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by Frank Harding Fitzjohns Avenue area and the School Run On 16 February the Executive (Environment) Sub-Group of Camden Council approved proposals to implement a local safety and school travel plan. These proposals include the introduction of a 20mph speed limit on Fitzjohns Avenue which will be enforced by eight average speed cameras, the creation of bus bays in the area to allow school buses to drop off and collect children and the consequent changes to the affected residents’ parking bays without the net loss of the number of bays available. The Society had long been involved with the discussions leading up to these proposals, supported them and encouraged its members to do likewise. It is hoped that as a result of the above proposals the pilot scheme introduced in March will develop into a sustainable scheme for the bussing of pupils from north, north-west and west London to and from the schools in the area. This would lead to a significant reduction in the volume of traffic in and around Fitzjohns Avenue at school opening and closing times. I trust that the parents will avail themselves of the scheme and that it will prove sufficiently successful that it can be fully implemented over the long term. Heath Street and through traffic "Smash the next lamp on the left, crack the paving stones by the pub, nudge the Victorian post box, scrape the drinking trough, then just follow the skid marks to Camden."
We have recently witnessed again the closure of Heath Street due to subsidence. The foundations for the road and surrounding buildings are built on Claygate beds and Bagshot sands; this has lead to instability and is no doubt at least largely to blame for the problems. However the increasing use of Heath Street by large coaches, buses and commercial vehicles must also be in part responsible. The Society has therefore proposed to Camden that coaches and heavy goods vehicles be denied access to the centre of Hampstead and thus to Heath Street except if they have business in the village. If such a restriction is introduced, the law of unintended consequences must not be allowed to follow. Thus those vehicles banned from access to the village must not be allowed to worsen the existing travel bottle necks of East Heath Road and West Heath Road. This will entail putting restrictions on a number of roads for such heavy vehicles at, for example, Swiss Cottage on Fitzjohn’s Avenue, Chalk Farm on Haverstock Hill, South End Green on East Heath Road, Golders Green on North End Road, Highgate on Hampstead Lane, the West Heath on West Heath Road, Finchley Road at various junctions and no doubt a number of other intermediate places. |
