Enfield Council is proposing a low traffic neighbourhood in the Connaught Gardens area of Palmers Green, an area bounded by Palmers Green High Street (Green Lanes), Hedge Lane and the North Circular. The area is home to a primary school, a secondary school, a children’s centre, Palmers Green Mosque and Hazelwood Recreation Ground.

Connaught Garden LTN proposals, November 2020

What are the plans?

To stop drivers cutting through the area and create a low traffic neighbourhood, the council plans to do the following:

  • Close off the western end of Hazelwood Lane and southern end of Callard Avenue. Emergency services would still be able to use Callard Avenue, as access would be controlled using cameras (as has already happened on the bridge in Fox Lane).
  • Make the eastern end of Oakthorpe Road one-way so that cars can enter from the A406 but can’t use it to access the A406.
  • Create “point-no-entries” in Hazelwood Lane to stop the use of Connaught Gardens to cut across from Hedge Lane to Green Lanes via Hazelwood Lane or Oakthorpe Road.
  • Introduce a school street outside Hazelwood Schools and the Children’s Centre to protect children (and parents) during school arrival and leaving times.

The council asked for views about the proposals at the end of 2020 – it doesn’t currently have funding to implement them. It will apply for Active Travel Funds for this area in the spring. However, there is a smaller intervention in the north-west corner of the area that was carried out before the end of 2020:

  • A small one-way system created in Osborne Road, Windsor Road and parts of Lightcliffe Road and New River Crescent.

The new one-way system will be trialled for six months and a formal consultation will be run concurrently. Depending on feedback from residents, at the end of the period it will be made permanent, modified and retrialled, or removed. Read more on the council’s website.

Why does this area need an LTN?

Survey of traffic using Connaught Gdns area as a short cut

A survey by the council last autumn confirmed that there are multiple “rat runs” throughout the area – drivers entering the area and leaving within five minutes. This map is taken from the survey report (which you can download here) and shows only the routes with the heaviest traffic across the day (7am to 7pm).

The worst affected streets are Connaught Gardens, Hazelwood Lane, Oakthorpe Road, Chimes Avenue, Arnold Gardens and Callard Avenue. In the morning rush hour the last two, both short, narrow residential streets, are totally blocked by cars queuing to join the eastbound A406.

Hazelwood Primary School is blighted by too many cars on Hazelwood Lane at drop-off and pick-up times. A school street would be ideal here, restricting motor traffic at these times so that families can safely walk, cycle and scoot to school. However, a school street would be too complicated to implement without the wider area becoming a low traffic neighbourhood.

Impact on main roads, emergency services & other FAQs

Low traffic neighbourhoods always raise plenty of questions and concerns from residents. We have tried to address the main ones in our FAQs page, All about LTNs.

What does Better Streets for Enfield think?

We are delighted to see Enfield’s third LTN being proposed, especially in an area with two schools and a children’s centre. Along with Palmers Green ward councillors, we have heard lots of cries for help over the years from this ‘high traffic neighbourhood’ – especially from parents of young children, due to the danger and stress created by so much traffic.

Want to support the Connaught Gdns LTN?

Residents for Connaught Gardens LTN is a new group set up to support the proposal. If you would like to join and help, you can get in touch by emailing ConnaughtGardensLTN@gmail.com.