In this piece, community reporters Jill and Mary interview design engineer Rebecca Jones from Urban Movement about the Dartmouth Park ‘charter’.  Working together with the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum, Urban Movement held in-depth conversations with local residents, businesses and organisations last year before writing up a report and setting out its ‘charter’ of rules or guidelines. The charter has 15 ‘rules’ that any traffic-busting scheme in Dartmouth Park will need to stick to in future.

Jill and Mary both live in the Dartmouth Park neighbourhood and have a strong interest in any streetscape changes made in the area. This is their first interview as community reporters.

 

EXTRA INFORMATION 

In late July 2020 the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum undertook a survey of local people and businesses to test the water on the community’s views on traffic and travel in their area. The survey took place over 2 weeks  and was completed by 401 people.

Responses were received from a broad range of people:

• Living on 67 different streets
• 44% under the age of 50
• 45% have children under 18 in their household

Findings

Regarding issues experienced:

• 82% think there was too much traffic in Dartmouth Park before lockdown
• 70% think there was too much traffic on their street before lockdown
• At least half of respondents say that their immediate local area suffers from:
  • noticeable pollution
  • excessive rat-running
  • excessive speeding
• 94% appreciated the fall in traffic and improved air quality during lockdown.

Regarding possible interventions, the following number show how many respondents say they are very supportive and quite supportive of each measure:

• 77% support removing obstructions from pavements for people with disabilities
• 75% support reducing through traffic
• 73% support trialling a Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme in Dartmouth Park
• 71% support cycle lanes on busy roads such as Highgate Road and Gordon House Road
• 69% support banning through traffic so long as traffic is not displaced onto other local residential streets
• 68% support restricting through traffic at peak times
• 64% support pedestrian/zebra crossings across main roads
• 62% support widening pavements where practical
• 62% support changing some streets into pedestrian areas
• 61% support play streets – temporary closure of residential streets to allow children to play
• 60% support vehicle-activated speed signs
• 55% support rephasing traffic lights to benefit pedestrians
• 54% support more cycle parking hangars
• 50% support removing pavement parking
• 47% support extending bike hire into Dartmouth Park
• 46% support more cycle paths on Hampstead Heath
• 46% support removing parking from Highgate Road to allow more space for cycling
• 45% support more one way streets
• 39% support secure parking for cargo bikes
• 39% support traffic calming such as speed humps
• 34% support more brightly lit streets

When people were asked what measures they would support to help the businesses and enable safe community interaction in our 4 local centres:

• For Swain’s Lane:
  • 78% support more cycle parking
  • 77% support more places to sit
  • 77% support more planting and environmental improvements
  • 76% support new public toilets
  • 74% support closing to traffic at weekends to allow businesses to put tables and chairs in the street
  • 72% support restricting traffic access to improve the environment for pedestrians and outdoor customers
  • 68% support removing some parking to allow businesses to put out more tables and chairs
• For York Rise/Chetwynd Road:
  • 66% support more planting and environmental improvements
  • 65% support removing some parking to allow businesses to put out more tables and chairs
  • 65% support closing to traffic at weekends to allow businesses to put tables and chairs in the street
  • 61% support restricting traffic access to improve the environment for pedestrians and outdoor customers
  • 55% support more cycle parking
  • 54% support more places to sit
• For Highgate Road (around Parliament Hill Medical Centre):
  • 74% support more planting and environmental improvements
  • 70% support more cycle parking
  • 65% support new public toilets
  • 56% support more places to sit
• For Chester Road:
  • 68% support more planting and environmental improvements
  • 60% support more cycle parking
  • 54% support more places to sit