A two-mile cycle lane installed along the A1000 Finchley High Road has not led to an increase in vehicle journey times, according to Barnet Council.
Although some residents and businesses have raised concerns over increased congestion along the route – which runs between Bishops Avenue and Tally Ho Corner -overall journey times in both directions did not change following the scheme’s introduction, a council report claims.
However, the report adds that recent traffic survey data “reflects a transport situation that has been evolving to reflect the impact of Covid restrictions”.
More than 200 responses received during a subsequent council consultation claimed the lane – parts of which have reduced the carriageway used by cars from two lanes to one – had led to increased congestion or air pollution.
But the report states that a comparison of manual journey time surveys taken in July 2021 with historical mobile phone data indicates that journey times have not changed.
Data also showed average levels of nitrogen dioxide had reduced since the lane’s introduction, which the report states is likely due to the loss of parking spaces and the increased distance of the monitors from traffic.
The council is now considering several changes to the cycle lane before holding a consultation on whether to make it permanent. Proposed changes set out in the report include reintroducing two lanes to the A406 flyover by transferring cyclists to the footways.
The town hall is also holding talks with Haringey Council over linking up routes between the two boroughs, which could lead to the A1000 scheme becoming a “strategic cross-borough cycle route towards central London”.
Daniela Boyce, chair of Lodge Lane N12 Residents Association, said the general consensus was that cycle lanes were needed but congestion and air pollution had worsened following the A1000 scheme because of the lanes being “either too wide or non-existent”.
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Source : times
