Garden Walk improvements - update October 2013

The double yellow lines were renewed last week whilst Victoria Road was being done.

Let's hope the paint lasts many years!

The proposed cycling traffic improvements (see earlier post) are being discussed by the Council Road Safety team for review.

No further news on the other proposed improvements.

Street improvements- discussion with County Council Representative

A street walk and discussion with street residents, Mike Davies (MD) of the County Council, and Councillor Jocelynne Scutt took place on Tuesday 21 May.

Issues raised in the letter to the council/streetscene (see post of May 5th for the background to the proposals) were discussed.

Actions agreed were:

 - no entry signs at Victoria road end need 'except cycles' plates - MD to organise

 - warning sign painted on road/signposted for oncoming cyclists in street at appropriate points - MD to organise

- refresh give way lines at each end of Garden Walk and double yellows in Garden walk, Victoria Rd - Evan Laughlin, (District Infrastructure & Streets Manager) to organise refresh when lining gang are around.

- extend hazard centre lines that link to Give Way, from Bateson Road back into Garden Walk so that the length of these lines is 50 metres, rather than 20 metres as existing - Evan Laughlin, (District Infrastructure & Streets Manager) to organise refresh when lining gang are around.

- pothole, approx location outside no 46 - Evan to add to pothole programme - cycle symbol and arrow on road surface

- MD to consider - cars/taxis rat running through Garden Walk. This cannot be enforced at present as 'flying motorbike'/except access sign is not prominent at junction of Stretten Ave/Bateson Rd. Two of these signs are probably required, ie 1 new one. - Evan to discuss with Sharon Piper (she leads on Traffic Regulation Orders).

 PD (no 41) comments:
 These would all be very valuable improvements. At the time of writing, only the pothole has been filled.
If we have two 'flying motorbike' no entry except for access signs at Stretten Ave/Bateson Rd, then prohibition of taxis and commuter parking would be enforceable.
I have written to MD and Councillor Jocelynne Scutt to ask about progress.

Saturday 8 June 2013, 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Saturday 8 June 2013, 4:00 - 6:00 pm,

Road closure signs from 2pm,
Set-up from 2:30: bring chairs, deckchairs, parasols, tables, games, food, drinks, plants, toys, chalk, music, etc

Planning the Party

We need a few more hands, helpers, words of advice, street lamp climbers and suggestions to make the Saturday Party a success - calling all neighbors for 8pm on Wednesday 5 June, meeting in front of mysterious number 60 on Garden Walk!

The Road Closure has been granted from 2pm to 7pm  - I guess we are working for a staring time of 4 pm, - timing to be finalised on Wednesday.

First Meeting

Thanks to all who turned up on such a freezing, windy evening.

We decided that we'd keep the street party to last year's simple format, with a few added extras, eg, more games/ideas for street games, and  musicians, welcome.

Offers of help to date:
Furniture:  4 tables from Milton Rd PTA - (consuelo Moorsom/liz FC)
Other offers of tables welcome?
Chairs: 6 offers to date: Heather, Fraylings, - more welcome

Gazebo:  Tim (Providence) + St Luke's PTA. + team of GW men!

Food:   More offers needed
              Paola & Heather - 1 plate savoury
              Heather, Louise and Consuelo - cakes/scones.

Soft drink only - offers needed.

Plastic glasses: Consuelo Moorsom,

Plates: Offers welcome

Events/games
Chalk for street drawings, old car with balloons, Lucky dip, bowls (Consuelo M) ?Badminton,
Plant exchange stall, Splat the Rat - more child-friendly ideas welcome.

Musicians - offers needed - Consuelo M. to bring ideas for a band to the Gardeners meeting next Mon 20th May.

Signs and decorations

Bunting: from last year - Razely (no. 37) to climb up lamp posts and tie up

Street closed sign from last year:

Accounts - Treasurer - Accountant needed!

Suggestion is that everyone in the street contributes 50p or £1.00.  To be collected by a group of children who knock on all doors (Sets the tone: It's children event, gives the kids a stake, informs all residents)

Please feel free to add your ideas/suggestions - and to involve your neighbours.  And tell me if I've missed anything!

(Report by Liz)

Preparing for 8 June Street Party

Now that we have sent off the road closure application we better start preparing the Garden Walk Street Party on 8 June 2013.

