Enfield Council has now published a leaflet showing the (presumably) definitive plans for the Fox Lane quieter neighbourhood. They incorporate a number of changes to the original proposals, made in response to feedback during the consultation. See the box at the end of this article for details.
According to the Quieter Neighbourhoods web page, planters will initially be placed at either end of the Mall and Selborne Road, enabling the team to confirm the detailed positioning. The remaining planters will then be rolled out across the area a few days later. The intention is to complete this work prior to Christmas (it's unclear whether this schedule refers only to the planters, or to the entire scheme - probably the latter.)
The council will be monitoring the effectiveness of the measures in the Spring, when new data about traffic in the area will be collected and compared with existing baseline data. As regards the follow-on to the monitoring, Cycle Enfield have informed Better Streets for Enfield that "The processes for discussing the results of the monitoring and making any new proposals will depend in part on the results of the monitoring so have not yet been fully decided".
That (slightly confusing) statement was provided in response to an enquiry by Better Streets, in which the campaigning group expressed their pleasure at the decision to go ahead with the Fox Lane scheme. In an email to deputy leader Daniel Anderson and other councillors representing wards in and near Palmers Green Better Streets co-chair Clare Rogers wrote:
We especially welcome the commitment in the report to monitor speed and volume post-implementation, and to introduce alternative measures to reduce traffic further if necessary. We are keen to see, as the report says, not just a slight reduction in traffic speed and volume, but a significant reduction - to 'create an environment where walking and cycling are facilitated and seen as the preferred form of travel'. If achieved, this would transform the area by reducing car journeys, increasing physical activity for all ages, reducing air pollution and creating stronger communities.
The Fox Lane quieter neighbourhood was on the agenda of last Friday's Winchmore Hill ward forum, where Clare Rogers gave a presentation about the scheme on behalf of Better Streets for Enfield. She also outlined the thinking behind "low-traffic neighbourhoods", which uses "modal filters" to make it impossible for drivers to cut through residential areas. The "villages" that have been created by Waltham Forest Council in parts of Walthamstow and Leyton use the same principles and have transformed the areas they cover. In the view of Better Streets, if the quieter neighbourhood scheme fails to achieve the desired outcomes, Enfield Council should consider implementing a low-traffic neighbourhood. This could be done by using additional planters to create strategic barriers to through traffic.
The Better Streets presentation provoked much discussion among the forum attendees. Most people contributing to the debate were in favour of measures to restrict rat running and reduce speeds, though some had objections. A couple of Lakes Estate residents spoke about how much pleasanter their streets had become while temporarily blocked off at one end. A former resident of the area now known as "Walthamstow Village" confirmed that the area had been dramatically changed for the better.
Fox Lane Quieter Neighbourhood – Construction Proposals
Residents have told us that the biggest issues with traffic in your area are speeding, rat running cars and the school run. Having listened to the responses to the consultation several changes have been made including informal crossings along Fox Lane and changes to the junction of Meadway / Greenway. Work is due to start in the next few weeks with the placement of the planters at the entrances to the neighbourhood.
The locations of features such as traffic calming shown on this plan are only indicative.
Click on the image to download the leaflet
Neighbourhood Gateways
We will be placing large planters in the road so that drivers entering the roads are required to give way to vehicles exiting, which in turn will deter through traffic from using the residential area as a cut through. They will also indicate to drivers that this is a residential area and that speeding is unacceptable.
Psychological Traffic Calming
Where current average speeds are not fast enough to require full speed humps, we are painting “3D” humps on the road. This has been used elsewhere in London to great effect
Road Safety
An island will be constructed at the junction of Greenway / Meadway to prevent vehicles from cutting the corner when turning into Meadway from Greenway
Point No Entry
We will install point no entries at two locations to further deter through traffic as it will make their journey less straightforward and reduce the time saved travelling through the area. Following residents’ suggestions during the consultation, minor changes have been made to their position.
School Streets
We are proposing to ban vehicles from entering Cannon Road at school times. We intend to do this with minimum disruption to residents of this road by enforcing the ban via CCTV cameras. To ensure that parents do not just park as close as they can in other roads we will work with the school and provide support for alternatives to driving such as Park and Stride.
Roads with continuous footways
Roads that have had these features installed will have the new neighbourhood sign erected, and if necessary, after a period of monitoring, planters placed at their junctions with Aldermans Hill. Fox Lane will also have the sign erected.
Traffic Calming
To further improve road safety for pedestrians near the school we are proposing to install sinusoidal speed humps on Fox Lane. We know that a lot of people do not like speed humps even if they do wish to see slower cars, however, these humps are designed to reduce the noiseand vibration normally associated with speed humps.
Informal Crossings
We intend to install informal pedestrian crossings at all junctions along Fox Lane. But to begin with, we will trial their effectiveness at the junction of Fox Lane and Amberley Road / The Mall
Note
This article was updated on 20 November 2018 to reflect the changed link to details of the proposals on the council website. The new link goes to a slightly revised version of the map, with planters shown at the Aldermans Hill end of Lakeside Road, Grovelands Road and Old Park Road (presumably they were omitted from the original map inadvertently?)
Links
Quieter Neighbourhoods page on Cycle Enfield website
Full report on the outcome of the Fox Lane QN statutory consultation (The report is the third item in this document pack on the council website - however, the included drawings are incorrect)
Fox Lane quieter neighbourhood scheme to go ahead (PGC 9/10/2018)
Low-traffic neighbourhoods - two new guides (London Living Streets)
