Quietways Map

LCC are mapping ‘open’ sections of Quietways across London on this map.

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/QuietwayMapping

Barnet

A Quietway (now called the Barnet Cycleway) is being planned from North Finchley to Hornsey:

Barnet Cyclists rode this route with Sustrans representatives and the Barnet Council Cycling Officer on 24/04/2017.

Numbers e.g. #17, refer to the numbered interventions planned by Sustrans shown on the document QDP Hornsey to North Finchley DRAFT5.PDF.

A1000 North Finchley. There is no convenient, safe method for cyclists to cross the A1000 at the Friern Park junction, which is the start/end of the Quietway and to provide a link to the Dollis Valley off-road cycle route. There is a Pelican crossing 50m north along a busy pavement, so any Grade 2 Bikeability cyclist wishing to cross and continue on Lodge Lane (to access the Dollis Valley cycle route) would need to walk their bike to this point. Ideally these two routes should be linked, if and when further funding is available.

At the entrance to Friern Park a raised table crossing is needed to emphasise the start of the Quietway.

Pinch points (3) on Friern Park (#17). Often there are cars parked on both sides of the road, and at these pinch points there are bicycle bypasses next to the kerb on both sides. These require cyclists to swerve left to enter them and right to rejoin the road to continue past the parked cars. If pinch points were to be retained for traffic calming, the preference would be to remove the build-out on the downhill side, allowing faster moving cyclists to avoid deviating, and to widen the build-out on the uphill side where cyclists will be much slower and will have more time to move back out safely.

The important point is that the current arrangement does nothing more than the parked cars on both sides to slow traffic. What is needed is an offset pinch point with a cycle bypass, as shown in LCDS Chapter 5 page 17 (pictured below). This also provides a narrowing for pedestrians to cross the road and the restricted parking should provide clear sight lines.

Note on traffic speeds: The speed limit here and elsewhere on this Quietway is 30 mph. A lower speed limit of 20 mph would make this more attractive for novice cyclists and, in particular, for children cycling to local schools. Pinch points might not be necessary if a 20 mph were in place and speed cameras were used to enforce it.

Buxted Rd / Ashurst Rd mini-rbt (#16). This should be replaced with a raised table junction. The road priority should be set to follow the cycle route around this corner. Corners to be tightened and double yellow lines used to prevent parking near the junction. It was noted that footpaths were being upgraded currently and dropped kerbs were being installed.

Note: An alternative route via Torrington Grove – Buxted Road would be more direct and give access to The Wren Academy, but Torrington Grove is a steeper hill than Ashurst Road.

Note on rat running: Buxted Road is a notorious rat-run avoiding the major traffic lights at Friern Barnet Lane / Friern Barnet Road. Some modal filtering would be extremely useful to prevent this and for this to be a Quietway.

Friern Barnet Lane (#14): Need to cater for cyclists from Buxted Road turning right to join path beside Friern Barnet Lane. This is a very busy turning used by rat runners avoiding traffic lights at Friern Barnet Lane / Woodhouse Road. New path through grass verges should cut corner to avoid steep slope. Some smooth meandering would be beneficial. Should be flush with ground level and coloured green to blend.

Entrance to Goldsmith Road (#13): Bollard and raised kerb separating two-way cycle lanes causes each to be too narrow and should definitely go. Cars tend to park right up to the cycle lanes in Goldsmith Road. Parking should not be allowed where the cycle lanes join the main part of Goldsmith Road.

Friern Barnet road / Ramsden Road (#12): At this point the Quietway from the west joins a very busy road. Suggest not using the slip road; instead put a path over the grass verge, or use part of the wide pavement as a cycle track. This would bring the cycle junction on Ramsden Road further away from the main road junction to facilitate safer crossing onto Ramsden Road when going west.

Road bridge over North Circular (#07 & 08): Latest proposal is to make the road one-way southbound over the bridge and to use the northbound lane as a two-way cycle route, protected by armadillos, with Tiger crossings at each side. This avoids need to raise the parapet.

Note on safety: While there we witnessed a car cross the bridge going south then illegally use the ‘wrong’ side of the roundabout to cut the corner to overtake another car that was using the roundabout properly! This raises a question on whether armadillos would be sufficient protection.

Access from Orion Road onto Alexandra Road: There needs to be a route for cyclists. Access is currently a flight of steps or what appears to be a pedestrian only route.

South of North Circular (#07): We would ask for a survey to establish the feasibility of building a new path from the roundabout above the N Circ. directly through Hollickwood Park and to leave the park at its southwest corner (recognising that the Golf Club might not allow use of their land). This would be a very pleasant green oasis and save the cost of other works (#06; #07). Removing the old railings could widen the path at the SW corner, as a new fence is located just beyond them.

Forest Walk (#05): An improved, smoother surface is needed to cater for more inexperienced cyclists. This path is used by walkers and there would need to be clear signage to show this is a shared use path. This is a secluded path and there is a question as to whether lighting is needed for cyclists and pedestrians using the path in the evenings. Sydney Road could be used as a nighttime alternative route.

Grosvenor Road barrier (#04): Cycle gap needs to be wider as well as removing bollards.

Barnet Cyclists 11/05/2017