Roads

E-scooters could play a role in ensuring a green and sustainable future for London, helping people to use private cars less. Yet many worry about their use, fearing an increase in accidents and reduction in physical activity.

In the week that we were all shocked by the killing of a tiny baby by a dangerous driver, we need to hammer home the message of London's former top traffic cop in this interview for Crimewatch Live: 'Don't speed, challenge your friends, your family, your colleagues not to speed, and make it unacceptable. '

Civic-minded PG citizens were out in the rain on Tuesday afternoon replacing more than 30 wayward signs for a one-way system which had somehow detached themselves from their supporting frames and gathered together in huddles on the pavement in Lightcliffe Road and near the end of Park Avenue.

In July, as part of the Covid Streetspace measures, Enfield Council issued an experimental traffic order closing one of the roads at Winchmore Hill Green to traffic (the 'northern west-to-east arm'). This has allowed restaurants and cafes to put out tables and chairs on the roadway for customers to eat and drink al-fresco. The council is now consulting on whether or not to make the road closure permanent.

A school street scheme comes into force on Monday 7th September outside St Paul's primary school in Ringwood Way, Winchmore Hill. Between 8.15 and 9.15 in the morning and 2.45 and 3.45 in the afternoon Ringwood Way will be a pedestrian and cycle zone between its junctions with Station Road and Shrubbery Gardens. This normally busy cut-through will be closed to all vehicles other than those with specific exemptions.

London's top traffic cop has reminded us that August is National Road Victims Month and asked us to watch a short film made by the charity RoadPeace. In the UK five people a day are killed on the roads and more than 60 seriously injured. Scandinavian cities, pursuing a Vision Zero policy, have almost eliminated road deaths.

In response to a spate of anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of Alexandra Palace and in the surrounding park, in particular dangerous and noisy driving and pavement parking by 'boy racers', Alexandra Palace Way will be closed at night until further notice. All parking bays will be closed throughout the day and night. The W3 bus will be diverted during the road closures.

The top end of Hedge Lane will be closed for Thames Water work from 29th April to 26th May, though the Yasar Halim store will still be accessible by road from the Green Lanes end of Hedge Lane. Through traffic will be diverted either to the north (via the A10 and Church Street West) or to the south (via the North Circular Road). A temporary one-way system will be in force in the area comprising Park Avenue, New River Crescent, Lightcliffe Road, Windsor Road and Osborne Road.

Footage on Twitter of the police chasing a drug driver from near Ritz Parade, then along the A105 through Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill, eventually ending in the chased car crashing outside St Stephen's Bush Hill Park.

Hackney council is planning to implement measures to curb rat-running during the coronavirus lockdown, with the aim of protecting walkers and cyclists, allowing them more space to socially distance, and as a countermeasure to increased speeding by reckless drivers taking advantage of much lighter traffic levels. By doing so Hackney stands out from other UK local authorities, but cities in other countries all over the world have already done much more to reallocate road space away from cars.