COUNCIL TEXT
As part of Camden Council’s policy to reduce casualties and encourage children to walk and cycle to and from school, the Council is now proposing to introduce a Safer Routes to School scheme in your area, the funding for which has been secured from Transport for London for implementation in 2005/06.
The Hall School and St.Paul’s CE Primary School are located on Crossfield Road and Elsworthy Road respectively. Both these locations are in a predominately residential area within easy reach of the A41 Finchley Road, and to Swiss Cottage, Belsize Park and Chalk Farm underground stations. In addition to being located in a residential area, there are also a number of other schools in the area. As a result of this the route travelled by children attending both schools suffer from heavy traffic during the school’s opening and closing times.
Consultation with the pupils of the school has been undertaken to find out their safety concerns about their journey to and from school. Council officers have studied the results of this consultation and have subsequently undertaken their own investigation in order to arrive at a series of measures, which would address the pupils concerns and meet the Councils Safer Routes to School’s initiative.
The measures proposed are:
- To widen the pavement at certain key locations. This will reduce the crossing distance and give a clearer view of oncoming traffic. Double yellow lines will be implemented with the pavement widening.
- To provide pedestrian refuge islands. These islands will encourage drivers to slow down and provide a safer crossing for pedestrians especially children.
- To provide “green man” activated pedestrian crossing points across all arms of Primrose Hill Road/Adelaide Road signal junction. Proposal will allow pedestrians to cross when traffic approaching the junction from all directions will come to a stop.
- To provide a raised entry treatment with pavement widening at the junction of Belsize Park Gardens and Belsize Grove. This will encourage drivers to reduce speed and provide a level crossing for pedestrians especially children.
• To relocate the existing speed cushions located outside St. Pauls CE Primary School on Elsworthy Road to a few metres on either side of the existing pavement widening. This will enable the provision of a safe crossing point for children by dropping the kerb at the location of the existing speed cushions where the pavement has already been widened.
CCC’s response
The Camden Cycling Campaign regretfully finds it necessary to reject this proposal The reason for our opposition to these measure is that as whole we do not think they will achieve the stated goal of creating a safer route to school. We believe the way forward is to create 20 mph zones and provide zebra crossing at several crossing. We find it particularly surprising that not a single zebra crossing is being proposed. Additionally we believe that some of the minor roads could be closed at one end (with cycle gaps ). After the whole area will be made safer and driving made more inconvenient, a substantial increase in walking and cycling will take place. The proposed measures will have only limited impact and delay the time when effective measures are put in place.
Questions
Do you support the following Safer Routes to School proposals:
- Raised entry treatment with pavement widening at Belsize Grove at its junction with Belsize Park Gardens?
No - Pavement widening at Belsize Square at its junction with Belsize Park?
NO - Zig zags at zebra crossing at Belsize Park to be reduced and replaced by two resident parking bays?
No - Pavement widening at Belsize Park at its junction with College Crescent?
No - Pedestrian refuge island at Adamson Road at its junction with Crossfield Road?
No - Pavement widening at Eton Avenue near its junction with Strathray Gardens?
No - Pavement widening at Merton Rise at its junction with Eton Avenue?
No - Pavement widening at Lower Merton Rise at its junction with Adelaide Road ?
No - Pedestrian refuge island at King Henry’s Road at its junction with Lower Merton Rise?
No - Pavement widening at Lower Merton Rise at its junction with Elsworthy Road ?
No - Relocation of speed cushions at Elsworthy Road outside St. Pauls CE Primary School?
No - To provide “green man” activated pedestrian crossing points across all arms of Primrose Hill Road / Adelaide Road signal junction?
No - Pavement widening and pedestrian refuge island at Ainger Road at its junction with King’s Henry Road ?
No - Pavement widening at Regent’s Park Road near itsjunction with Berkley Road?
No
Would you prefer that nothing be done?
No
