Further information about how the Cycle Enfield project (formerly "Mini-Holland") will be implemented has been provided by Liam Mulrooney, the council officer who heads the Traffic, Road Safety and Parking Group in Enfield Council's Regeneration and Environment Department. This confirms and supplements the information contained in a recent letter from Mr Mulrooney regarding implementation of Cycle Enfield in Palmers Green.
On Thursday Mr Mulrooney told a meeting of the Enfield Conservation Advisory Group that Transport for London (TfL) has allocated £700,000 to fund the next stage of design and consultation. Enfield Council is in the process of hiring consultants to produce more detailed designs for Enfield Town and for main roads where segregated cycle lanes are envisaged. At the moment the plan is substantially as set out in the documents submitted to the Mayor of London late last year, but changes will come as consultation takes place and the details are worked out.
The Council will be using its own in-house engineers to design off-road "Greenway" cycle routes. However, work on designing the Trent Park Greenway is unlikely to start before 2015.
Addressing concerns
Mr Mulrooney said that he was aware of concerns raised by shopkeepers, residents and motorists. The main concerns are:
- for shopkeepers - about loss of parking, passing trade and loading and unloading
- for residents of Cecil Road (Enfield Town) - increased traffic
- for some motorists - the possible reduction in road capacity.
All of these issues will be carefully considered throughout the design and consultation process and the best compromise solutions sought.
"Golden opportunity"
To Mr Mulrooney the funding that will be received from TfL for Cycle Enfield represents a golden opportunity to improve the "street scene" in Enfield Town and Edmonton (and presumably also in Palmers Green - though this was not mentioned explicitly). "Design champions" appointed by TfL will act a a "critical friend", assisting the Council and its consultants in the design process, and the Council will be making use of workshops hosted by Urban Design London.
Mr Mulrooney said he was interested to see that the Enfield Town Conservation Area Study Group has recruited Ben Hamilton-Baillie to devise alternative proposals for Enfield Town (these will be outlined at a meeting on 30th July - see this earlier report). He said that he is looking forward to seeing the proposals, and would welcome an early meeting to share thoughts.
Timetable
One of the first tasks undertaken by the consultants will be to produce a detailed timetable for designing and implementing the cycling improvements. The start of construction in Enfield Town and Edmonton is at least one year away.
Consultation arrangements
There will be separate consultation exercises for each of the individual schemes that make up the project. Details of the proposals will be provided to residents and businesses in the vicinity of each scheme (for example, by leafleting) and will be avalable online. There will be exhibitions where people will be able to question council staff or consultants.
All responses will be carefully considered before a final design is put to a Project Board made up of senior Councillors and a representative from TfL. If the board ratify the scheme, TfL approval will be needed before they will release funding for implementation.
However, prior to these scheme-specific public consulations, the Council will be setting up three Programme Boards, each chaired by one of the new Associate Cabinet Members (in the case of Palmers Green this will be Bambos Charalambous). The Programme Boards will include representatives of local resident and business associations, disability groups, cycle groups and the local conservation group. They will act as a sounding board for scheme proposals as they are developed.