Enfield Council is seeking views on the introduction of low-traffic neighbourhoods in Bowes Park and Edmonton Green

Enfield Council has launched two early public consultations on proposed low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) in different parts of the borough.

The new LTNs – dubbed ‘quieter neighbourhoods’ by the council – are being planned for ‘Bowes East’ and Edmonton Green.

The first would encompass seven streets in an area to the east of Green Lanes and south of the North Circular, not far from the existing ‘Bowes Primary Area’ LTN the council installed in 2020 and made permanent last year.

The second LTN proposal is for a large area of Edmonton Green, to the east of Fore Street and north of the North Circular, including more than 50 residential streets in total.

LTNs typically involve a combination of measures to limit through-traffic on residential streets, such as enforcement cameras, bollards and plant boxes, restricting access for motor vehicles to local traffic only. Cyclists, scooters and mopeds are usually still permitted to pass through LTNs.

No detailed plans for the two new Enfield LTNs have been published, with views only being sought from residents at this stage on how current traffic levels impact their lives and what type of measures they would like to see to restrict motor vehicle movements in the area.

In its consultation pages on the two proposals, launched this week, the council states: “Over the last few years, Enfield Council has taken action to redesign many of our streets, introducing new pedestrian crossings, segregated cycle lanes, school streets and cycle parking alongside other initiatives such as cycle training and free bike repairs.

“Quieter neighbourhoods form part of this comprehensive approach that the council is taking to reduce the speeds and volume of motor vehicles in the area and create an attractive and safe environment for people to travel by active and sustainable modes, such as walking and cycling. The long-term benefits we hope to see include improvements in people’s health, less congestion and safer roads, and improved air quality.”

“The quieter neighbourhood initiative considers the introduction of features such as modal filters, one-way streets, school streets and cycle parking.”

The last two LTNs introduced in Enfield in summer 2020 – the Bowes Primary Area and Fox Lane quieter neighbourhoods – polarised opinion between people who welcomed the restriction of traffic in their streets and those who argued the LTNs worsened problems by shifting traffic on to surrounding roads and increasing journey times.

After those two LTNs were introduced for a trial period, they were made permanent in early 2022 when council reports claimed they were a success, with traffic reduced inside the LTN areas, despite most consultation respondents submitting negative views on them.

The council was later forced to correct some of the data used in its report on the Fox Lane LTN, although it said this would not alter the decision made to make it permanent. A High Court judge also last year rejected a legal challenge brought by a local resident against the same scheme, while agreeing there were several “deficiencies” in the council’s consultation.

The council now says Edmonton Green has been chosen for a proposed LTN because “the area has poor air quality compared with other areas in Enfield, poor health and deprivation indicators that could be improved with active travel, two schools within the area, amenities in the area that could be accessed using active travel, high numbers of collisions for vehicles, pedestrians and people on bikes, and a high population density which would benefit from the improvements”.

Similarly, the Bowes East LTN was chosen “because the area has poor air quality compared with other areas in Enfield, poor health and deprivation indicators that could be improved with active travel, two schools within the area and limited areas of open space”.

A series of engagement events, including webinars and drop-in sessions, are now planned by the council over the next few weeks.

For more information on the Bowes East Quieter Neighbourhood:
Visit https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/boweseastqn

For more information on the Edmonton Green Quieter Neighbourhood:
Visit https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/edmontongreenqn

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