The Lib Dem candidate in the Muswell Hill by-election has strongly criticised Haringey Council for refusing to back residents’ and local Lib Dem councillors’ demands for a new pedestrian crossing on Priory Road. Gail Engert has made the comments following the Labour-run council’s refusal to provide money for a new crossing, despite the pleas of local residents, who even brought the issue to a recent meeting of Haringey’s full council.

Gail Engert is backing local residents and says the road is dangerous, with fast moving cars making it impossible to cross the wide road safely to the shops at Park and Priory Village. However the Lib Dems have secured a commitment form the Council to keep the issue under review, and as a short-term measure Gail Engert and Lynne Featherstone will be pursuing the possibility of cheaper measures to make the road safer. These might include ‘slow’ markings on the road and some traffic islands.

Gail Engert comments:

“It is very disappointing to see the Labour-run Council refusing to listen to the huge safety concerns facing pedestrians crossing the road near the bottom of Muswell Hill. While I will be pursuing other safety issues, these are very much half measures, as a proper crossing is needed.”

Muswell Hill councillor Lynne Featherstone adds:

“A crossing would also help to boost the parade of shops at Park and Priory Village, which has lost both a bank and a post office in recent months. We will not let the matter rest, and both Gail Engert and I will be pursuing the issue further.”