A Beginner's Guide to the Climate Emergency...How travel is changing to beat climate change - May 20th

 

FROM BRENT COUNCIL

From electric cars to cycle super-highways, the way we travel has been changing for a while. But what might travel look like in years to come, as we rise to the challenge of climate change? Has lockdown sped up these changes, and how are local projects getting communities walking and cycling more?

From global trends to local initiatives that are smashing barriers and helping people out of their cars. Join our expert speakers from 6pm on Thursday 20 May as they share their no-nonsense guide to help you make sense of the climate emergency.

In A Beginner’s Guide to the Climate Emergency… How travel is changing to beat climate change you’ll hear from four speakers, and have the chance to follow up with any burning questions:

• Professor Nick Tyler – UCL and Co-investigator of Liveable Cities, a project looking at how to engineer low carbon UK cities

• Vieve Ford – Director of JoyRiders, a London-based organisation empowering women through cycling

• Carolyn Axtell – Community Organiser, #CarFreeLondon campaigner and Founder of JoyRiders

• Mark Falcon – Chair of Clean Air for Brent, a local coalition raising awareness about air pollution

 

Register here: https://a-beginners-guide-to-the-climate-emergency.eventbrite.co.uk

Greens launch #smogselfie campaign as smog hits London and SE

Today the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) issued a smog warning to London and the south-east as air pollution levels reached the maximum of Level 10 on recording devices.

The Department advised people living in the capital against doing any strenuous activity outdoors.
4000 people die prematurely in London every year and with the Mayor of London failing to take aaction to tackle this massive public health risk, the London Green Party took action with a new campaign - #smogselfie. The Party asked members and supporters and anyone who cares about air pollution in London to use the dust around the capital's roads to send their own messages to Boris Johnson calling for action.

In a statement to accompany the launch of the campaign, Caroline Russell a candidate in the upcoming May elections said:

As London and the South of England are finally given government health warnings about breathing air that is polluted by toxic vehicle emissions, it is time for the government to reconsider its transport policy.  The planning and transport policies that have built in car dependency over many years  are coming home to roost.  

We urgently need to prioritise public transport and make our cities, towns and villages safe and convenient for walking and cycling.  Active travel provides a double whammy solution - reducing air pollution and increasing physical activity, which is an effective cure for multiple health problems.

Brent Cyclists propose an achievable cycling revolution in the borough

Crossing the Welsh Harp

Brent Cyclists have issued an incredibly  thorough and imaginative 'Draft Cycling Plan for Brent' which aims to improve cycling across the borough and cycling links with central London, as well as tackle the major barriers to cycling in Central and North Brent. If their vision is realised it would not just be a cycling 'improvement' but a cycling revolution.

They argue that a 'mini Holland' is required in Central Brent:

The plan required to tackle these barriers to link the communities of mid-Brent with practical cycling and walking routes will be a major piece of work in itself. Brent Cyclists’ suggestions for priority changes needed for the mini-Holland in Wembley and Neasden are as follows:

A)

Alterations to the Neasden north and south roundabouts, to the cycle / pedestrian underpass at Neasden (or complete replacement) and to Dudden Hill Lane, Neasden Lane North and Blackbird Hill to create a viable cycle route to Wembley Park and the north of the borough, from the south and from central London. This will be discussed later under the heading “Jubilee Line Quietway”. This will be a completion of a Quietway using main roads and needs to be entirely segregated. This is a very large scheme in itself.

B)

A new link between Wembley park and Neasden spanning, or going under, the Metropolitan Line to fill in the long gap between the North Circular Road and Bridge Road crossings. This already features in the Wembley area Masterplan, but needs to be a priority step, before extensive redevelopment.

C)

A new link across the Chiltern Line between Wembley Park and the Harrow Road area, at Sherrans Farm Open Space

D)

Extension and improvement of the cycle route on the Brent River Path in both directions. At the north end, quality links to both new crossing A) above and to Bridge Road via North Road. At the south end, an improved, more efficient crossing of Harrow Road and an improved, safer linkage to the Stonebridge/ Abbey Road cycle bridge.

E)

Segregated cycle tracks along Forty Avenue and East Lane, or, where there is insufficient width, mandatory cycle lanes with removal of all parking.

