BHPRA responds to consultation on Bury Street West/Church St junction

The BHPRA have sent the following set of detailed comments to LBE regarding the proposed changes to the junction.

Bury Street West (BSW) and Church Street are important routes from the A105 down to the A10, to Edmonton Green and to Lower Edmonton. This is a busy junction which at times carries large vehicles, sometimes including buses ‘not in service’ or ‘on diversion’. Much of the traffic turns left from Church St. into BSW or right from BSW into Church St.

Summary of our observations

  • the proposed build-outs are excessive and with the narrowing of BSW will intensify congestion and pollution in the area. Some large vehicles will not be able to manage the turns, affecting, amongst others, bus movements and emergency services;
  • the congestion will have a detrimental knock-on affect to the A105;
  • traffic on neighbouring alternative routes is likely to increase e.g. in Park Avenue, side roads around Church St. and Firs Lane;
  • businesses near the junction will suffer through reduced loading and customer parking facilities;
  • the provision of way-finder signage in Little Bury St. seems inadequate for the introduction of two-way cycling on a narrow one-way bridge.

Our recommendations

  • consider moving the cycle crossing over BSW further eastwards but without destroying pedestrian desire lines. This could eliminate the need for the kerb build-outs in Church Street;
  • consider a design that gives a wider junction with 3 lanes (as now) and two islands;
  • consideration should be given to altering the timing and/or phasing of the traffic lights at Ridge Avenue to assist traffic using the BSW/Church St. junction;
  • consideration should be given to making the end of BSW a yellow box junction as right-turning traffic into Church Street is sometimes seen clogging-up the road. Contravention should not be subject to automatic fines via camera.

Further detailed observations and recommendations

Recent Cycle Enfield changes at the A105/Church St. junction

The recent changes to the lights at Ridge Ave have had a knock-on affects to the BSW junction and have exacerbated the congestion.

The altered timing of the lights has given a big advantage to A105 traffic. An increase in the timing given to Church Street is needed as, in effect, two roads (Church Street and Bury Street West) drain into the junction with the A105.

The left-filter for westbound A105 at Ridge Avenue turning into Church Street adds to this problem as it reduces the time available when right-turning BSW traffic can get out into Church Street. Additionally, a lot of motorists don’t see the filter as the signal is poorly sited for the first vehicle, leading to frustrated motorists. If it is kept, install more visible repeater light(s) to make it more efficacious.

Any congestion is this area affects buses and it is worth noting the proximity of the Church St. west bound W8 bus stop, which in effect narrows the road when a bus is there.

Build Outs on corners of Bury Street West

The build outs make the left turn into BSW very tight and will force vehicles of all sizes to arc out in the way of oncoming traffic.

Similarly traffic turning left out of BSW will come further out into the road than is desirable, especially taking the aforementioned bus stop into consideration.

Emergency vehicles will be subject to all these problems.

Cycle crossing facility at BSW

If, as seems likely, the design encourages cyclists to cross without stopping, (as at St. Stephens junction) requiring traffic in both directions to stop at short notice, this, exacerbated by the build outs, will cause congestion in BSW; tailbacks in both direction on Church St.; impacting on the A105 junction; affecting buses both ways and increasing pollution and likely leading to more accidents.

Signage should indicate that cyclists should stop and wait as pedestrians do.

Pedestrian crossing facility at BSW

Much as pedestrians need an improved crossing, it comes at the expense of congestion and more pollution, which is why one of our recommendations is to consider two refuges at the junction.

An informal crossing, with central refuge, in Church St. slightly south of Bury St. West, would assist bus users and help reduce the need to cross Bury St. West.

Deliveries and Parking

The design is likely to interfere with deliveries to Lords storage yard—including large vehicles carrying bottled gas whose transfer to storage should be as unimpeded as possible; similarly its collection by customers.

The build out on the Lords side will make the adjacent parking/loading bay in Church St. difficult to use and some loss of parking seems likely in BSW, all adversely impacting on local businesses.

Rain Gardens & Cycle Track

The combined width of the cycle track and the rain garden needs to be limited to ensure throughout an available footway width of at least 2 metres to enable buggies and wheelchairs to pass.

On-going regular and timely maintenance is needed for the rain gardens.

Blakesware Gardens junction with Church St. and shared space

Clear priority and adequate space should be given to pedestrians along pedestrian desire lines.

Public Realm Improvements

These should not obstruct pedestrian desire lines. Benches in the vicinity of e.g. cafes, barbers, should have adjacent bins for cigarettes and litter.

Little Bury Street

One would expect an increase in traffic using Little Bury Street and Blakesware Gardens as a result of this proposal which would negate some of the objectives being sought.

The Salmons Brook cycle track, entry and egress, joins Little Bury St. on the southern end of a narrow one-way bridge just north of Edmonton County School. This stretch gets very busy with road traffic heading for Church St. and with students on foot in both directions.

Presumably Cycle Enfield wishes to encourage cycling to and from the school without disadvantaging pedestrians. The introduction of two-way cycling along and across the bridge would surely require more than way finding signage to ensure everyone’s safety.

Any changes beyond those described in the consultation literature need to take account of large vehicles delivering to The Beehive and also to avoid reducing the already limited on-road parking in the area. The Beehive should be actively consulted.

Construction Phase

The prolonged construction phase of CE at the A105/Church St junction had severe consequences for some businesses, which have not entirely recovered. Another wave of construction in the vicinity of this junction needs to be tightly controlled and managed to avoid further adverse impact, whether short or long term. Mitigation must be agreed with businesses before work commences and then actively monitored by both the council and the contractors.

Comments are closed.