What: Islington consultation on northern half of Quietway 10
When: Respond by 15 July 2019
Ask: Support the plans, but ask for a 2-way filter on Gillespie Road and continuous cycle tracks to Aubert Park
How: Visit the consultation page to read about the project, then take the “Survey“
The Islington consultation is open on the northern half of Quietway 10. They have recently renamed this section the “Finsbury Park to Highbury Fields Cycleway,” but the route hasn’t changed. This route has been under discussion since 2015, and it’s vital that we support it. The plans have some very good points:
- Two-meter cycle tracks along the southern part of Drayton Park—the first major new protected cycle tracks on Islington roads in over a decade¹
- Floating parking by the ARSENAL sign will fix a vehicle conflict hotspot
- A new protected roundabout at the southern end of Benwell Road will improve cyclist and pedestrian safety
- Big improvements to pedestrian crossings
- Narrowed lanes will reduce car speeds
These are all essential improvements, and they need our support. That said, the plans are not enough to enable everyone from 8 to 80 to cycle on the route with safety and peace of mind. We urge you to demand these changes in your response:
- Make the Gillespie Road filter permanent, and make it apply in both directions
The ongoing trial of the vehicle filter on Gillespie Road is positive, but it is not sufficient to make this route a truly quiet and comfortable one for cyclists of all ages and abilities. The removal of parking on the south side of the road was essential, but it has made the road feel wider—something which unfortunately increases vehicle speeds. And vehicles can still use this rat run to travel east, which they do a lot in the evenings. The trial should be completed, and then made permanent. But this stretch of road, which lies on the Cycleway, also needs to be exclude traffic in both directions to bring down traffic numbers and provide a safe, comfortable environment for 8-year-olds to cycle in the road with their parents. - Continue the Drayton Park cycle tracks through the junction with Aubert Park
The cycle tracks are positive, but the southbound track doesn’t begin until Martineau Road. This will put southbound cyclists on a busy, straight road with speeding vans in the morning peak for two unnecessary blocks. The good news is that there is lots of space, as you can see in the plans. Islington needs to finish the job and extend the southbound cycle track all the way through the junction with Aubert Park, to the low-traffic street beyond. (See the above point.)
Please respond today! Scroll to the bottom to see the Detailed Plans and then click the “Survey” button.
¹ New tracks have been installed at Archway and Highbury Corner, but these are TfL roads. Islington itself did install a new bidirectional cycle track in Finsbury Square last year, but it is only about 80m long. The proposed tracks on Drayton Park, meanwhile, are over a kilometer long.