As one of the improvements on LCN+ Route 6, Camden Council proposes to some improvements in Mabledon Place and Cartwright Gardens.
Click here to see the consultation leaflet
The CRISP study for this route suggested some improvements:
- To address the issue of vehicles emerging from Bidborough Street who don’t expect to meet southbound cyclists
- To remove the centre line in Cartwright Gardens
- To consider providing a footway on the west side of Cartwright Gardens.
The proposals to deal with these are as follows:
- Putting in a raised junction and a painted extension to the southbound cycle lane to make it more obvious to traffic
- To remove the centre line as suggested in the CRISP
- Not planned for – the officer at Camden Council has indicated that there is not room for a footway
Please post any comments to the CCC message board by Sunday 12 August
CCC’s response
Camden Cycling Campaign agrees with the proposal to build a speed table at the junction of Mabledon Place and Bidborough Place.
Camden Cycling Campaign also agrees with the proposal to remove the white centre-line along Cartwright Gardens (between Hastings Street and Leigh Street) but thinks the plans could go further to addressing problems on the northbound side of the road.
There are two problems with the northbound side of Cartwright Gardens. Firstly the road surface is poor. Secondly, and unusually, there is no footway. Pedestrians regularly walk in the road as it is pleasant to walk next to the Gardens themselves, and they sometimes walk in groups spreading quite a way out. This is dangerous for everyone, not least the pedestrians
The problems could easily be solved together by putting in a pavement and resurfacing the carriageway.
We believe the suggestion that there is not room for a footway is spurious as the parking bays on the east side of Cartwright Gardens could be taken out to provide the space, with parking access for the student halls of residence provided on the side streets.
Making these improvements would fit well with the plans by Terry Farrell Architects to make the Bloomsbury area more pedestrian friendly.
Overall, putting in a pavement and resurfacing the carriageway would be of help to all road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians.
