We Asked, You Said, We Did

We asked

We wrote to you in September 2017 to let you know about an opportunity you have to benefit from Transport for London (TfL) funding to improve the Ashurst Road, Buxted Road, Friern Park and Friern Barnet Lane area. With TfL’s “Healthy Streets” funding, we are investing in local improvements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment. We know that residents have concerns about high traffic speeds and volume in your area and this has an impact on everyone, particularly on children, those with impaired mobility and people walking and cycling.

We asked you for your views on the proposed improvements to your local area, and how you feel about where you live, especially regarding your travel choices, road traffic and quality of your streets.

You said:

We received over 190 responses to the questionnaire carried out between September and October 2017, which was complemented by meetings with Friern Barnet School, Wren Academy, the Friern Barnet and Whetstone Residents Association, Barnet Cyclists and Barnet Borough Sight Impairments Group.

We found that:

· 75% of respondents think there is too much traffic in the area.

· 74% of respondents think that traffic travels too fast.

· 79% of parent respondents think it is difficult for vulnerable road users (including children) to move around the area comfortably.

· 76% of respondents support the installation of improved crossing points.

· The majority of respondents support measures to reduce traffic volumes (53% Strongly Agree; 27% Agree).

We did:

As a result of the feedback received, we are now developing proposals for a neighbourhood-wide scheme which most effectively addresses the concerns raised in the survey. Throughout this process we are working closely with local stakeholders including the emergency services, schools and local councillors to assess the various options and develop proposals which meet the needs of the community.

The final proposal will aim to connect residents to the London-wide cycle network of Quietways. These are quiet routes that follow back streets, parks and waterways that will safely connect you to shops, stations, workplaces and other destinations, and any improvements made will also improve conditions for walking.

The improvements proposed at the Ashurst/Buxted Road junction are likely to be on an experimental basis in Spring 2019, meaning that changes will be implemented for a period of six months, during which time we will monitor changes in the traffic and air quality to fully understand the impact of the chosen scheme. At the end of the six month trial, we will assess the monitoring data and assess all feedback received throughout the trial, and a decision on whether to make any scheme permanent will be made.

You will be invited to comment further on proposals in your area in autumn this year as part of the public consultation for the entire Hornsey to North Finchley Quietway route.

For further information on the design options being considered and to read the full findings of the questionnaire, please download the report from the Document Library