Feedback for Cycle Enfield

Better Streets for Enfield supports the Cycle Enfield scheme overall, but we’re aware it isn’t perfect – no scheme is. So on this page we aim to gather various concerns, big and small, about the design and implementation of the scheme.

We’ll seek a response from the council and note where issues have been resolved. We’ll also offer our own recommendations based on guidelines from Transport for London and London Cycling Campaign, among others.

The issues:

A105/Fox Lane junction
Give-way lines on side roads
Narrow pavements
A105 Fords Grove cycle lights heading north
A105 bus stop boarder ramps
A105 Uvedale Road
A105/Sainsbury’s junction
A105/Bush Hill junction
A105/Green Dragon Lane junction
A105/Fords Grove junction

A105/Fords Grove/Station Road: driving
A105 Sainsbury’s junction: cycling

Do you have a concern?

Do you have an issue you would like to raise that hasn’t been dealt with on this page? If so, please email as at info@betterstreets.co.uk and/or go direct to the council at http://cycleenfield.co.uk/contact.

A105/Fox Lane junction

The issue

This junction is very wide and sweeping, inviting drivers to turn into Fox Lane without slowing down. This significantly increases the risk of a collision between turning vehicles and cyclists going ahead on the cycle lane. It also fails to signal that drivers are entering a residential area, although Fox Lane is at the heart of a proposed Quieter Neighbourhood.

Our recommendation

If the proposed QN entry planter is placed right here at the entrance, not further into Fox Lane, it could be effective. There would need to be a gap to allow cycles a protected entrance between the planter and the left-hand kerb, and more than one planter may be necessary, e.g. on either side of the pedestrian crossing. But something is needed here to tighten and narrow this junction.

Give-way lines on A105 side roads

Along the route of the A105, some side roads have give-way lanes set back behind the line of the footway, while on others the give-way line is just behind the cycle lane – see the photos below taken in Palmers Green. Why this difference?

Narrow pavements

The issue

The pavement in this part of Winchmore Hill (north of the Compton Road junction) looks unacceptably narrow. It encourages pedestrians to walk in the cycle lanes, making conflict more likely with bike users, and shop keepers cannot put anything on the pavement without causing an obstruction.

We don’t think the solution here is to narrow the cycle lane, which has to be a minimum width to be accessible for all kinds of cycles including trikes and hand cycles. It would have been preferable to have fewer parking spaces on the east side of the high street in order to allow more pavement space on the west side. It looks as though the unpopularity of reducing car parking has won out over the practicality of giving pedestrians space to walk. At this stage of the scheme, it is hard to know what to suggest that would not be very expensive, disruptive and unpopular.

A105 Fords Grove cycle lights heading north

The issue

Heading north on the A105 coming towards Fords Grove you leave the cycle lane of the road and join the cycle track with their own separate traffic lights (on the mini triangle). These lights have several phases but it is very slow going if you are a cyclist. Firstly the lights have to be requested by a button press rather than being “on demand” as per Bush Hill Road junction. When the lights go green for northbound vehicles (with a green filter light) you are not given a green even though there is no conflict with left turning vehicles. You therefore have to wait for the main green light – last time I visited with a friend we ended up waiting far too long – many will not bother coming off the road for such a long wait so it will defeat the purpose of this part of the cycle route.

Our recommendation

Ideally put in a sensor so cyclists don’t have to find the button to press – or just make it part of the traffic light phase as it could safely be green when the northbound traffic get their green filter.

 

A105 ramps to bus boarders

Issue

Some of the ramps to get on and particularly off the bus boarders are far too steep. We can see the merit of the up ramp being steep in case a bus in the bus stop means a cyclist needs to slow down – but this gradient does not seem necessary. Some of the exit ramps are really steep and this doesn’t seem to have a purpose. One of the steepest is just before the petrol station heading south before the cycle lane turns off to Palmerston Crescent.

See this video to see how steep the exit is.

Uvedale Road: walking

Issue

The cycle track gets in the way of pedestrians’ ‘desire lines’  – shown as green lines on the image above. This will effectively mean that the cycle track will become shared use, as no pedestrian will follow the route proposed in this plan (black lines above) as it would mean crossing the track twice to get back on the pavement.

A105 Sainsbury’s junction: walking

The issue

This new signalised junction replaces one that was downright dangerous for walking, cycling and driving. Now, while much safer for cycling without causing delays to motor traffic, it is still not easy for pedestrians to get across – especially more vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly or parents pushing buggies. This is true both for crossing the A105/Green Lanes and the mouth of the Sainsbury’s entrance. The new zebra crossing into Sainsbury’s pedestrian entrance is very welcome, but does not serve pedestrians coming from the north or east going north and west, without taking a long detour.

