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Forum topic: 'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

PGC Webmaster

05 May 2021 22:55 #5974

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[Original article]

This piece in praise of the Fox Lane low-traffic neighbourhood was posted on Twitter by Andrew Broadbent, a resident of the Mall, and is reproduced with his permission.

children in fox lane quieter neighbourhood

'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

A quiet lane, with wandering pedestrians, dogs, cyclists, children on scooters, and the occasional bus and delivery van . This is Fox Lane. It is a dreamlike contrast with what used to be a thundering main road, with several thousand polluting and speeding vehicles every day.

We are liberated. Instead of cowering in our separate, dangerous rat-run streets, we are now a 'neighbourhood'. A daily nature walk, a history walk or jog of discovery is a revelation, as you pass kids and mums and dads scooting, walking or cycling from school.

Woodpeckers echo along the Mall, ducks dabble and herons stalk in Conway pond. We have mapped an 8km circuit to jog, walk or run, touching all 20 or so streets with their 2-3000 houses.

Our own road had some 4000 sat-nav-driven through vehicles a day, with the 30mph limit exceeded, and rattling heavy lorries trundling through. People living 25 miles away, half way to Cambridge used our street as their the quickest route to East Finchley. Rush hour was chaos.

Amazing that a Council-would have the foresight, or expertise to implement such an idea – a ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’, even when backed by the government. Yet, after consultation and modifications, and a 6 month trial, many streets are now accessed from only one end rather than being open at both ends for through traffic.

There is vocal, organised and politicised opposition promoting scare stories against the evidence. They are in favour of through traffic and against ‘closing roads’. There has been criminal damage, theft and vandalism to barriers.

The scheme was difficult to contemplate for some people. It could add a few minutes to some local journey times. Were we to become ‘closed to outsiders’? There were lurid predictions of grid locked surrounding main roads, and delays to emergency vehicles.

Initial impressions are that much of the through traffic has gone elsewhere – the main roads often seem quieter, as the original 12,000 through vehicles have rerouted, or made different journeys. At times there are still main road queues. There always were – especially when the A406 closes.

Accumulating research, and ‘before and after’ studies from elsewhere – suggests the scare stories are just that, and that support from residents increases after schemes have bedded in.

Our road was a cart track until 1900. You sense the 1905 vision. ‘High Class Villas from £360 easy for the City and the new electric tram’. They were built on the Taylor-Walker country estate.

Some of the original quirky brick patterned front garden walls are still there. The old stocks on the green, the cattle pound at the top of Fox Lane, the huge cedar near the site of the Cullands Grove home of Lord Mayor Sir William Curtis who entertained the Tsar in the 1700’s, now all belong to us – within a few minutes stroll , in a way they never did.

For 1500 years the area was entirely rural, with shallow valleys and streams, until from 1700 Southgate became a landowner's enclave – only 8 miles from the City, with half a dozen great houses – a rich man’s green belt.

Now we have our neighbourhood back, we can begin to plan to repurpose our shared streetscape, with new planters, ‘parklets’, benches for socialising, children’s play squares, and much more. Liberation indeed.

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

Howard Toshman

06 May 2021 05:42 #5975

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This is a disturbing and biased opinion, common sense dictates that the closure of some roads will push all the traffic onto the remaining open roads which is exactly what has happened, for anyone using or living on those roads rush hour is now a living, polluted, congested nightmare.
Apart from this situation, Fox Lane and the other roads are now a dead zone, a vibeless, barran, dull place pretty much void of life
Yes we need cleaner streets but this is not the way forward

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

Matthew Stevens

06 May 2021 08:03 #5976

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Lol you have a funny perception of life. How does less traffic equal vibless barren and dull. Do you like hanging out at the vibey a406 for fun! Personally I think it's fantastic. But would like to look at the post Statistical analysis to see whats the real impact. If you have a link to some please post or stop making assumptions. But then again this country doesn't like facts or believing the experts as everyone knows best.

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

John Phillips

06 May 2021 08:47 #5977

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This is an excellent article. Who in their right mind wants all the traffic back?
The following user(s) said Thank You: Adrian Day

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

Anne Leonidou

06 May 2021 11:08 #5978

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All very nice for Fox Lane but how selfish and inconsiderate not to see the adverse affects on Alderman’s Hill, Broomfield Lane and Powys Lane to say the least. I have never experienced so much standstill traffic throughout the day and evening creating more pollution, aggravated drivers, and disruption to transportation. This is not the solution!

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

Adrian Day

06 May 2021 11:35 #5979

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On the contrary the Fox Lane streets are buzzing with people walking, cycling, scooting - and now they can actually talk in the street . If you think traffic brings excitement the North Circular is the place to hang out.

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

Adrian Day

06 May 2021 11:39 #5980

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'Common sense' actually say no roads are closed (every road in the Fox Lane LTN is accessible by a vehicle) and that now it's easier, quieter and safer to cycle, walk, scoot or use a mobility device more people will choose those options - so there will be less traffic on the roads.

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'We really do have a neighbourhood' – the effect of the Fox Lane LTN

John Phillips

06 May 2021 12:17 #5981

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I drive every day and use Aldermans Hill and Bourne Hill all the time. There is heavy traffic just as in many other places in the age of Covid, but it actually moves quite quickly.

In recent months I have been gridlocked far worse in Harringay, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet, Epping, Romford, Woodford, Chingford and Finsbury Park. (As well as Knutsford, Kendal and on the M6!) No LTNs in those places that I know of, just lots of extra Covid traffic.

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