This consultation contains proposals to add to the traffic calming already carried out in the Bloomsbury 20 mph zone, which is situated in Gordon Street/Gower Place/Endslieigh Gardens and Gordon Square.
Click here to see original consultation and our response
The new proposals include:
• A raised speed table at the junction of Gordon Street, Gower Place and Endsleigh Gardens (which we had regretted was not included in the previous work). And a new zebra crossing on the southern arm of this junction.
• A raised speed table at the junction of Gordon Street and Gordon Square (at northwest corner of Gordon Square)
• A speed table in the middle (approximately) of Gower Place, to provide an informal crossing point.
As we said before, Gordon Street/Endsleigh Gardens is currently a very awkward junction for cyclists. Southbound cyclists have to avoid being swept round to the left by motorists as a result of the much greater width of Gordon Street north of the junction. Cyclists going in either direction frequently encounter traffic turning right out of Endsleigh Gardens towards Euston Road blocking the junction. This can be very dangerous.
The current consultation proposes a footway build out on the east side of Gordon Street which goes some way towards making the road the same width on either side of the junction. But more could be done. However, the substitution of a zebra for a crossing with islands is an improvement in that it removes a pinchpoint for southbound cyclists.
Click here to see the consultation leaflet On our website as LB Camden has hidden the file
CCC’s response
Junction of Gordon Street, Gower Place and Endsleigh Gardens
This junction is currently very awkward for cyclists . We are therefore pleased to see the proposals for the improvements at this junction, which was identified as in need of remedial action in the CRISP Report for Link 27.
That report recommended narrowing Gordon Street so as to achieve a consistent carriageway width across Endsleign Street. The pavement widening outside Drayton House goes some way towards achieving this, but Gordon Street is still wider on the north side of the junction. We therefore ask that the widening is increased to achieve the effect described in the CRISP Report.
The CRISP Report also refers to the pinch point at the pedestrian crossing. It is therefore beneficial to cyclists that the proposed zebra crossing has no island.
The speed table is also welcome in that it should slow down motor vehicles: cyclists are particularly concerned with those that turn right out of Endsleign Street and block the junction; do you have any remedy for this situation?
K + C style cyclists exemptions to one-way streets
These new measures, together with those already completed should slow the traffic down considerably. We therefore ask that cyclists be exempted from the two one-way stretches in the area (Gower Place and the easternmost section of Endsleigh Gardens). This could be done by making these sections no entry to cars with an exception for bicycles. This is important as the area needs to be made more permeable for cyclists wanting to travel in an east-west direction without using Euston Road (the UCL complex is currently quite an obstacle in this respect).
