Today I went on my first ride with a group that organises monthly group rides around our local area.
I cycle for utility reasons not for sport or leisure and am keen that the route we took, riddled with potholes, is improved for all who share these spaces, to make them safe and accessible.
The first mission was crossing from the Tally Ho triangle island on foot to the left lane, past parked cars and 2 lanes of speeding cars.
Recommendations
North Finchley:
Remove the 1 way gyratory system, widen pavements and add a cycle-way to the town centre. add safer crossings and design for a 20 mph speed limit or slower. Add cycle phase traffic lights and bike box to allow riders to continue on the left when no traffic is coming across, while car red traffic light phases are on. Build more public toilets possibly in the Arts Depot which will open on a Sunday morning as pubs are not open till later. clean the pidgeon poo off the area. Fill in the potholes (too many to name individually).
West Finchley: create a parallel cycle quietway between the A1000 and the Dollis river green walk, connecting schools, park entrances, tube stations, and the church hall where Barnet Cyclists meets monthly! Again 20 mph speed limits would be good value to invest in.
Parked cars allocated in the zone for residents could form a metal barrier separating a re-configured street layout with a safe space to cycle.
Street junctions would be designed for 20mph traffic to travel separately to walkers and bikes, mobility scooters, e-bikes, and electric scooters.
Parked cars blocking the cycle filter near the allotments would be dealt with in a tough manner when reported by the public 24/7.
Mill Hill East:
Bittacy Roundabout would be dutch style. Examples are available in many English cities and guidance called the Local Transport Note 1/20. Bittacy Roundabout already contains a quieter segregated section of road that could be a cycleway linking Bittacy Hill and Holders Hill. We took a quiet route to Mill Hill East via Abercourn Road. It is one-way and should have a safe cycle lane going the other way in both directions possibly as part of a quiet-way.
We took a left down Sanders Lane via Bittacy Road. Sanders Lane can be difficult to navigate at junctions, due to the down-hill sharp corner, road layout, fallen leaves, bollards, kerbs, and parked vehicle opposite 50 Sanders Lane. This route avoids part of Devonshire Road and the busy roundabout which is difficult to navigate by bike.
Coming up Devonshire Road over the old railway bridge, there is some odd layout that is not cycle friendly. Coming down there is a lot of car parking for the football at the weekend. Going past the school, the right turn could be made safer at the mini-roundabout. Parked vehicles at school run time make the area less safe to cycle at the very time it is needed.
Bunns Lane crosses two loud motorways and the railway bridge. This area is dark and does not feel safe. Walking could be improved and made brighter, safer, and less messy, between the bus stop, rail station, and the industrial estate. The layout is bizarre along the A41 and a lot of land is dis-used and empty space which could be returned to nature or a traffic free gradual ramp or route of some sort. There is some excellent street art there. Flooding presents a problem here as well as car parking spaces allocated on the pavement which makes the area feel less safe on Bunns Lane and Pursley Road.
Edgwarebury
Our route took us along Hale Drive which could be 20 mph and is near 2 primary schools. Cycle routes could be creates which will ultimately link with a new traffic free route through the Edgware Primary school Super Zone along the old rail land. Pupils at Edgware Primary would like school streets there, less car parking around, and more green space and outdoor space to play. But we took the current suburban route down Westway, Brook Avenue and Farm Road and past the Bank along Edgwarebury Lane where we waited at some traffic lights and crossed 5 lanes of traffic, which I recommend is improved for cyclists crossing there, with cyclist traffic lights, bike box, and good cycle parking at Mowbrey Parade shops.
We continued past the Jewish Cemeratry which has a steady flow of car traffic Sunday-Friday, and past some horses and along a bridleway, which crosses the M1 motorway. At this point there is a concrete block which makes the cycle path inaccessible to many e-bikes, though the gate does not seem to stop fly-tippers. This would be a good place to organise a community litter pick.
I would recommend cycle parkin for the Jewish Cemetary, which serves many local residents within a 15 minute walk or cycle journey.
The area is a great place to go on a walk but does not have pavements at this stage being Green Belt land. It would benefit from somewhere to rest and sit after the steep hill.
High Barnet
On our way back, we passed Wellhouse Lane and Wood Street, passing some wonderful Whale-bones.
I would recommend improvements to cycling to the hospital for staff who regularly cycle near their home in inner North London but have to occasionally visit Barnet General Hospital.
The junction of Wood Street and High Street is still not designed for cyclists.
I would recommend a safe crawler lane for cyclists up Barnet Hill.
Western Parade and Great North Road have an ancient lost cycleway which shows huge potential for a fantastic cycleway between High Barnet and Totteridge, but the junction outside the cinema towards New Barnet needs taking out and replacing with a public square that contains the abandoned building and greenery. At this point I note John's Cycles, a cycle repair shop, which will benefit from increased trade when the A1000 is made safe.
Whetstone
After Farnham close and Friern mount drive, the A1000 cycleway would cross from the West to the East side of the road. The design of this crossing would retain some car parking spaces but re-design the space so it does not put them in a place that does not pose a danger to cyclists.
At this point I would come off the A1000 down St Margrets Road avoiding the nasty junctions, or turn right at Kwik fit down woodhouse lane towards the quiet way and past the church hall where there is a drop off for Finchely Food Bank and where Barnet Cyclists meet.
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