Forum topic: Our Green Lanes - saved ?

As the A105 Enfield Town / Palmers Green “continuous segregated cycle lanes”, supported by both main political parties in the Mini Holland funding bid, near completion we can start to look at some of the outputs. Many will inevitably be longer term as part of London’s much wider public transport, walking and cycling transformation plan, but the bid did specifically include “public realm improvements to Palmers Green”. Most likely this is an important, shopkeeper helpful, desire given the increasingly frequent reports of UK high streets dying due to impacts from austerity, internet shopping and more.
Before and after views can often reveal a great deal. This one looks south into the main town centre from the vicinity of The Fox

A decade since, residents looking to do something positive to enhance our area, supported by local conservative councillors, focused on improving PG centre with the likes of better pedestrian crossing facilities, less street clutter, a more attractive public realm and more. After local elections it was picked up positively by the victorious Labour administration, subsequently formed one (small) part of the Labour / Conservative joint Mini Holland bid, and has now been delivered in good measure by the current Labour council.



Before and after views suggest it was worth the effort. Hopefully it can now be used as a base for further improvements to PG town centre, not least the shops and their associated vertical streetscape.

Staggering improvement. Opened up the pavements, reduced clutter, increased planting, removed obstructions to shop front visibility, no loss of road space (still a single lane carriageway way as it has always been), and much of the street parking seems to have been retained therefore retailers aren't suffering from reduced accessibility.

Superb. Hats of to TfL for the funding and Labour and Cons for coming together to support the project.

Shops are among many things vital for our local economy. Revenue like Council Tax support our necessary public services, however in some areas shop traders are able to survive and even prosper depending on their trade but clearly they gave not resulted to the sad void visibility of vacant shops as in PG. Our high road is now holding on to dear life.

The new roads works have proven to be detrimental to PG. Enfield need to focus on the reality of what is apparent in PG, as the Borough is now losing serious money in Revenue and not to mention Vat which reflects poorly on senior staff at Enfield Council. A shopping area needs to be very welcoming and safe to all citizens.

Too much is focus on cycling however, we will do well to acknowledge that cyclists do not benefit any shopping area as they just whizz by focusing ahead with no intention to shop as they know they cannot balance a bag of shopping on their bike and even their bike clothing does not make them dress for many an occasion particularly eating places in our town. Cycling only benefits the cyclist as they save serious money on petrol and fare.

Enfield Council should focus on making PG profitable shopping area for the benefit of our ares continutity which will also benefit Enfield councils, points to note is that potential shoppers have hobbies and various therefore inviting such business in PG will be helping to make our Area of PG a specialist shopping area will breath new prosperous life into PG. PG has very good transport links and is a well known on route destination, so the prospect should be promising for PG. Also, family entertainment encourages shoppers in the area.

Considering the previous with the present view looking south on Green Lanes and past the Albert Herring, i would tend to consider the works as having been advantageous, rather than detrimental, to PG's public realm in this particular stretch.

"The new roads works have proven to be detrimental to PG" - please provide evidence of this 'proof'.
"the Borough is now losing serious money in Revenue" - please provide evidence of this assertion and rationale. One of SOGL complaints was LBE refusing hardship relief. So the council's only direct revenue stream has been unaffected. Vacant property rates payable in full without relief also.
"not to mention Vat" - please explain rationale? VAT is a centrally collected tax, like income or corporation, therefore VAT collected by local business is irrelevant to local funding.
"cyclists do not benefit any shopping area" - please provide evidence. There is actually plenty to the contrary, not least that it encourages more local shopping, as opposed to vehicular traffic which is actually the most likely to drive clean through and use parks/hypermarkets etc.
"cannot balance a bag of shopping on their bike" - panniers. Easy. Done my shopping via EMH that way plenty of times now.
"Cycling only benefits the cyclist as they save serious money on petrol and fare." - right and wrong. Everyone benefits from the massive reduction in air pollution of a person travelling via bike versus motor vehicle.

High streets are many and all want new traders to invest. Think about the chances of drawing investment to PG if all a potential investor reads on various social media is what an awful place it is. Would that attract your life savings?

PG had many successful years of positioning itself externally with eg a farmers market, summer festival, arts trail, community cinema, various park events and more. It was evident from press coverage that it was well placed within Enfield as a happening spot. Conversely the last three years or so have seen the place and its council pretty much dished across numerous social media platforms in what was often a politically or otherwise misinformed campaign.

Building a “brand” is a long term rather difficult and costly affair. Deflating it takes little effort or time. I would ask all to carefully reflect from here on in what and where they choose to moan - far better to get out and do something about whatever ones gripe is. Let results speak for themselves; moans are cheap and self-pitying parties all too common.

Embracing the environment means pedestrian friendly roads, shopping on foot and crossing which means Zebra crossings, far more trees and colourful flourishing flowers for all good species... o2 emission for our public transport.

Why don't you do your research on rural areas for cyclist....

By the way your wording comes across full of anguish and tense, what is the problem with wanting a beautiful thriving high street, it sounds too many that you oppose to making improvements after all it is the responsibility and duty of Cllrs to interact with shop owners and associates of PG also the cabinet member to use he/she ideas and imagination that's what they are in position of power, its not that difficult, my sole concern is primarily the prosperity of PG....