Busy crossing in Prince of Wales Road

• THE restrained responses from Mahmud Khan and Patricia Thomas (Letters, July 2) on the roadway changes being imposed by Camden in Prince of Wales Road without consultation are to be commended.

I have been attempting since March to get a response from the “Regeneration” department at Camden to a complaint that there was no mention of the removal of the pedestrian islands in the original proposals.

I have only just now had an acknowledgement of receipt, more than three months later; I have been promised a reply in 10 days.

It wasn’t a great scheme in the first place; the balance of benefit between pedestrians, vehicles and cyclists was completely skewed towards cyclists, to the detriment of walkers trying to cross the road, in particular.

The latest alterations which make the scheme even worse are justified by Covid-19. Or rather, the changes hide shamefully behind Covid-19. The self-justificatory document itself is shameful.

No mention of pedestrian injuries and deaths, just injuries to cyclists. Support for the changes has apparently been provided on social media – one person’s comments supported by 10 cyclists.

Much is made of “shared use bus boarders” which “maintain protection of cyclists around bus stops”, but to get on to a bus the pedestrian has to cross the cycle lane.

Who is really in need of protection? “There is sufficient capacity on surrounding streets to accommodate the parking loss on Prince of Wales Road” – but absolutely no supporting evidence is provided and contrary to local knowledge.

This scheme as originally agreed did not take full account of pedestrian needs and the consultation document was incomplete in this respect.

A complaint about this has been completely ignored for three months and then – this shabby bit of opportunism of which Camden should be ashamed.

This is not working with or for the community; it is an undemocratic imposition that should stop now, and be completely reviewed.

Meanwhile, I’m still looking forward to a proper response from “Regeneration Camden”.

BRIAN LAKE,
NW1