Save Our Green Lanes, a campaign group formed of local residents and businesses, has applied for a judicial review of Enfield Council’s decision to go ahead with for the A105 Cycle Enfield scheme, from Palmers Green Library to Enfield Town.
Following the release of council documents that show negative impacts on residents’ parking, the viability of businesses, air quality, traffic congestion, bus journey times, bus passenger and disabled pedestrian safety, as well as emergency services response times, the group has decided to take legal action.
Spokesman Costas Georgiou said “We support cycling and walking but the Council did not tell people the whole story about the impacts of the cycling scheme when it consulted. The council has still not addressed valid concerns. The cycle lanes are bad news for our local community. We have been left with no option but to apply for judicial review proceedings in the High Court. We served the court papers on Enfield Council on Friday 27th May.”
The scheme would put 1.8 metre (almost 6 feet) wide segregated cycle lanes on each side of the road, which would be in force 24 hours a day. Residential and shop parking would be lost along much of the route, including yellow lines currently used in the evenings. Although the council has offered to drop kerbs for residents, it will not pay for hard standings for driveways.
Buses would stop in the middle of the road, rather than in lay-bys. And bus passengers would have to cross cycle lanes when they get on and off.
Many businesses do not have rear access and would not be able to function without deliveries from the front or customers being able to collect takeaway food. Mr Georgiou, who also chairs the Green Lanes Business Association, said “Concerns about the cycle lane scheme are making businesses think twice about opening in Palmers Green. We had two empty units in 2013 and now we have twelve. The council is not interested in parallel routes which would create benefits for cyclists without damage to everyone else. No discount on rates is being offered during the construction phase, nor compensation for reduced trade and loss of residential parking afterwards.”
Save Our Green Lanes is also running a petition to new Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, at http://chn.ge/1WV5NGb This follows a referendum by David Burrowes MP, which showed that 75% of local residents opposed the cycle lane scheme.
The A105 Green Lanes to London Road scheme is part of wider £42 million proposals, which are mostly being funded by Transport for London. The cycle lane plans include Enfield Town, Southbury Road and Hertford Road.