Earlier this month Andy Barker, in his role as Chairman of Fox Lane and District Residents' Association (FLDRA), attended the one of the Partnership Board meetings that are being held as part of the consultation about the Cycle Enfield ("Mini-Holland") scheme. This meeting relates to the section of route between Green Dragon Lane in the north and Broomfield Lane in the south.
The yellow lines show an alternative to creating cycle lanes along Green Lanes. If this option is chosen, TfL will not provide any money for improving the public realm in Palmers Green.
The first Cycle Enfield – West Partnership Board Meeting was held on the 8th of January at the Civic Centre.
This was quite a large meeting with councillors, council officers, town centre managers, consultants and representatives of various associations.
The Chair (Bambos Charalambos) confirmed that there would be more public consultation over the next 12 months as plans are developed.
The whole process involves public meetings, further Partnership Board meetings to refine proposals, scheme-specific public consultations including house-to-house leafleting - all prior to a final recommendation which will then go to Council for approval and then to Transport for London (TfL) for final approval and implementation.
Bob Griffiths (Enfield Assistant Director – Planning & Environmental Protection) advised that so far there are no plans only indicative ideas, and that the purpose of the meeting was as a starting point to glean ideas and for representatives to advise others about the schemes.
Presentation given by Liam Mulrooney (Enfield Traffic & Transportation Services):
- Gave an outline of the parameters for this section of the proposed Green Lanes changes.
- Talked about the work already done on Green Routes Network, pointing out that they will provide a major contribution to the Borough’s cycling network.
- Described the background support for Cycle Enfield: training, repair of bikes, etc.
- The main cycle routes will be along the A105, A110, A1010. An aim on these routes is to invigorate high streets. He emphasised that TfL is happy for Mini-Holland money to be used for improving public realm on these routes, but TfL is not willing to provide public realm money if cycle routes comprised of residential streets by-passing the ‘A’ roads are chosen.
- All projects planned to be completed by 2017.
- It is proposed that the cycle lanes on the chosen through routes should be ‘defended’ by what are known as armadillos, but that TfL have relented somewhat and that Shared Space would/could be considered for Palmers Green.
- The council considers Quieter Neighbourhoods as the branch lines to the cycle networks
Ringwood Jacobs (Consultants) – Have been collecting data from the route, including up-to 100 metres on side streets, such as:
- measurements & traffic counts,
- some local business questionnaires.
Unfortunately the data was not yet available for discussion/advice at the meeting.
There followed a Question & Answer session on various topics. One of the issues noted was that there were no plans to remove the Triangle, unless there were major recommendations for such action following public consultation – it was recognised that this would be unlikely.
It was also noted that the previous work carried out in discussing potential Palmers Green Regeneration with local representatives was now subsumed within the proposals that would arise from this exercise.
It was confirmed that the Quieter Neighbourhoods process would continue as planned although there could be some overlaps.
The meeting was invited to examine the large plans available and provide initial comments.
There will be another meeting of the Partnership Board before Easter 2015.
There will be a wider consultation in February 2015 which will be an afternoon and evening event.
Further notes about the meeting
The meeting was also attended by David Hughes, whose notes of the meeting were similar to Andy Barker's. David's notes quoted a couple of Q&As;
Q. About the problems bus stops pose for cycle lanes?
A. There are various possible solutions, but this stage is not the time to dwell on them.
Q. What form will consultations take?
A. On a choice of options.
Q. Who were selected as membership of Partnership Boards?
A. Mainly local people who can play a part as critical friends, but with some others such as members of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) (as distinct from members of Enfield Cycling Campaign [a branch of LCC] who were there in numbers) and Living Streets.
David also described the breakout session, where groups of attendees were invited to examine large plans of the proposed route fixed to the wall and attach post-its with comments and ideas about specific points along the route.
View the slides shown at the meeting
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