Construction work on the initial phase of the Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhood scheme is due to begin this week. Phase 1 will bring improvements for pedestrians in the western part of the borough's main town centre, in particular making it easier and safer to access the Library Green and Town Park on foot from Church Street.
Map showing the full extent of the Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhood project (within the dashed lines). Phase 1 is the area with magenta shading in the north western corner. The rest of the improvements will be delivered in further phases as funding for them becomes available.
The overall design for the Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhood was revealed in the summer of 2022 following an extensive process of public engagement. It is being delivered in a number of phases, each of which will require sources of funding from Transport for London and elsewhere. The dashed lines on the map above show the extent of the entire area where improvements will be made.
The decision to proceed with phase 1 was taken by the Rick Jewell, the cabinet member responsible for transport, following a period of statutory consultation on proposals published in February. He did this on the basis of the recommendations in a report providing an overview of the feedback received.
Phase 1 work will be restricted to the magenta shaded area on the map above. A new public square will be created at the point where Little Park Gardens currently joins Church Street. Current problems faced by people crossing Church Street will be eased by installing a signalised crossing at the junction with Sarnesfield Road. Pedestrians will then be able to use a new diagonal path across the Library Green to reach the main entrance to Town Park.
An artist's impression of the new pedestrianised area to be created at the junction of Church Street and Little Park Gardens, sometimes referred to as "Saddlers Mill Square"
On the Let's Talk Enfield website the main changes are summarised as follows:
- Closure of the eastern end of Little Park Gardens at its junction with Church Street to create a new public square.
- Changes to how traffic will operate on Little Park Gardens to facilitate the road closure.
- Changes to how traffic operates at the Church Street / Cecil Road / Little Park Gardens junction (straight ahead from Cecil Road will now be permitted for general traffic)
- New signalised crossing at the junction of Church Street / Sarnesfield Road
- Relocation of the crossing point on Cecil Road, which will also be upgraded to become a signalised toucan crossing.
- Implementation of a diagonal path linking the two new crossing points on Church Street / Sarnesfield Road junction and Cecil Road
- Changes to waiting and loading within the Phase 1 project area.
Some minor changes to the scheme
In response to feedback from the statutory consultation, the council has decided on a couple of amendments to the proposals that were published in February.
The first is not to provide motorcycle parking in Burleigh Way:
The motorcycle parking was proposed to respond to the high demand for motorcycle parking in the vicinity of the high street where motorbike delivery has increased significantly over the recent years, including in the pandemic period. Objections have been raised against these proposals by residents and business, with concern for pedestrian safety due to motorcycles causing obstruction when spilling into the pavement at times, pollution and noises made from the running engines as well as anti-social behavior by the motorbike drivers. Officers have considered this feedback and recommend to not proceed with the traffic order for the motorcycle parking on Burleigh Way. An alternative motorbike location will be investigated at a later stage.
Source: Key Decision 5482 Report para 22
The second relates to the sharp bend in Cecil Road near the entrance to Town Park, where the plan involves removing the current "banana island". The design here is to be amended slightly and adding a "raised table" is under consideration.
Another common concern raised was regarding the splitter island being removed from Cecil Road, outside the Town Park entrance. Concerns were raised over risks with vehicles taking the corner at speed, losing control and creating damage to adjacent properties. Proposed designs narrow down Cecil Road to a single lane on the approach to the location. A signalised crossing and associated zig-zags are also being proposed to help reduce speeds of vehicles travelling westbound on Cecil Road. In response to the feedback received, designs have been slightly revised on the bend of Cecil Road outside of the Town Park. This includes small physical changes to the off-highways area. Officers are also exploration (sic) of additional physical features on Cecil Road such as raised table on the approach to the Cecil Road corner to reduce vehicle speeds further. This report is seeking approval to investigate possibility of implementing the raised table in this location, and progress with separate statutory consultation for that proposal.
Source: Key Decision 5482 Report para 23
Because the raised table at the corner was not part of the original proposal, it will have to be consulted on separately.
Construction of phase 1 is expected to take about four months and at times will involve road closures and traffic diversions.