Bus lanes to be introduced on High Street approach to Barnet town centre — only six objections
A plan to introduce bus lanes along both sides of the busiest section of Barnet High Street — between the Wood Street junction at the Barnet parish church and Meadway — has been approved by Barnet Council and Transport for London.
Only six objections were registered after 456 letters were sent to nearby residents and businesses.
But an earlier council questionnaire and a petition organised by the former Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers indicated there was much wider opposition among local car drivers and other road users.
An official consultation process was launched in July last year after TfL surveys indicated delays to both southbound and northbound bus services using the High Street.
TfL says timings will be improved by the introduction of rush-hour bus lanes – operating Monday to Saturday from 7-10am and 4-7pm.
According to data published by Barnet Council around 6,700 bus passengers either board or alight each weekday at stops in this section of the High Street which is served by 11 bus routes.
The northbound bus lane would be from the junction with Meadway to the junction with Fitzjohn Avenue and the southbound bus lane would from the High Street junction with Wood Street as far as the junction with Normandy Avenue.
No loading will be permitted when the bus lanes are operational (7-10am and 4-7pm) but the inset parking bays on the southbound side between Wood Street and Meadway will not be affected and there will be no parking loss as a result.
To improve access for buses the kerb will be re-aligned outside the Red Lion public house and a bus stop on the other side of the road, near the junction with Park Road, will be relocated by seven metres.
In setting out the case for the introduction of three-metre-wide bus lanes, the council says that passenger numbers on bus routes passing through Barnet have increased to 208,000 trips per day.
However, passengers wait approximately 20 per cent longer than intended on high-frequency routes and travelling within the borough by car is typically two to four times faster than taking the bus.
A public questionnaire was distributed last summer which produced 439 responses – and 52 per cent of those replying thought a northbound bus lane was important and 62 per cent considered a southbound lane was important.
But 54 per cent of those who responded said they feared the introduction of bus lanes would lead to increased congestion.
The questionnaire was followed by a three-week statutory consultation which closed on December 19, and which resulted in only six objections, five of which warned of increased congestion.
While the consultation was taking place Ms Villiers says she received well over 4,000 signatures to a petition against the plans for bus lanes in Barnet High Street, Whetstone High Road and Cat Hill.
Later, when TfL dropped the plan for bus lanes at Whetstone and Cat Hill, she maintained her opposition to bus lanes in High Barnet on the grounds that they offered no significant benefit and would only worsen traffic conditions at the already complicated junction of the High Street with Wood Street.
Although she was no longer the Chipping Barnet MP, she was still strongly opposed to the scheme and was anxious that residents’ views should be heard.
“I am a resident of Arkley and regularly use this route as a tube and bus passenger, car driver, pedestrian and cyclist,” said Ms Villiers.
“In my nearly two decades of representing Chipping Barnet no one has ever asked me for a bus lane in Barnet High Street.
“Barring cars and vans from using road space in this location would cause significant and unnecessary congestion.
“This would harm community life in our neighbourhood by leading to more empty shops.”
15 thoughts on “Bus lanes to be introduced on High Street approach to Barnet town centre — only six objections”
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There were far more than 6 objections when they consulted residents initially. Most people I spoke to objected. Who were these 456 letters sent to? Presumably the Council did not get the response they wanted when they consulted so narrowed it down to just 456 people. That is not democracy. The proposal will increase congestion and thus increase pollution when the Council are trying to reach net zero.
I have seen no analysis of the actual changes in journey times and congestion for different road users. Without such any consultation was meaningless and the decision inadequately informed.
It would also surely have been sensible to delay the entire operation until after the likely imminent highly disruptive repairs to Barnet Hill.
Traffic management is a science. Changes in flow can be predicted and reduced to simple terms understandable by everyone. I have yet to see such analysis and have only received blank stares when asking if one has been done.
The survey itself only solicited support for the aims of the project while asking about people’s travel habits. It was a challenge to find an opportunity in it to raise concerns about the proposals let alone object to them.
I can not say whether the changes will cause congestion or reduce or increase journey times for any traffic including buses. There would appear to be potential for serious delays to all road users by causing congestion beyond the start and finish of the scheme. Other factors include non-bus lane traffic making right turns into Fitzjohn Avenue or Park Road.
It would be nice to think the scheme would achieve the desired improvements, but it was surely essential to actually know whether it will before the project was given the green light.
Great idea, will hopefully encourage more people to use the bus if they become faster. Should be good for everyone as less cars on the road means less traffic for motorists.
It will also help us poor cyclists during rush hour on our commutes, as we no longer have to filter between cars going left and right. Bus lanes in general have been useful.
If this could now be extended down / up Barnet Hill, or at least a protected cycle lane.
When they say sent to nearby residents….how and when because as a very nearby residents we did not receive any notification and would’ve objected.
So would the vast majority of residents in the roads that will be heavily affected by the congestion caused by this ‘great’ idea and completely waste of money. Could the council maybe do some communication work and ask residents….it does help.
Not sure who is currently working on council communications but it’s become utterly rubbish, a bit like how they amended the pre Christmas bin collection days so residents who’s usual collection day was a Monday (a very normal Monday that wasn’t in anyway different) to have its collection two days prior. Communication for that never went out, just sat on the council website that you don’t think to check if your normal collection day isn’t a bank holiday.
I use the bus to get to Canary Wharf via New Barnet on most working days. I would welcome anything that cuts down the 2.5 hour total commute I have. The bus routes in Barnet have improved so much in the time I have lived here, I would encourage people to give them a try.
Blimey this article reads like a stats salad. Typical TFL/council lies and nonsense.
But this stat stands out for me:-
“…at stops in this section of the High Street which is served by 11 bus routes.”
11 bus routes!!! Let that sink in. 11 bus routes all vying for a way through Barnet’s narrow high street, made narrower by the re-generation from a few years ago by the very same clowns who have now approved these bus lanes.
I think it’s pretty obvious what’s really causing all the congestion, so these bus lanes are only going to make the situation worse. And continuing to send some of the buses down narrow side roads (like the 384 down Salisbury Road) where they hold up traffic, especially at junctions when attempting to re-join a main road, is utter madness!
A lot of the problem why these schemes pass despite opposition are due to Barnet engages method of consultation!
In the last year every consultation has been a survey, quite a biased one too. There’s no public reporting of results, questions are worded in the surveys so that these schemes are approved anyway.
Barnet engage means less engagement ironically, as many older residents don’t have access to the internet! Since the consultations have been moved from the main barbet council website, many don’t see the Barnet engage consultations!
This is going to be so detrimental to Barnet, traffic has increased so much already I just avoid High Barnet altogether, no free parking here, shops are a bit rubbish in comparison to towns nearby which have free parking & a decent amount of shops, like Borehamwood!
Absolutely crazy idea when the High Street is already seriously congested at rush hour times. Whoever agrees this needs their head examined. I use the roads by car myself and the roads can’t cope now with the amount of traffic on it. Planning this will make it 10x’s worse
I object to the bus lanes
Unbelievable! Thank you, Labour Council. What happened to common sense and thinking this through?
This is so stupid but with this council I’m Not surprised. What has happened to our Barnet. Absolute shadow of itself.
Surely this will cause more pollution as the car traffic will be much more congested.
When a move to Copthall was considered previously local residents objected to a football club – but rugby is okay, apparently.
When a move to Copthall was considered previously local residents objected to a football club – but rugby is okay, apparently.