F)

Prioritisation of cycling, walking and buses on Ealing road by removing the north-south through route for cars, forcing them to use Bridgewater Road instead, which is a more suitable route.

G)

Closing the through-route via St Johns Road and Llanover Road to cars to create a bike priority route parallel to the West Coast Main Line and opening up a route through the North Wembley Industrial Estate from there to Windermere Avenue, with appropriate crossing facilities at East Lane, to extend this route northwards.

H)

Linking Neasden Recreation Ground with Welsh Harp Open Space with a new path built in collaboration with the Canal and River Trust (who control the reservoir) which would either use the dam or a new bridge across the Brent. This should also, with the cooperation in addition of Barnet council, become part of a circular leisure cycling and walking route all round the reservoir. Brent Cyclists have already suggested several detailed options for this scheme.

I)

Replacing one or both of the spiral pedestrian footbridges across the North Circular Road at Kenwyn Avenue and the St Raphaels Estate with wide cycling and walking bridges with long, straight ramps. There is enough space in both these locations for this. These bridges must be connected with good, wide paths to the minor roads at either end.

Extensive proposals are also made for North Brent:

A)
A N-S route from Blackbird Cross on the A4140 via Salmon Street, Fryent Way, and
Honeypot Lane. Segregated cycle tracks or mandatory cycle lanes with no parking all the way are needed. On Fryent Way where there is the obvious opportunity to create cycle paths between the existing road and footpaths, and this could be the first part of the scheme. This route requires the collaboration of Harrow in Honeypot Lane, and it should be taken by Harrow all the way to Stanmore. Kingsbury Circle is currently a dangerous interruption on this route and needs either signalising or replacing with a Dutch-style roundabout (which TfL is currently experimenting with at the Transport Research laboratory in Berkshire).
B)
An E-W route on the A4006 (Kingsbury road and Kenton Road). These roads are wide enough for general segregation if the whole width of the road is redesigned. This requires the co-operation of Harrow on Kenton Road, and the route should link to Harrow town centre. Radical changes to the very dangerous Northwick Park roundabout (shared with Harrow) would be necessary, with cycle tracks on the roundabout, and signalisation.
C)
A new cycle path through West Hendon Playing Fields, N-S, along the Brent-Barnet boundary (to link with B) above) and with the existing path through Welsh Harp Open Space and to Birchen Grove, linking with the Jubilee Line route (see later).
D)
The LCN route on Draycott Avenue, Windermere Avenue and Grasmere Avenue needs cutting as a through-route for cars.
E)
A N-S route from Burnt Oak to Wembley is needed. Slough Lane /Salmon Street is already low-traffic due to aggressive traffic-calming, it being easier for cars to use Church Lane for that stretch, but the northern continuation in Roe Green and Stag Lane is too busy. The Stag Lane / Roe Green route needs cutting for motor through-traffic (buses could be allowed). The general traffic on this route should be on the A5 and A4006
F)
An route E-W route from Colindale to Queensbury via Holmstall Avenue and Beverley Drive is needed. Beverley Drive is wide enough for segregated cycle tracks,
G)
Cycling in Roe Green Park needs regularising, with widened paths and a proper link to the road at the Roe Green / Kingsbury Road junction.
H)
Church Lane (B454) is an important link road between Kingsbury and Neasden, but is  hostile to cycling because of high vehicle speeds combined with chicaines created by traffic islands and intermittent parking. The islands and hatching should be removed and replaced by zebra crossings, and on-street parking should be removed and replaced with cycle lanes or tracks.
I)
Old Church Lane (which has one of the better cycle facilities in Brent, a two-way track at its western end already) serves no function in the traffic system and should be closed to motor traffic. It is a cut-through for traffic turning left on to Blackbird Hill, but traffic can make that turn from Tudor Gardens 

These proposals merit serious consideration and would contribute enormously to Brent's Climate Change Strategy by encouraging more people to leave their cars behind and take to their bikes, secure in the knowledge that safe and secure routes are in place. As well as making commuting cycling more attractive it would also increase leisure cycling improving health and tackling obesity.

Brent Cyclists deserve congratulation and thanks for this far-sighted and thorough report which must have required an enormous amount of work by a small voluntary organisation.

It has not been possible to do the full 25 page report full justice in this summary. The full report can be found HERE