INITIAL COMMENTS
I suggest that, as with the Mansfield Road Area scheme, we should support this. It is strongly desired by residents and is consistent with traffic calming measures in neighbouring areas. The scheme involves entry treatments, signage, and additional speed humps and cushions. I propose that we comment to say that while we are in favour, we would strongly prefer humps to cushions on Harmood Street, but that if cushions are used they must be positioned to avoid cars swerving into the path of cyclists.
John
COUNCIL TEXT
Consultation on CASTLEHAVEN AREA 20MPH ZONE
As part of Camden Council’s policy to reduce accidents and provide a safer and more pleasant residential environment, the Council is proposing a 20mph Zone for the Castlehaven area.
The proposed 20mph Zone would affect all those residents living in or nearby the following roads: Belmont Street, Castle Road, Castlehaven Road, Clarence Way, Grafton Crescent, Crogsland Road, Hadley Street, Healey Street, Harmood Street, Hartland Road, Hawley Road, Hawley Street and Lewis Street. Due to Malden Crescent and Ferdinand Street’s classification as an Emergency Service Key Route, this through road will be excluded from the 20mph Zone proposals.
A layout of the proposed Castlehaven Area 20mph Zone is shown on the inside of this leaflet.
In November 2002, a consultation was undertaken by Camden with the local groups of the Castlehaven area. As a result, the Gospel Oak Neighbourhood local Streets & Transport Plan 2003-2006
was produced. The plan discusses the results of the consultation and outlines the various requests for improvements to streets and traffic management in the area. The Castlehaven Area 20mph Zone was one of the items identified for further investigation. It should be noted that all groups who responded to this consultation were in favour of 20mph Zones being considered for all residential streets.
Government Regulations specify that a 20mph Zone must have physical traffic calming measures to ensure vehicular speeds are kept to 20mph and below, making the speed limit within the zone self enforcing
. An explanation of the various traffic calming features proposed for the Castlehaven area has been provided on the inside of this leaflet.
In addition to the 20mph zone proposals, Camden aim to include two further issues that have been raised in the area:
a) Castlehaven Road/Hawley Road Junction. It has been brought to Camden’s attention that crossing the northern arm of Castlehaven Road at this junction is restricted due to a large planter on a central island. It is therefore proposed to remove the existing planter and install a raised entry treatment on this northern arm, designed to slow traffic and act as a direct, level crossing point for pedestrians continuing along Hawley Road.
b) Castle Road/Kentlsh Town Road Junction. This has been cited as a problem junction by pedestrians and cyclists alike, due to traffic from Royal College Street turning into Castle Road at speed. To reduce speeds at this point, a raised entry treatment is proposed at the entrance to Castle Road.
If agreed at committee, funding will be allocated over two financial years. The entirety of the measures would therefore be completed by March 2006.
Scheme Proposals
The traffic calming measures proposed for the Castlehaven Area 20mph Zone are as follows:
- Speed cushions along Harmood Street.
- Speed humps will generally be used on most roads (with the exception of Harmood Street).
- Raised entry treatments at the junctions of Belmont Street with Chalk Farm Road; Crogsland Road, Harmood Street and Hadley Street with Prince of Wales Road; Castle Road with Kentish Town Road; Castlehaven Road with Hawley Street.
- 20mph Zone signage at all zone entry points as well as 30mph signs at the exit points (where appropriate).
CCC’s response
Camden Cycling Campaign Response to Consultation on Proposed Castlehaven Area 20 mph Zone
Camden Cycling Campaign strongly supports the proposed scheme. In answer to the specific questions, we agree with the 20mph zone and the entry treatments at Castle Road and Castlehaven Road.
We have some further comments, as follows:
Speed Cushions on Harmood Street
We are concerned about the introduction of speed cushions rather than humps on Harmood Street. Speed cushions are not the preferred solution from our point of view as they are not effective against large vehicles and often cause motor vehicles to take lateral avoiding action, resulting in conflict with cyclists and other road users. This can result in the ‘pinching’ of cyclists between moving and parked vehicles. If cushions are required in order to satisfy bus and/or ambulance needs they must be carefully positioned to allow cyclists space and to prevent motorists taking avoiding action that threatens cyclists. The attached page shows some guidelines.
Castlehaven Road/Hawley Road Junction
We note the plans to help pedestrians cross the northern arm of Castlehaven Road. While supporting this we ask that care be taken not to interfere with the cycle bypass lane entering Castlehaven Road from Hawley Street.
Castlehaven Road/Prince of Wales Road Junction
We question why no entry treatment is proposed here. This seems to be inconsistent with the rest of the zone. A standard entry treatment would indicate the entry to the zone as well as facilitating pedestrian movements along Prince of Wales Road.
Castle Road
We suggest that humps should be introduced on the eastern section of this road to further slow the traffic entering from Royal College Street/Kentish Town Road.
John Chamberlain
Member of Camden Cycling Campaign Management Committee
6th September 2004
Question 1: Do you agree with the proposed Castlehaven Area 20 mph and the associated traffic calming measures? Yes
Question 2: Do you agree with the proposed raised entry treatment at the junction of Castlehaven Road with Hawley Road? Yes
Question 3: Do you agree with the proposed raised entry treatment at the junction of Castle Road with Kentish Town Road? Yes