Council response

Cllr Anderson writes (May 2017): “We looked carefully at the Sainsbury’s junction to try and include better pedestrian facilities, but this could not be achieved without either compromising cycle safety at the junction or causing long delays. The current arrangements relocate the zebra crossing directly outside the pedestrian entrance to Sainsbury’s, also serving both the north and southbound bus stops. The pedestrian refuge in the mouth of the Sainsbury’s access has also been retained to help pedestrians cross the road in two parts. In my view – and those of our traffic engineers – the new arrangements are better for pedestrians than the previous situation, but I accept that they are not ideal. When the scheme is complete and bedded in, we can review the operation of the junction as I am keen to improve the pedestrian facilities if possible.”

Our recommendation

We welcome Cllr Anderson’s decision to review this junction for pedestrians when the scheme is complete. We would like to see a pedestrian phase at the traffic signals at this junction, particularly for crossing the A105, for a better balance between the needs of those on foot and of traffic flow. This crossing would also help provide a safer route to Winchmore Hill and Highfields schools, and a nursery.

A105 Bush Hill junction: cycling

The issue

We congratulate Cycle Enfield on the design of this safe, cycle and pedestrian-friendly junction which allows pedestrian and bike traffic their own green phase while all motor traffic is stopped. All it needs to make it more user-friendly is to be signed more clearly. At present, it’s not clear how cycles staying on the A105 should go ahead – the road markings and angles of the lanes seem to only allow cycles to go left or right off the junction.

Our recommendation

We would like to see the painted arrows on the cycle track changed to double-headed arrows pointing ahead and right, indicating that cycles can either turn right or go straight ahead on the A105. Where this means crossing pavement space to reach a toucan crossing, it needs to be clear that the pavement is in fact shared space, either with signs or painted symbols.

Council response

We are waiting to hear back from the council about this (May 2017).

A105/Green Dragon Lane junction

Danger to cycles passing the junction

People cycling on the A105 are reporting that drivers often turn in and out of Green Dragon Lane without giving way to those on the cycle lane (who have priority). Several people have reported very near misses from a driver turning across their path as they cycle across the mouth of the junction. The risk is especially high from drivers turning left into Green Dragon Lane, as a northbound cyclist would have their bike to the car and would be unable to see it indicated or start to turn.

In response to our concerns, the council has changed the colour of the bike lane using a scree surface. This does make the lane clearer to drivers. However, drivers are still not respecting it, as shown in the video below where a driver stops his car right on top of the lane.

We think that further measures are needed to improve safety at this junction. 

The jug-handle turn needs signing

This junction has a ‘jug-handle’ turn for cycles turning right from Green Dragon Lane onto the A105. We welcome this safe design, but it’s not clear at first glance how to use it – the route takes the cyclist first sharp left, along a pavement-level cycle track and then across the tiger crossing before  turning right to join the cycle lane on the other side. Turning left in order to go right is counter-intuitive without signs.

We would like a sign and/or painted symbols on the road and track to guide cyclists around the jug-handle turn. We would also like to see a more gentle left-hand turn onto the jug-handle track rather than the current sharp right angle.

Council response

1. Cycle lane across junction: Cycle Enfield have changed the colour of the cycle lane as requested across the mouth of the junction, but we think that further measures are needed.
2. Jug handle turn: Cycle Enfield will consider how to clarify the right-hand turn – Richard Eason, June 2017.

A105/Fords Grove/Station Road junction

RESOLVED

The issue

We welcome this new signalised junction in the place of a mini roundabout which saw a number of collisions. However, the traffic lights phasing only gave 8-10 seconds for traffic moving from Station Road and Fords Grove, leading to tailbacks along both streets.

Council response

The council contacted Transport for London engineers who adjusted the signals on 25 May 2017. This junction now appears to be working well for driving.

 

A105/Fords Grove junction crossing

The issue

The remodelling of this junction removed dropped kerbs which enabled pedestrians with buggies (and presumably wheelchair users) to more easily cross at the mouth of Fords Grove. Without the dropped kerbs this crossing is harder to negotiate.

Our recommendation

We would like to see dropped kerbs reinstalled for buggies and wheelchair users, and any other measures that enable people to cross this junction safely on foot. This is important not just for safety, but also to create a pleasant shopping experience that increases footfall on the high street and boosts business.

Council response

We are waiting to hear back from the council about this (May 2017).

 

A105 Sainsbury’s junction cycle lights

RESOLVED

The issue

Traffic lights as you approach Sainsbury’s junction northbound on a bicycle are not “on demand” despite there being a sensor.  So the cycling phase is part of the traffic light sequence even if there are no cyclists. Having this extra phase is causing an additional delay to motor traffic.

Our recommendation

Set up the sensor and get this phase back “on demand”.

Council response

Yes, the site is currently running under a fixed time plan as the CLF plans that allow for demand dependency were incorrect. This means that for the time being every stage will run in every cycle. We need to get these CLF plans updated so that we can have appropriate timings and demand dependency functionality back.

19th June 2017