Highgate Road – Consultation on local safety scheme
This proposal is intended to address the 15 accidents in 3 years on Highgate Road between Fortess Road and Sanderson Close, of which 13 involved vehicles turning right. 10 motorcyclists, 4 cyclists and 1 pedestrian were involved.
Click here to see the consultation leaflet
The plans apply to three junctions on Highgate Road: Fortess Road, Burghley road and Lady Somerset Road.
CCC’s response
CCC are not opposed in principle to any of the measures proposed for this road, but have some specific comments and suggestions, particularly regarding traffic islands and lane widths, and these are detailed below. The road is on the strategic cycle network (LCN+ 6a – Link 27) and is the subject of a recent CRISP study which made a number of recommendations. Therefore we believe that cyclists’ concerns should be given special consideration.
Pedestrian Refuge Islands near Lady Somerset and Burghley Roads (Proposals 1 & 2}
We recognise the need to make provisions for pedestrians and to protect right-turning vehicles, especially those of vulnerable road users such as motor- and pedal-cyclists. However, we are concerned about the resulting lane widths. London Cycling Design Standards (LCDS Section 3.6.4) recommends a gap width of 4.5 metres for roads where the 85th percentile speed is greater than 30mph (Section 3.6.4) and we believe that the plans may result in lane widths less than this, causing a pinch-point and danger to cyclists. Please ensure that the lane widths meet recommendations.
Raised Entry Treatments, Right Turn Lanes and Double Yellow Lines (Proposals 1, 2 & 3)
CCC welcome these measures
Additional Suggestions
We agree with Steve Cardno’s suggestions to ban waiting and loading in the southbound bus lane and for an entry treatment at Fortess Walk – vehicles often take this corner at speed. We also support his request for cycle logos across junctions and adjacent to all on-street parking and loading areas. These logos should encourage cyclists to take the safe ‘primary’ position away from parked cars and through junctions.
Further Comments
We note that although almost all of the 11 collisions near the junctions quoted in the supporting statistics involved cyclists (3 incidents) or motor-cyclists (7 incidents) rather than pedestrians (1 incident), most of the safety measures are stated to be designed to benefit the latter group. This seems a somewhat illogical response and adds to our concern that the proposed measures may have little or no benefit to the most vulnerable groups, and may even reduce safety if pinch-points are created as explained above.
Approved
- October 2007. Work to be done Nov 2007 – Jan 2008.
- Raised entry Greenwood Place
- Ped refuge at zebra north of Burghley Road
- double yellow lines as specified in consultation.
but no mention of the ped refuges at Sanderson/Lady Somerset, which we were worried about.
FOLLOW UP
Ed Quartey told us that the 85th percentile speed is 27 mph by email in August. Also discussed at WCRSAG Dec 2007.
