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Pedestrian crossing planned for Henlys Corner
9:48am Monday 3rd March 2008
Comments (4)A proposed solution to traffic turmoil at the notorious Henlys Corner in Finchley has been welcomed by residents and campaigners.
Plans by Transport for London (TfL) would see signal-controlled pedestrian crossings installed at the junction of the A406, Regents Park Road, and Finchley Road.
The junction has become an accident blackspot in recent years, with 176 collisions in the area over the past decade.
The Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron, has backed the plans, and said there it is "urgent" a solution is found.
"The new proposals from TfL are a step forward and will make Henlys Corner safer for residents, and also for the thousands of motorists who use these roads every day," she added.
"Now that clear solutions have been identified, which are realistic and sensitive to the needs of the community, it is important the work starts as soon as possible."
MP for Finchley and Golders Green Rudi Vis also welcomed the news. He said: "This has been an important issue for residents over many years and this is a decisive step forward."
Thea Valman, of Bridge Lane, Finchley, has collected more than 1,000 signatures in support of her campaign for measures to make it easier for pedestrians crossing the junction, and improve access to Finchley Synagogue, in Kinloss Gardens.
She said: "People are frightened of crossing that road. People drive rather than walk a few yards.
"TfL showed us some good plans and I think it has done very well, and now it is just up to Barnet Council to approve them."
The junction is the joint responsibility of TfL and the London borough of Barnet, and discussions between both parties have begun.
A council spokeswoman said: "Council officers have met with TfL and we are aware it is in the early stages of developing proposals for Henlys Corner.
"The council is keen for improvements to be made at the junction, but it is important that any improvements do not increase congestion, nor preclude any future scheme which would address the whole range of problems, including accidents, which exist at the junction."
But Barnet councillor Brian Coleman, deputy chairman of the London Assembly, said: "It is sheer bloody mindedness and won't benefit residents, motorists or anyone else, I can't work out what the improvements are.
"They haven't published these proposals. It is a deliberate move to assist the Labour political campaign and TfL is doing this for political reasons."
He added: "I want a proper sustainable investment that will solve this problem once and for all."
Your Say YourTimes Series
Barry Graham, Washington DC says...
5:03am Tue 4 Mar 08
Seriously though, I agree with the previous comment. The only solution to the problem is to put underpasses at all the major intersections on this road. Hopefully when Red Ken is defeated and a sensible mayor is elected (which I don't think I can help make happen now I don't live in London), hopefully a real solution to the A406 woes will be implemented, and those three underpass/overpass schemes which were approved years ago, will finally be built.
Alexis, Finchley says...
5:50pm Wed 12 Mar 08
Martin Rosen, Colindale says...
11:54am Tue 25 Mar 08
I am sure this paper will be reporting another new proposal in 2012 (to make sure the Olympians can get through unheeded!).
I don't know how long it would take an average person to cross the road if there was no traffic to worry about, but here is a radical solution. Everytime the lights are red on the A406 then the lights on Regents Park Road/Finchley Road remain red for the appropriate number of seconds. No need for a footbridge, or underground tunnel. Is that too easy?
Henlys Corner at rush hour
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Simon Rockman, Finchley says...
3:17pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Henlys Corner has needed upgrading since Henlys was the garage there. It needs a major underpass like the one which replaced the junction of the North Circular Road and East End Road just a mile away.
If you want people to be safe from cars you need to separate people and cars. This is best done by putting the cars through an underpass and letting people cross quiet roads. A footbridge is a poor solution because people are likely to risk mixing with the traffic rather than go to the effort of climbing a bridge. Far better to put the car or lorry over or under the direct route and make life easier for people.
The junction is more than overloaded today. Today traffic can back up to East End Road in the North, Brent Cross in the West, Marketplace in the East and all the way to Golders Green in the South. Frustrated motorists are not something you want around people.
And thats before Nicky Gavrons pedestrian controlled lights. Introducing additional traffic delays will just make things worse until people decide that Finchley, Golders Green, Hampstead Garden Suburb and Hendon are not places they want to live anymore.
Exacerbating the traffic problem might suit her agenda of increasing congestion so that the congestion charging zone can be brought all the way out to the North Circular but its not good for the residents.
Motorists who have been held up in constant stop-start traffic will become less attentive to traffic signals. Cyclists routinely ignore them anyway. The result will be more accidents not fewer.
Putting buttons on traffic lights might have the air of doing something about the problem but it is worse than ineffective, and cheap. Perhaps you can see why our MP likes it so much.