have any ideas on where they could be?
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The technology to do congestion charging is here. After opening up Wightman Rd again we could, with just a few cameras, charge people for using it. The problem for some will be that once you own a car, it's cheaper than other modes of transport because you don't directly pay for the roads.
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