COUNCIL TEXT
Kentish Town Road
Bus lane and new Pedestrian Crossing facilities
As part of the Camden policy to provide a safer walking environment the Council is undertaking an initiative to improve traffic congestion, buses and pedestrian facilities and cycle safety in the busy Kentish Town Road area.
As a result of the initiative a Pedestrian and Cycle Facilities improvement scheme has been developed at the junction of Kentish Town Road/Leighton Road/Regis Road. The scheme proposes to introduce signal controlled pedestrian crossings facilities on all arms of the junction, along with advanced stop lines for cyclists. Traffic islands would also be installed in Kentish Town Road near the station and build outs (wider footways) on Regis Road at its junction as part of the improvements.
Pedestrian and cycle safety and accessibility would be improved. Also revising the signal timing, delays to traffic may be considerably reduced at the junction on completion of this scheme. The scheme would contribute toward the overall Initiative to improve the Kentish Town Road area.
In order to minimise delays of the southbound bus routes, we are also proposing the introduction of a short length of southbound bus lane, from Highgate Road to Leverton Road.
This will allow buses to get ahead of general traffic on the southbound routes. The operation hours of the bus lane will match those on Highgate Road (7-1Oam and 4-7pm Monday to Friday and 10am-7pm Saturday)
The attached Diagram 1 shows the proposed works. Please note this drawing is a diagrammatic representation of the proposals and could therefore be subject to possible changes following public consultation and detailed design.
CCC’s response
Camden Cycling Campaign is pleased to see the improvements for cycling and for pedestrians proposed in this scheme. In particular, the new Advanced stop Lines and associated feeder lanes on both branches of Kentish Town Road will be of great benefit to cyclists.
Leighton Road ASL
The current situation in Leighton Road is not satisfactory for cyclists, mainly due to the narrowness of the road on the approach to the ASL, in particular where the first car before the ASL stops. Even the narrowest of cars overlaps the feeder lane here. They are pushed into the cycle feeder lane by the approach to the island. This makes it impossible for cyclists to reach the ASL.
One potential solution to the problem of the blockage of the ASL on Leighton Road would be to pull the traffic lights and white stop line back about five metres and to install a cyclists’ only light in the position of the present
traffic signals.
We feel that the more obvious alternative of removing the island would be detrimental to pedestrians. Another possible alternative of narrowing the footpath cannot be considered as it is already too narrow and on a blind bend because of the brick wall for the railway bridge.
Finally, this ASL and its feeder lane should be surfaced in green.
Regis Road
The Council’s proposal still leaves the entrance to Regis Road unnecessarily wide – it will still constitute a barrier for people on foot travelling on the west side of Kentish Town Road for the sole purpose of making it as easy as possible for large goods vehicles to turn into it from the north or south.
Questions:
Are you in favour of the pedestrian and cycling proposals shwon in Diagram 1? Yes.
Are you in favour of the proposed bus lane shown in Diagram 1? Yes.
Follow Up
Jean contacted the officer (Suhed Aklas) who had ignored CCC’s request to improve the feeder lane in Leighton Road. This was discussed at meeting with Dave Stewart on 12 October 2004. He has agreed to look into widening the feeder lane, but would not agree to move the stop line back.