COUNCIL TEXT

Hawley Road / Kentish Town Road / Camden Street is a busy signalised junction between Camden High Street and Royal College Street. There are pedestrian crossing facilities (“green man” activated via push button system) on Hawley Road and the northern arm of Kentish Town Road of the junction. Uncontrolled pedestrian crossing points are also provided on the southern arm of Kentish Town Road. However, there are no crossing facilities for pedestrians across Camden Street.

During the period from April 2001 to March 2004, there were 24-recorded accidents of which 18 involved vulnerable road users. Five of the total accidents were classified as being serious. The table below shows the different classification of accidents involving vulnerable road users.

As part of Camden Council’s policy to reduce accidents involving personal injury, the Council is proposing to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists at this junction in order to reduce the number and severity of accidents.

The Council would be pleased to hear your views on the proposed measures shown in detail inside this leaflet. Details on how to respond to this consultation are given on the back page of this leaflet.

Some statistics

In response to my questions, Ed Quartey told me the following by email:

• There were 104 cyclists (southbound) who turned into Camden Street between 7.30-8.30am and 146 between from 8.30-9.30am.
• there were 78 cyclists (southbound) who travelled into Kentish Town Road between 7.30-8.30am and 126 between 8.30-9.30am.
• The collisions were a result of left turning vehicles into Camden Street who turn across cyclists travelling ahead into Kentish Town Road.

CCC's response

This junction, together with the junction of Kentish Town Road with Royal College Street have for a long time been of considerable concern to cyclists, who, at times feel very unsafe. Our feelings about the heavy traffic on this section of Kentish Town Road are confirmed by the figures in the draft LIP (20-29 thousand vehicles per day).

For the junction under consideration, the main perceived danger is for southbound cyclists on Kentish Town Road proceeding straight on. This is mainly due to the alignment of the junction - the 45 degree left turn does not do enough to slow down the motorists turning into Camden Street. These feelings are verified by the casualty figures to cyclists travelling straight ahead and their location (in the middle of the road) when involved in collisions.

In addition, we understand from counts supplied by Ed Quartey that a large number of cyclists use this junction. Counts done between 7.30-8.30 am showed 104 cyclists turning left into Camden Street with 78 cyclists going straight on.

The measures proposed for the ASL in Kentish Town Road go some way towards alleviating these problems. First, the separation of motor traffic into two lanes should help when the lights are at red. Secondly, regarding the ASL - as there is one there already, the redesign with a central feeder is the only change. The central feeder should help cyclists that are going straight on, provided that they arrive at the right time. We recognise that there is not sufficient room to include a left feeder lane, but feel that to be regrettable. However, cyclists approaching the junction when the light is green will still be in considerable danger if they intend to go straight on, since motorists may try to overtake them and turn left across their path into Camden Road.

Measures are required to make cycling safe on this section of Kentish Town Road by reduction of the speed and volume of motorised traffic. The introduction of a 20 mph limit would be effective in reducing the speed. A redesign of the junction together with a return to two-way working would be even better.

Now, considering the other measures introduced:

• the ASL and feeder lane in the souther part of Kentish Town Road will be very helpful to northbound cyclists.
• The two new pedestrian crossings will be of great benefit to pedestrians. But the distance across Camden Street is very great. We believe that a central refuge would be of great benefit, giving pedestrians somewhere to stop and generally slowing down the traffic entering Camden Street.

Considering the Hawley Road approach to the junction: we believe that something should be done to help cyclists who wish to turn right into Kentish Town Road.

Question

Do you agree with the proposals for pedestrian crossing facilities on the southern arm of Kentish Town Road and Camden Street arm of the junction? Yes

Follow up

After responding to the consultation, a new problem has came to light regarding this junction. This was described to Ed Quartey in an email on 30 March 2005 as follows:

The problem concerns cyclists who approach the junction along Hawley Road, using the segregated cycle lane to approach the ASL box and then to proceed into Camden Street. I have been contacted by a cyclist who was doing just that when a lorry travelling beside him in Hawley Road did an illegal left turn and knocked him off near the corner of Kentish Town Road.

This occurred on 11th January and was reported to the police and ambulance service who both attended the site of the collision. The cyclist managed to crawl out from under the lorry but was severely shocked as well as badly cut and bruised and his cycle is a write-off.

The only indication that the left turn is not permitted is the standard symbol on the traffic light posts.

However there are two large road signs, one on each side of Hawley Road suggesting that traffic should turn left at the junction to reach Kentish Town. These have been poorly whitewashed out but the left-turn indication is still clearly visible to traffic. These two signs should be corrected immediately.

Please would you also study any further measures that could be taken to prevent any further illegal left turn at this junction.