In this consultation, Camden proposes some turn restrictions with a view to eliminating rat running through the residential streets in an area north bounded by Leighton Road, Torriano Avenue, Camden Road, Rochester Road and Kentish Town Road.
The consultation leaflet includes a map showing the main rat runs identified from traffic surveys in 2013: these included the following:
A: southbound along Bartholomew Road and out via Patshull Road or Sandall Road (AM peak).
B: northbound on Bartholomew Road and out at Sandall Road or Leighton Road (PM peak).
The proposals include the following:
Junction of Leighton Road and Bartholomew Road
– “No Right Turn (Except Cyclists) ” from Leighton Road into Bartholomew Road
– “No Left Turn (Except Cyclists)” from Bartholomew Road into Leighton Road
The AM counts show 316 motors SB between 8 and 9 am (with 152 NB). This is far above LCC’s criterion of less than 200 per hour for safe and comfortable sharing of the road by cycles and motors. In the AM peak, 241 motors turned right from Leighton Road into Bartholomew Road – so the “No Right Turn” from Leighton Road into Bartholomew Road is potentially very effective.
The PM peak figures show 159 motors making the left turn from Bartholomew Road into Leighton Road.
Junction of Sandall Road and Camden Road
– “No right turn (Except Cyclists” from Camden Road into Sandall Road.
– ” No right turn (Except Cyclists)” from Sandall Road into Camden Road.
– Extend the central traffic island on Camden Road at the junction with Sandall Road to stop the above manoeuvres. There will be a gap in the island to allow cyclists to make these turns.
The Sandall Road changes will make the junction with Camden Road a lot safer for pedestrians and people who cycle, but will also reduce rat running.
Kentish Town Road/ Patshull Road
– Convert to two way traffic on Patshull Road between Kentish Town Road and Bartholomew Villas. Widen the carriageway at Patshull Road junction with Kentish Town Road to accommodate two way.
– Relocate the ‘No Entry’ signs at Patshull Road/ Kentish Town Road junction to Patshull Road at the junction with Bartholomew Villas.
The change is to enable traders e.g. Earth to use a storage place accessible via a little access road running behind the shop. That’s why the proposal is to move the No Entry. But I think it would be better to place the No Entry just east of the little access road to avoid rat-running via Bartholomew Villas.
On Camden’s website:
https://consultations.wearecamden.org/culture-environment/bartholomew-road-area-proposals
Discussion on CycleScape at:
https://www.cyclescape.org/issues/1970-bartholomew-road-area-proposals-consultation
CCC’s Response
2013 traffic counts
Map identifying the main rat-runs
AM peak hour traffic counts (mapped)
PM peak hour traffic counts (mapped)