Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cycling Along Wightman - What We Found Out at Monday's Bike Breakfast
There was an enthusiastic response to Monday’s Bike Breakfast on Wightman Road organised by Living Wightman and Haringey Cyclists. The event was part of national bike week, an annual opportunity to promote cycling and show how getting on your bike can easily be a part of everyday life.
We were delighted that Joanne McCartney, London’s Deputy Mayor, Peray Ahmet, Haringey Council Cabinet Member for the Environment and Emine Ibrahim one of our local Harringay Councillors joined us to celebrate national bike week and came along to hear what a positive difference the bridge closure is making to cyclists from across Haringey.
What we Found Out
Well over 300 cyclists use Wightman between 7:30 am – 9:30 am each day to commute to work. This means 300+ less people driving to work or adding to crowds on public transport, benefiting everyone.
Haringey Cyclists pointed out
‘A safe, low-traffic Wightman Road could provide a key part of a strategic cycle route connecting Haringey with Barnet and Enfield to the north, Hackney and Islington to the south, and beyond.’
It was interesting to learn where people began their commute, here's where people started
Area |
% |
Hornsey/North Ladder |
42.6% |
Finsbury Park/South Ladder |
23.4% |
South Tottenham & Wood Green |
13.7% |
Enfield |
8.5% |
Barnet |
4.3% |
Muswell Hill |
2.1% |
Stoke Newington |
2.1 % |
Islington |
2.1% |
Waterloo |
2.1 % |
Equally interesting was where they cycled to
Area |
% |
City |
34.0% |
Islington |
14.9% |
East London |
12.8% |
West End |
12.8% |
Camden Town |
6.4% |
South London |
6.4% |
Ladder |
4.3% |
Euston |
4.3% |
Finsbury Park |
2.1% |
Wood Green |
2.1% |
Cyclists told us about their journey through Harringay. Our survey found that 96% of cyclists would prefer Wightman Road to remain a very low traffic road, as it is now, with 4% as yet undecided what the best solution going forward is. It was inspirational to hear stories from cyclist of how removing through motor traffic from this road has transformed their lives for the better.
Before the bridge works cyclists said they found Wightman Road dangerous and 72% said that the main benefit of the current arrangement is increased safety.
Tom one of the cyclists we surveyed said
‘Huge difference, every day. Despite travelling to and from central London every day, Wightman road was the obviously dangerous and threatening part of my journey in each direction. Cars would only pass dangerously close to me as I would cycle and drive concerningly close to me if they could not pass.’
Cyclists also mentioned that their cycle was far more quiet and pleasant, quicker and less polluted. They had noticed more children playing and cycling and the local community enjoying their street.
Even in the short time since the closure,16% of cyclists had shifted their journey from Green Lanes and 4% had shifted from public transport or driving to cycling their commute since the bridge works.
Our Vision
One reason for retaining a low traffic route, perhaps similar to the current configuration is that Wightman could then be promoted as a safe cycling route. It would become part of a 4mile+ safe cycle route through Alexandra Park along Wightman and through Finsbury park, linking Muswell Hill and Alexandra Park to Central London. More people locally and further afield would be encouraged to give up their car commute. This is one example of how Living Wightman’s vision is about improving the people’s lives locally and in other areas of Haringey and in other London boroughs too.
We’ve noticed dozens of children enjoying the chance to cycle safely along Wightman to school.
Whilst this has immediate benefits, it also lays the foundation for cycling into adulthood, by increasing confidence on the roads.
As one mother on Harringay Online has previously said
‘The Wightman closure has greatly improved our cycle ride to school. My kid is delighted at being able to ride on the road, there’s no way I would allow him/her to cycle on this road if it was open to traffic, even with my supervision.’
We appreciate that the traffic at peak times and during the weekends, especially on Green Lanes and Turnpike Lane is currently creating longer journey times for car and bus users. Living Wightman is also campaigning for solutions to reduce these. We believe it’s particularly important to get the buses moving. There has always been a problem with bus journey times in the area and the Harringay traffic review and our campaign presents us with an opportunity to improve these. We’re confident a lot can be done. Whilst traffic experts are the people who need to identify what will work best, the positive, wide ranging ideas generated by Justin Guest's post about possible solutions is also just what we need.
Meanwhile let’s recognise that the bridge works have taken hundreds of cyclists out of danger and encouraged our children to cycle and celebrate that.
Tags for Forum Posts: cycling, schools, traffic, wightman bridge closure, wightman road
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
Oh, which road is it that's 30mph? I thought they were all 20mph now. You should have gotten out of the bus and given that cyclist a good kicking like they did to the cyclist in West Green Road recently.
BTW, if you have a 3 mile journey to work then you can do that in 45 minutes walking or 15 cycling. Lucky you.
-
)-
Permalink Reply by Tom Mellor on
-
Hence campaign for separated infra.
-
-
-
John...you may be fit enough to walk or cycle 3 miles, I am not....having spent 6 months in a surgical corset after having three of my back vertebrae fused together with bone graft from my hip...
-
-
-
Your photo looks like Seven Sisters Road and of course, you're 10 metres out from a bus stop. The bus would otherwise fly past a cyclist just as they normally do along that stretch. Nice try.
-
-
-
Yes it's Seven Sisters Road Nick G-T...but look closely and you'll see there was no one at the request stop... we weren't slowing down to stop and we had just crawled all the way from Finsbury Park and crawled all the way to Manor House without any opportunity to overtake said cyclist...
-
-
-
LSquared....I was referring to the Whittington''s Accident and Emergency statistics which to me are far more relevant than the national statistics you quote..remember a large proportion of cycle collisions go unreported.... I'll try and find the stats online but my information comes from a consultant there... add in to that the number of cyclists that come in with bumps scrapes and strains and it all adds up to a much less safe mode of transport than taking the bus and tube
-
-
-
By "seperated infra" I mean cycle tracks really, so buses aren't slowed.
-
-
-
Hi Antoinette
If you could find a source that would be much appreciated.
I've tried to find more local stats - I found pedestrian fatalities in London 2007 - 2010, but again pedal bikes come far lower than buses (4 and 54)
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/pedestrian-fatalities-in-london.pdf
London pedestrian casualties in 2007, pedal cycle 71, bus/coach 437.
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/ped-casualties-in-greater-london-march-20...
I take your point that pedal cycle collisions are likely under-reported vs bus collisions - being hit by a bus is unlikely to be something a pedestrian walks away from.
-
-
-
add in to that the number of cyclists that come in with bumps scrapes and strains and it all adds up to a much less safe mode of transport than taking the bus and tube
That's not really true though unless you take a really simplistic view of things. The health benefits of cycling as a form of exercise far outweigh the very small risk of serious injury.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
-
Not if there's a bus lane that operates for longer hours John.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
