Gospel Oak – Fleet Road area Safety scheme

Fleet Road is a one-way street with heavy motor traffic and no protected cycle infrastructure. This means that people cycling through the area face unpleasant interactions with motor vehicles as well as needing to make diversions to reach destinations in the area,

The Strategic Cycling Analysis and Camden’s long-term plans

The SCA (Fig 1.1) shows top 5-10% flows along Gordon House and Mansfield Road while Fig 2.2 shows a top 10% potential cycling demand all along the link on Gordon House Road, Mansfield Road, Fleet Road and Pond Street.

Camden shows a primary proposed link in its borough-wide cycle network along Gordon House Road, Fleet Road and Pond Street in its 2041 map. This link isn’t included in the routes to be completed by 2025, but it is very important that it be improved without undue delay.

The main issues with Fleet Road – already discussed with Camden in 2016

The main destination in the area is Fleet Primary School, which is situated on the north side of Fleet Road with the gate between the junctions of Parkhill Road and Lawn Road. We understand that the catchment area is very small e.g. from Constantine Road, Pond Street, Lismore Circus and South End Green.

Camden state that this is the first phase of a longer-term plan for Gospel Oak to improve streets for walking and cycling, to reduce collisions and traffic congestion, and make Gospel Oak a better place to live, visit, go to school and do business in.

Journeys by cycle to Fleet School from the east will need to use Fleet Road, passing the junctions of Parkhill Road in the morning. There is a severe risk of left hook when passing Parkhill Road which Camden attempts to address in their proposal for this junction.

Journeys by cycle to Fleet School from the north need to be able to travel in both directions on Cressy Road which is one-way northbound between Fleet Road and Agincourt Road as well as between Agincourt Road and Constantine Road. The simple measure of providing two-way cycling in Cressy Road is not even mentioned in this consultation.

Proposed measures

See drawing

4) On Fleet Road, Southampton Road and Agincourt Road

Convert nearside lane to a dedicated left turn only for motor vehicles travelling westbound.
To keep this nearside lane clear, the long stretch of single yellow line from Southampton Road to Parkhill Road would be converted to double yellow line with double blips.

3) The junction of Parkhill Road and Fleet Road

Camden note: Cycling along Fleet Road can be intimidating with motor vehicles passing close to cyclists, and especially difficult where the road is narrow or the traffic lanes are not clearly marked.

This is particularly problematic at the junction of Parkhill Road, where left hook collisions on cyclists by motor vehicles are a significant risk.

Camden proposal:

Install a new traffic island and markings on Fleet Road, and widen the pedestrian island on Parkhill Road to create a dedicated ‘turn left’ lane for vehicles turning into Parkhill Road. Sufficient gap would be provided to allow cyclists travelling straight ahead to pass through.

This sounds rather scary to me! See the diagram.

Also single? yellow on both sides of Fleet road. The drawing shows double yellow and double blips

1) The junction of Cressy Road and Fleet Road

– Install a new zebra crossing on Cressy Road (away from junction – desire line?).

– remove the existing double yellow line and 14m of single yellow line on Cressy Road

2) The junction of Lawn Road and Fleet Road

– Widen the footway on Lawn Road at the junction with Fleet Road. This would provide a shorter crossing for pedestrians, whilst encouraging slower traffic speeds for motor vehicles.

The existing pedestrian refuge in the centre of the road would be maintained but relocated slightly.

-Keep junction clear of any parking/loading by implementing double yellow line with double kerb blips.
relocate the existing motorcycle bay on the opposite side of the road.
A section of double yellow line without kerb blips would be provided adjacent to the Stag Pub ( loading at any time). How close to the corner?

See Camden’s website

https://consultations.wearecamden.org/supporting-communities/gospel-oak-fleet-road-