Thread by @HaringeyCyclist

The Bruce Grove West Green low traffic neighbourhood goes live today.

There are a few metrics for judging an #LTN – including what it does for those who would like to cycle to get around, but only if it feels safe. On this, this particular LTN delivers in absolute ♠️s.
🧵1/13

Why? Because it radically improves two key cycle routes in the borough – one running north to south from Enfield down to Hackney and the other running east to west straight across Haringey. Details in a moment, but first…
2/13

Check out this slice of cycling history in the area! Back in 1938 the TV cameras were there when a model traffic area to prepare kids for cycling on road opened in Lordship Rec, right in the middle of the LTN. It remains much loved.

britishpathe.com/video/model-tr…
3/13

84 years on and as well as preparing the kids of the area for the road, Haringey are now preparing the roads for the kids. 👏👏👏. Now, onto those routes.
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First, what is a cycle route? Well, just as a good walking route between two places tends to go where people actually to go, be direct and feel safe and pleasant, the same is broadly true for a good cycling route.
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But what is meant by safe? Broadly speaking, modern standards view this as either providing a cycle lane separate from the traffic (mostly used on main roads) or on other roads, preventing through traffic from using them, which is where the LTN comes in.

Compare photos:
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The north-south link runs straight down the LTN from the northern tip of Broadwater Road to where Napier Road hits Philip Lane. Pre-LTN, Broadwater Road was horrible to cycle on, particularly for southbound cyclists forced into the path of aggressive oncoming traffic.
7/13

The LTN here means that barring a couple of stretches further south in Hackney, there is now a decent cycle route (TFL call it Cycleway 1) running 13 miles from just south of the M25 at Waltham Cross all the way to Liverpool Street.
8/13

It’s the line running north to south through the middle of this map. Yes, it’s not a perfect route and in an ideal world there would also be high quality cycle lanes parallel on the Tottenham High Road. But it is a game changer.
9/13

East-west, there has long been a theoretical route running from Alexandra Palace, through Wood Green and then straight across what is the new LTN all the way to Tottenham Hale and the border with Waltham Forest.
10/13

Local main road alternatives currently provide few cycling facilities.
11/13

Until now, the part running through the new LTN has amounted to little more than just a few signs along what could be hostile roads to cycle on. The LTN should completely transform it and create a 1.7 mile safe link from Turnpike Lane to Tottenham High Road.
12/13

Many thanks to @N4Area for the great video of the St Ann's Big Ride & Walk from Chestnuts Park to Lordship Rec on 25 Sept 2022

@HaringeyLiving @carlafrancome @duckettsgreenHS @HealthyStAnns @HSNTottenham @HappyHaringey
@mikehakata @perayahmet @CllrSeema

What a low traffic neighbourhood does for those people who want to feel safe cycling to get to work or school or wherever is, obviously, not everything. But it should matter.
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See also: