Camden are consulting on measures for the Fleet, Parkhill & Lawn Road area. The proposals include the following:
Fleet Road
Introduce a ‘Main Road Healthy School Street’ in the vicinity of Fleet Primary School:
- Widening the pavement on the Fleet Primary side to create a natural buffer between Fleet Road, the pavement and school. This would also narrow the road and help to slow motor vehicle speeds through this area.
- Planting new trees and rain gardens.
- Raising the current signalised crossing outside the entrance to the school on Fleet Road, to slow traffic speeds and make it safer for people crossing’
- Providing additional facilities such as benches and seating outside the school, planting schemes and artwork.
Parkhill & Lawn Roads
Change the junctions to make them No Entry except cycles from Fleet Road to Parkhill Road and No Exit except cycles to Fleet Road from Lawn Road. This would be experimental under an ETO for up to 18 months.
Traffic Calming
Sinusoidal speed humps on Downside Crescent, Lawn Road, Upper Park Road, Garnett Road, Tasker Road and Parkhill Road (i.e. all roads between Fleet Road and Haverstock Hill).
Junction Improvements
Extending double yellow lines at seven junctions within the scheme to improve sight-lines and make it easier for pedestrians to cross.
Removal and/or relocation of parking
Initial Comments
Fleet Road
Fleet Road is a two-lane fast one-way road, which is totally inappropriate for a local road. We have campaigned for years for Camden to put in an eastbound contraflow lane to enable cyclists to travel from Lawn Road and Parkhill Road eastbound towards Mansfield Road without having to go round the gyratory.
Recently Camden put in a short contraflow lane from Cressy Road to Lawn Road; this should be extended to the junction with Mansfield Road. Removing a general vehicle lane would have the additional benefit of slowing traffic down even more than widening the pavement and a cycle lane would create an even better buffer between the motor traffic and the footway and school.
Longer term, this road is shown in the Camden Transport Strategy Annual Update as part of the cycle network to be consulted on in the 2025 to 2028 period. This will require cycle lanes on both sides.
Parkhill & Lawn Roads
Making Parkhill Road No Entry except cycles will remove the left-hook risk for cyclists heading west on Fleet Road and is welcome. However, the risk at Lawn Road will remain. Diverting motor traffic from Parkhill Road to Lawn Road will make conditions worse on the latter and the impact on through traffic will be minimal.
Traffic Calming & Junction Improvements
Sinusoidal speed humps are welcome and we are pleased to see the continuation of Camden’s policy to ban parking and loading within 10m of all junctions.
Consultation on Camden’s website
Details, including plans and the consultation response form, is at
https://consultations.wearecamden.org/supporting-communities/fleet/