Forum topic: Residents say Yes to Low Traffic!
Residents say Yes to Low Traffic!
Karl Brown
01 Mar 2020 15:12 #5267
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Putting aside Fox Lane RA MinutesGate, what appears positive is that two pretty diametrically opposed views of the red and green neighbourhood teams are now hearing across border lines and coalescing around a compromised central space. Compare that with the total intransigence – and destructive anger – seen over local cycle lanes and we’ve evidently travelled a long way in a short time.
Why the residents’ traffic workshops, proceeding with such progress on both sides of Green Lanes, were abandoned without comment 5 years or so back until we were faced with planters might warrant Council reflection regarding process; and taking such community interest a stage further, might the 10,000 or so in aggregate who protested against the wheelie scheme, but at heart seemed primarily to want a better chance to recycle, form a highly receptive audience to work with, and through, to the that very end rather than being pushed away? Same ultimate endpoint I’m sure but a very different waste result could have been achieved.
Why the residents’ traffic workshops, proceeding with such progress on both sides of Green Lanes, were abandoned without comment 5 years or so back until we were faced with planters might warrant Council reflection regarding process; and taking such community interest a stage further, might the 10,000 or so in aggregate who protested against the wheelie scheme, but at heart seemed primarily to want a better chance to recycle, form a highly receptive audience to work with, and through, to the that very end rather than being pushed away? Same ultimate endpoint I’m sure but a very different waste result could have been achieved.
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Residents say Yes to Low Traffic!
Colin Younger
01 Mar 2020 18:11 #5268
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Having taken part in the original Quiet Neighbourhoods workshops, my recollection is that the council wanted to push ahead with them, even though many of us thought it might be more sensible to await an assessment of any changed traffic flows stemming from the effects of the Cycle Enfield programme.
On completing the workshop programme the Council changed its mind and did decide to delay the QN programme. Hence the missing years. What I can't recall is whether there was any final report on the workshops.
However, for an unofficial glimpse of times past see:
https://www.pgweb.uk/forum/quieter-neighbourhoods/283-fox-lane-quieter-neighbourhood-design-workshop#956
Perhaps like the Palmers Green Public Realm consultation of 2014 the final report wasn't officially published. It took Basil to get the results by an FOI request. The article is at:
https://www.pgweb.uk/planning-all-subjects/pg-town-centre-improvements/608-residents-views-on-improving-palmers-green-revealed
On completing the workshop programme the Council changed its mind and did decide to delay the QN programme. Hence the missing years. What I can't recall is whether there was any final report on the workshops.
However, for an unofficial glimpse of times past see:
https://www.pgweb.uk/forum/quieter-neighbourhoods/283-fox-lane-quieter-neighbourhood-design-workshop#956
Perhaps like the Palmers Green Public Realm consultation of 2014 the final report wasn't officially published. It took Basil to get the results by an FOI request. The article is at:
https://www.pgweb.uk/planning-all-subjects/pg-town-centre-improvements/608-residents-views-on-improving-palmers-green-revealed
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Residents say Yes to Low Traffic!
Karl Brown
02 Mar 2020 15:56 #5273
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Some distance away from the point I was making Colin, but picking up your theme: the 2014 consultation was a Council pre amble management tool for the forthcoming Mini Holland and never, in my reading and awareness, expected to result in anything like a formal report driving anything publically at all; the workshops hit the dirt at pretty much the same time as Chris Bond, then Environment Cabinet Member who instigated them as part of his Mini Holland roll out was himself eased out. Typical fun and games you may conclude.
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Residents say Yes to Low Traffic!
Colin Younger
02 Mar 2020 17:51 #5275
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I don't think that the 2014 Palmers Green Public Realm survey had much to do with mini-Holland/cycle enfield. In fact I suspect that there was a lack of communication within the council about the two. Otherwise why commission the survey, produce the draft report attached to Basil's article, then not publish it?
The draft report which Basil’s FOI request elicited was much broader in scope than the cycling initiatives, though there was some overlap (and some conflict) with the cycling plan and I guess the council could only major on one project at a time.
Andy Barker and I were having discussions with the council around this time about the Triangle, and mini-Holland which must have been in someone's in-tray was never even hinted at. I know that there were plans to deal with the filling in of the undergound toilets at the Triangle, but the relevant staff were unware of the engineering implications of mini-Holland and their plans were scrapped.
All examples of the council's tendency, at least then, to operate in silos.
Some of the issues revealed in the draft report are still relevant; perhaps a dfferent generation will have more success in improving Palmers Green.
The draft report which Basil’s FOI request elicited was much broader in scope than the cycling initiatives, though there was some overlap (and some conflict) with the cycling plan and I guess the council could only major on one project at a time.
Andy Barker and I were having discussions with the council around this time about the Triangle, and mini-Holland which must have been in someone's in-tray was never even hinted at. I know that there were plans to deal with the filling in of the undergound toilets at the Triangle, but the relevant staff were unware of the engineering implications of mini-Holland and their plans were scrapped.
All examples of the council's tendency, at least then, to operate in silos.
Some of the issues revealed in the draft report are still relevant; perhaps a dfferent generation will have more success in improving Palmers Green.
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