COUNCIL TEXT
In August 2004, we consulted you on the following proposals:
- That Priory Road should be made two-way again between Belsize Road and Abbey Road.
- A no-entry “plug” and cycle bypass at the junction of Priory Road with Abbey Road to be introduced.
- That a zebra crossing be introduced on Abbey Road near its junction with Priory Road
The outcome of the consultation showed that the majority of the responses were not in favour of making Priory Road two-way traffic again, between Belsize Road and Abbey Road. As such, we have not recommended this proposal for approval.
However, the majority of responses were in favour of the proposals for a no-entry plug and cycle bypass at the Priory Road junction with Abbey Road, and a zebra crossing on Abbey Road near its junction with Priory Road (near St Mary’s Church). The Executive Member, Environment approved the proposal for a zebra crossing on Abbey Road near St Mary’s Church on 16 November 2004. The zebra crossing will be implemented in January/February 2005 and residents will be given one week’s notice before the works start.
The cycle bypass proposed in the previous consultation, was dependent on Priory Road (between Abbey Road and Belsize Road) being made two-way traffic. In order to allow the cyclists to ride in the opposite direction on a one-way street such as this, it would be necessary to segregate the cyclists from the opposing traffic by marking out a cycle lane on the road. This cannot be achieved in Priory Road without contravening Traffic regulations. The proposal for a cycle bypass at the junction of Priory Road and Abbey Road is no longer being recommended.
At the Executive Member’s meeting on 16 November 2004, one of the Ward Councillors and indeed, many responses to the previous consultation, it was suggested to make Priory Road or Priory Terrace one-way in the southbound direction as a solution to assisting cyclists in their journey. It is possible that this proposal may generate a southbound “rat run” to Belsize Road.
We are now writing to you again to seek your views on the proposal to make Priory Road or Priory Terrace one-way in the southbound direction between Abbey Road and Belsize Road.
CCC’s response
Question 1:
Do you agree with the proposal to change the existing one-way traffic flow in Priory Road from northbound to southbound?
NO
Question 2:
Do you agree with the proposal to change the existing one-way traffic flow in Priory Terrace from northbound to southbound?
Do you agree with the proposal to change the existing one-way traffic flow in Priory Road from northbound to southbound?
NO OPINION
It is evident that the original consultation (25th August 2004) was seriously flawed in that it did not it make it clear that the no-entry plug and cycle by-pass could only operate if Priory Road was made two-way again. The two parts of the proposal should not have been separated, as this allowed the incoherent response which followed, with the cycle by-pass being approved but not the reintroduction of two-way working. It should also have been made clear that the no-entry plug at Abbey Road would have prevented rat-running. The two-way proposal was presumably rejected because residents did not want rat-running down the southern end of Priory Road.
We strongly feel that as the cycle by-pass was approved in the original consultation, it should be implemented. As a response to cyclists’ needs in this area, it is massively superior to the new proposals, about which in any case we have many objections. In particular, the idea that reversing the direction of traffic along the southern stretch of Priory Road will assist cyclists is daft, as this would wreck up the existing north-bound route from Kilburn Priory (where there is already a cycle by-pass enabling contraflow cycling) up to Abbey Road/West End Lane.
We therefore propose the following.
1. The current proposals (to reverse the one-way directions) should be shelved.
2. The Council should re-interpret the responses to the original consultation in the light of what the respondents must reasonably be assumed to have been intending, i.e. to allow two-way cycling along Priory Road. (The accuracy of this interpretation could easily be verified if needed by sampling some of the original respondents.)
3. Alternatively (to 2), the Council should re-consult on the original proposals making it explicit (i) that the cycle by-pass requires Priory Road to be two-way, but (ii) that this will not be full two-way through traffic, as the no-entry plug will block rat-running.