Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed representatives of WalkSafe N10 Jenny Poirier,  Catherine Haigh, Melanie Grange and Ingrid Wassenaar. The Chair advised that the deputation had 5 minutes to present their deputation followed by questions from the Committee members.

Ms Poirier from the group WalkSafe N10 – advised the meeting that the Group were a local campaign made up of parents, residents, teachers and governors. More than 600 people had signed the online and paper petitions, and letters had been received in support from the governors of two local primary schools – Coldfall in Haringey and Coppetts Wood in Barnet, as well as from Hollickwood school.

Ms Poirier advised that WalkSafe N10 were calling on Barnet and Haringey councils to make the streets around these schools safer for children. The campaign was concerned about the number of near misses and accidents on these streets, and had  carried out a survey which provided evidence of these incidents.

Ms Poirier advised that in respect of the 20 mphissue the Campaign wanted Barnet and Haringey councils to introduce a 20 mph speed limit on the streets around Coldfall, Coppetts Wood and Hollickwood primary schools in North Muswell Hill. There were more than one thousand children attending these schools. Many currently walked to school on streets with cars doing speeds of 30 mph or more. Many had to cross roads where there were no pedestrian crossings or where the crossings that existed were inadequate. Ms Poirier commented that the campaign believed that 20 mph could largely be achieved by signage, but that some streets would need additional traffic calming measures, such as speed humps. It was felt that a proper survey done by both Councils would establish what needed to be done.

Concerning more pedestrian crossing on Colney Hatch Lane, Ms Poirier advised that this was a fast road with only one crossing, which was only a zebra, between St Peter le Poer and Alexandra Park Road. This was woefully inadequate, and every morning parents had to weave their children through the traffic, which was totally unsafe. In recent years there had been several serious injuries to pedestrians on Colney Hatch Lane and at least one fatality. Ms Poirier advised that many parents supported two new pedestrian crossings – one next to Greenham Road (Haringey) and one next to St Peter le Poer church (in Barnet).

Ms Poirier advised further that the Campaign wanted the Council to listen to the concerns about other road safety problems. The campaign carried out an  online survey, and people who answered listed their top priorities. Some of these were relatively quick and cheap to fix – such as an extended railing on the pavement near Coldfall school on Coppetts Road.

Ms Poirier handed the Chair a copy of the survey (a copy of which will be interleaved with the minutes), which expressed concerns.

Ms Poirier asked that the Area Committee :

1.    to agree to recommend that our points were looked at by Cabinet. It was  great  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77