Local Lib Dem Cllr Bob Hare is calling for improvements to cycle lanesaround Haringey. At Thursday’s Muswell Hill and Highgate Area Assembly, Haringey Council put forward their plans for cycle lane provision.

Cllr Hare welcomedthe attention being given to this subject and asked for further improvementsto be made to the plans.

The presentation on plans to improve and create cycle lanes started adetailed discussion with local residents, with many current problemshighlighted. These include cycle lanes which stop abruptly when they areneeded most – where roads become narrow and at junctions. One localresident, currently at university in Sheffield, explained that the councilthere had adopted a policy of pavement sharing between cyclists andpedestrians which had been extremely successful.

Cllr Hare, Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson and a keen cyclist, asked thatcycle ‘cut-throughs’ be provided at kerb build-outs. These build-outs areinstalled to improve pedestrian safety, but without cut-throughs they createserious dangers for cyclists who get squeezed between the build-out andpassing traffic.

“Haringey still has a long way to go before we will have a usable network ofroutes that might be used by, say, a twelve old,” said Cllr Hare.

“Nevertheless, there has been a useful discussion and a number of issues andconcerns affecting cyclists were raised with the Council, which I hope theywill take on board for their plans.

“I urge Haringey Council to install ‘cut-throughs’ for bikes at points wherekerbs have been built out to protect pedestrians,” Cllr Hare said.

“This will help improve cycle safety and convenience across the Borough andencourage more people towards environmentally friendly travel.”

Liberal Democrats are encouraging local residents to bring forward ideas onhow best to best to spend the £50,000 given to each of Haringey’s AreaAssemblies by Haringey Council to tackle small local projects and repairs.

However, while welcoming the scheme they expressed concerns at the fairnessof the allocation of funds.

The decision to distribute the £50,000 to each Area Assembly was met withstrong criticism by Lib Dems earlier this year, as residents in the west ofthe borough were left short changed.

The Muswell Hill assembly received thesame funding as other assemblies, despite being twice as large as some. TheLib Dems had suggested that money should be allocated proportionallyaccording to the size of the areas.

Instead Harningey Council pressed on with itsplans which have resulted in some small, two-ward Area Assemblies receivingthe same amount of money as a large Area Assembly such as Muswell Hill, which covers four wards.

However Lib Dems and residents are determined to make the most of the money.Suggestions last night were made for projects including extra streetlighting, litter bins and support for local voluntary projects such asgardening help or home security measures for elderly residents.

Lib Dem leader and Highgate Councillor, Neil Williams welcomed theresidents’ ideas despite the disappointing funding, but said it wasimportant that the projects do not duplicate the things that the Councilshould be providing as a matter of course.

Cllr Neil Williams comments:

“It certainly appears to residents that the Labour Council has playedpolitics with the distribution of money for this scheme, but we aredetermined to make the most of it.

“We will no doubt have good ideas from residents for small localimprovements.

“However, it isimportant is that we ensure that the money is not spent onsimply making good existing inadequacies in council services.”

Alexandra ward councillor Susan Oatway has given birth to a baby boy – a first child for her and partner Mike.

Both mother and baby are doing well.

Local Lib Dem councillors in Stroud Green and Crouch End have expressedtheir opposition to a controversial application to build a cement batchingplant at the Cranford Way Industrial Estate in Hornsey. The Lib Dems saythat the estate, surrounded by residential streets, is in no way a suitablelocation for such a heavy industrial activity.

Cllr Laura Edge (Stroud Green) and Cllr David Winskill (Crouch End) say thatfor three decades, local residents living near Cranford Way have coexistedhappily with the light-industrial businesses that operate from the site.Most firms located at Cranford Way are engaged in distribution andwarehousing activities, and have caused few environmental or neighbourhooddifficulties in the area.

Local councillor Laura Edge comments:

“The prospect of a cement plant on thesite is causing great concern to local people. To introduce such a heavyindustrial process involving noise, dust, hazardous substances andheavy-duty freight traffic to our local roads would be in no one’s interest.

“I am also concerned that Haringey Council has not done enough to inform localresidents of the planning application, with many local streets notinformed.”

Cllr David Winskill adds:

“This site is not a suitable place from which toestablish a distribution network for cement. We will be asking thedevelopers to think again about the application, and withdraw it, otherwiseit will be vigorously opposed in the area.”