• IT was with a degree of shock that I found out that four Tory councillors are attempting to block road safety measures in Belsize Park, (New challenge to bike hill lanes, August 19).

A number of terrible road traffic incidents in the borough had taken place around the time they made this manoeuvre, including one close to this location.

So it is hard to understand why they should try to stand in the way of making the area safer for pedestrians and anyone travelling by bicycle.

As they will have seen from the formal decision I took to make these necessary changes, between 2017 and 2019 there were 27 casualties on Haverstock Hill or Rosslyn Hill, most involving vulnerable road users.

For long stretches of the journey between Chalk Farm and Pond Street there are not enough formal crossings that give pedestrians clear priority.

But the proposals on the table would bring in four zebra crossings and a new “signalised” crossing, as well as ‘countdowns’ that allow you to see how long you still have to cross.

Unfortunately the councillors appear to ignore their own government’s guidance to create safer streets – for once the policy is actually progressive.

Incidentally, on other issues, Camden Conservatives are happy to cheer-lead government plans to, for example, remove communities’ and councillors’ say over planning proposals.

In Belsize Park the councillors also ignore the express wishes of the Royal Free Hospital and four local schools, all of which wrote in to back the safety measures.

Wheels for Wellbeing, a charity that supports disabled people to cycle, also issued words of support.

As one local resident taking part in the consultation put it, “Haverstock Hill is a major route for cyclists and currently it’s dangerous. My child scoots to school daily down HH and she would cycle but it’s too dangerous for her to feel safe.”

I look forward to seeing the four councillors at the culture and environment scrutiny committee at the Town Hall, where they will be obliged to justify their actions.

I hope that scrutiny members will move to recommend the safety measures.

CLLR ADAM HARRISON
Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden