"Traffic Congestion, increased traffic noise and pollution in Downhills Park Area"

A review of Haringey Advertiser by Peter Griffiths written on Sunday 20th of April 2008

This is not a review but perhaps a story you can use, if you have another email link for these let me know

Traffic Congestion, increased traffic noise and pollution in Downhills Park Area

Residents in Downhill’s park Road and Belmont Road will not have failed to notice that since mid March, Cars have been parked in a permanently congested way on both sides of Downhills Park Road and Belmont Road, from the roundabout up to the Lordship Lane Recreation ground entrance. What was a Saturday and Sunday phenomena, due to park activities, has now become a 24/7 one. This is because a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) has been introduced into the area the other side of the Downhills Park Road/Belmont Road roundabout.

There has been displacement parking into Downhills Park Road and Belmont Road by those not wishing to pay the CPZ charge and commuters who park for the day and walk to the tube.

Overall the effects have been:-

Congestion, buses not being able to pass and having to stop at the roundabout blocking traffic in Belmont Road and Downhills Park Way, buses not being able to stop safely and let passengers off on the curb - or easily pick up passengers, increased car hooting, car noise, traffic jams and more car pollution. If you have a car you probably are finding it even more difficult to park and cannot park in the remainder of Downhills Park area where there’s CPZ - but now lots of space. Cars are equally at increased risk of being scraped, as cars narrowly pass through the alleyway that is now Downhills Park Road.

Having made representations to the Council in March the following response was received from Mr Valerio Vincent Project Engineer, Traffic and Road Safety Group, Haringey Council in Mid April :-

Dear Sir,

Re: Downhills Park Road N17 6BP and CPZ

Thank you for your email of the 25 March 2008, addressed to Cllr Haley and Tony Kennedy regarding the above matter. I am responding on their behalf.

I sympathise with any parking pressures you are experiencing and can assure you the council is keen to address parking problems associated with non-resident parking. There are no plans to review the Wood Green CPZ this financial year however if you can provide evidence, possibly in the form of a petition, that there is a majority of support for parking controls in your their road and the neighbouring roads your request will be considered further with Cllr Haley our Cabinet member responsible for parking issues.

Please contact me should you require any further information on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Vincent Valerio

Project Engineer | Traffic and Road Safety Group | Haringey Council

( 020 8489 1325 | 020 8489 1251 | vincent.valerio@haringey.gov.uk

River Park House, 1st Floor South, 225 High Road, N22 8HQ

Whether or not you do or do not agree with CPZ, its introduction adjacent to the Downhill’s Park neighbourhood has resulted in the problems above.

Now whilst a petition maybe required, its suggestion does seem to displace the problem and the resolution for this mess onto local residents – which in a way reflects the displacement of the cars in the first place! and a rather complacent attitude on the part of Haringey Council.

It also seems there are no plans, nor intentions to try and sort this out in the near future.

The problems have been created by a poorly thought through CPZ implementation plan by the council, when it should have been clear what the knock-on-effect would be and it should be the responsibility of the council workers and council members to sort this out.

If residents are concerned about this situation they could phone, write to or send an email to:-

Haringey Council Project Engineer

Mr Vincent Valerio, Project Engineer,| Traffic and Road Safety Group, Haringey Council

Tel020 8489 1325 or 020 8489 1251 vincent.valerio@haringey.gov.uk

Haringey Council Member for Environment and Conservation (and Parking)

Cllr Brian Haley tel 020 8340 3260 Brian.Haley@haringey.gov.uk

Local West Green Labour Councilors (who have been remarkably quiet about this)

Cllr Rahman Khan tel 020 8374 1630 Rahman.Khan@haringey.gov.uk

Cllr Eddie Griffith tel 07870 157701 Eddie.Griffith@haringey.gov.uk

Cllr Toni Mallet tel 07870 157883 toni.Mallett@haringey.gov.uk

Local Labour MP

David Lammy mail@davidlammy.co.uk or visit website http://www.davidlammy.co.uk

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