COUNCIL TEXT
As part of Camden Council’s policy to reduce casualties and encourage people to walk and cycle, the Council is proposing to introduce an Environmental Improvement scheme in your area.
The aim of the scheme is to improve pedestrian facilities and links between the Brunswick Centre, the shops at Marchmont Street, Russell Square Underground Station and Russell Square. High number of pedestrians use Russell Square Underground Station on a daily basis, and the measures proposed would help all pedestrians, particularly those with mobility difficulties, make their journeys more safely and easily in the area.
It is proposed that this work would be undertaken in two stages. The first stage would be undertaken in this financial year and funding for this stage has been secured from Allied London, in conjunction with their redevelopment of the Brunswick Centre. The second stage is subject to successful bids to Transport for London and it is anticipated that this work could be undertaken in the next (2006/07) financial year.
The measures identified and proposed for implementation are shown in the inside of this leaflet.
The measures proposed for the first stage are:
- To provide a junction table at the Marchmont Street/Coram Street junction.
- To provide a zebra crossing and pavement widening at Marchmont Street’s junction with Bernard Street.
- To provide build-outs (localised pavement widening) on both sides of Bernard Street outside the entrance to the Brunswick Centre.
- To extend the Marchmont Street one-way traffic to Bernard Street.
- To make changes to the parking bay allocations in the area.
- To plant some new trees in the area, but their exact location would depend on the position of underground service cables and pipes.
The measures proposed for the second stage are:
- To widen the pavement along Bernard Street outside Russell Square Underground Station, between Marchmont Street and Russell Square.
- To provide junction tables at Herbrand Street on either side of Bernard Street.
- To slightly realign Bernard Street’s junction with Russell Square/Woburn Place.
The Council would be pleased to hear your views on the proposed measures and details on how to respond to this consultation are given on the back page of this leaflet
CCC’s response
The consultation leaflet says the proposed measures support a policy to " reduce casualties and to encourage people to walk and cycle". Although there are plenty of measures for pedestrians, the scheme does not mention anything to help cyclists.
Permeability for cyclists should always be considered in local schemes, such as this one. The DfT draft Local Transport Note 01/04 says that cycles should be exempt from restrictions (including one way streets) unless there are overriding safety considerations that cannot be overcome. For this reason, all of Marchmont Street should be made two-way for cycles (the parking could be moved to the east side on current 1-way section and an advisory contraflow lane be put in).
Also for reasons of permeability, Bernard Street east of Marchmont Street should be made two-way for cycles. It would also be useful to consider whether it would be possible to make the western half two-way as well.
Regarding the pedestrian improvements: we believe that the raised entry treatments at the junctions Herbrand/Bernard, Coram/Marchmont and the new zebra at Marchmont/Bernard will be beneficial to pedestrians. The raised entry treatments should reduce vehicle traffic speeds and thereby make the roads safer for cyclists.
However, we do object to extending the one-way section of Marchmont Street. We would prefer to see the street two-way right up to Tavistock Place. One-way streets cause cyclists to have to go further and encourage drivers of motor vehicles to speed.
Although the pavement widening outside Russell Square station will narrow the road, we feel that on balance, this is worthwhile for the sake of the large number of pedestrians in this area. The same applies outside the Brunswick Centre.
We do have one suggestion as to an improvement for cyclists. This concerns the Bernard Street/Grenville Street junction. Cyclists travelling south down Marchmont Street and using Bernard Street to access Grenville Street have difficulty with turning right at the Bernard Street/ Grenville Street junction and subsequently in moving to the left lane in Grenville Street. A solution would be to have pedestrian zebra crossings on speed tables across the two arms of this junction. This would have the effect of slowing down the traffic and thereby allowing cyclists to make the right turn and if necessary to change lanes.
Question:
- Do you agree with the proposed pavement widening in Bernard Street outside Russell Square Station? Yes
- Do you agree with the proposed raised entry treatments at the junction of Herbrand Street with Bernard Street? Yes
- Do you agree with the proposed zebra crossing at the junction of Marchmont Street with Bernard Street? Yes
- Do you agree with the proposed raised junction table at the junction of Coram Street with Marchmont Street?
- Do you agree with the proposed kerb build-outs (pavement widening) outside the Brunswick Centre? Yes
- Do you agree with the proposed one-way traffic for Marchmont Street? No
- Do you agree with the proposed parking layout changes? Yes
- Do you agree with the proposed club car parking bays in Bernard Street? Yes
