COUNCIL TEXT
Local safety scheme – Mansfield Road & Gordon House Road, NW3.
You may be aware that under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Section 39), the Council has a duty to prepare and carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety. As such the Council has adopted a policy to reduce the number of accidents involving personal injury.
The Council is therefore proposing measures to improve safety along Mansfied Road and Gordon House Road by providing improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. This proposal will form part of a local safety scheme, funded by Transport for London (TfL).
Mansfield Road is an extension of Gordon House Road in the south-west direction and located in the Gospel Oak area. Mansfield Road is in close proximity of the Royal Free Hospital and Gospel Oak Station. Hence, has a high pedestrian activity and is heavily used by ambulances.
During the period between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2004, there were in total 22 recorded accidents (3 serious and 19 slight). Majority of these accidents were the result of right turning vehicles turning across vehicles travelling ahead.
The Council is informing you of its proposals for improvements along Mansfield Road and Gordon House Road as shown on the attached drawing. The proposals include the following:
- Pavement widening on the north-eastern side of Mansfield Road at its junction with Estelle Road and on the south-eastern footway at the existing zebra crossing. Currently the north-western side of the pavement has been widened.
- Pavement widening on Mansfield Road at its junction with Rona Road.
- Pavement widening on the north-western footway of Lissenden Garden at its junction with Mansfield Road.
- Double yellow lines approximately 10 metres into all side roads off Mansfield Road and Gordon House Road.
- Pelican crossing on Gordon House Road between its junction with Lissenden Gardens and the entrance into Parliament Hill swimming pool.
CCC’s response
This scheme claims that it is “providing improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists”. However it appears to do nothing for cyclists. It is therefore incomplete unless some measures are introduced to improve cycling conditions. Our suggestions regarding cycling are in the next paragraph.
The proposal mentions collisions involving right turns into Mansfield Road. It does not specify whether any of these were cyclists. However right turns from Oak Village are potentially hazardous for cyclists. There is nothing in the proposals to help with this situation. The most effective measure to improve the safety of cyclists would be to enforce the 20 mph limit by means of police and/or speed cameras or by physical measures.
We have received a traffic order that indicates that the 20 mph limit will be extended into Gordon House Road as far as 50 m beyond Lissenden Gardens and that this will be enforced by camera. We would like to indicate our strong support for this measure and urge that it should be implemented as soon as possible.
Regarding the other measures proposed:
- We approve of the introduction of double yellow lines to prevent parking close to the junctions.
- The build out opposite Estelle Road is effective in reducing the crossing distance. However we do not see the point of the build out at Lissenden gardens as it is closed a little further up.
- The new Pelican crossing will be welcome to pedestrians accessing the Lido.
Finally, CCC was expecting that this consultation would include proposals for a cycle gap at Lamble Street, on which we were pre-consulted by Lisa Bailey. We look forward to receiving details of this design in the near future.