All those who want to help, plan, have ideas and concerns, do come to our usual meeting place at number 60 Garden Walk on Thursday 9 May at 7pm.

For the Agenda:

Furniture (tables, chairs, gazebo etc)

Food (yeah!)

Events, Games, Petitions

Signs and Decoration (Bunting, Road closure signs)

Music (Music!)

Plant Exchange

Accounts (money, if any)

and much more

See you all on Thursday 9 May at 7pm at Number 60 Garden Walk.

Improvements - The Next Step

We had a whole process last year, meetings, discussions, walk-alongs, messages in every mailbox, and came up with a list of improvements for Garden Walk. We had a consensus about improving signage, and then, suddenly, the process ground to a halt, people are busy, waiting for others to do the next step, or just plain procrastination.

But now the next step has finally been taken:

Based on the list of suggested improvements we have written to street.scene@cambridgeshire.gov.uk on 4 May 2013 and asked for a meeting to discuss the issues and get some action. Here is the email:

During the preparation of the Garden Walk Street Party for the Jubilee weekend in June 2012, residents on our street voiced concerns about vehicle traffic in Garden Walk. Residents have conducted a number of meetings, have organised a street walk to identify issues, and have set up a website which represents the consensus of the residents about the issues.
http://gardenwalkparty.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/improvements.html

As we are planning to hold another Garden Walk Street Party this year, we now want to follow up these issues and ask for a meeting with the relevant Council officials to discuss the suggestions on our "Garden Walk improvements" sheet. Specifically we want first to focus on improvements to existing signage relating to access limitation for Garden Walk ("Access Only" / "No Entry Except Bikes"). Our street is prohibited to vehicular traffic except for access (signed at Bateson road and 'No entry' to cars at Victoria Road), and is two-way for traffic. The residents believe that poor visibility and neglect of the signage and road markings has led to many hazardous encounters in our narrow road: Drivers and cyclists often become very aggravated as poor signage leads each party to believe the other is in the wrong. There have also been crashes involving vehicles. Children attending two schools and a nursery use Garden Walk in great numbers as pedestrians and cyclists. We believe that the suggested improvements will make a significant contribution to improve the safety and amenity for all.

I would be grateful to hear suggestions for the meeting time, and how these issues could be taken forward,

Many thanks to Paul @41 who has had the steady hand to see this through!

Please continue to post suggestions and comments for the meeting on this site, or to Paul. The meeting time will be posted here when it is arranged.

Play it Again, Sam

There was a good sense last year that our street party was a big success. That's why we want to do it again this year. Liz (#60) has found a perfect date: It is Saturday 8 June 2013: The first weekend after the schools' half term, which gets us all those children. Also, there is no conflict with Victoria Park Street Party. Nor is there conflict with Strawberry Fair. 

As last year, we are applying for a street closure again. It being a weekend, that should not be a problem (objections to gardenwalkparty@gmail.com). 

Remember? 

And this? 

But what will the weather say?

Comments, ideas and suggestions here or messages to garden-walk-party@googlegroups.com (for those who have are members of the google group)

Improvements

click here to open pdf

Please join us on Saturday 29 September at 10:00 am in front of No 60 to discuss this proposal and decide the next steps

Garden Walk sounds like a promise of flowers and leisurely walking. But the reality of our street is often very different. Here are some suggestions to get the “walk” and the “garden” back into our street. We want it to be a shared space for all, not a rat-run for drivers to save a few seconds. Many pedestrians and cyclists use our street to get to the center or access their homes in the North: together we deserve a street that serves all of us better. We have a vision of our road where pedestrians, bikes and cars co-exist in a safe environment, where drivers respect the residential nature of our street. We’d like our children to be able to play on the street.

Following the successful Jubilee Street Party, a group of  residents (20, 33, 35, 41, 49, 63, 77, 99) walked up and down Garden Walk, listing some issues we would like to see addressed. Together we have come up with a few suggestions for improvements. Please let us know what you think. We need your feedback, suggestions and corrections so that we can ask for a meeting with city planners and discuss implementation.

The facts: Garden Walk is not a one-way street. It is a two way street with a “No Entry” sign at Victoria Road, and a “Access Only” sign at Bateson Rd. / Stretten Ave. At Victoria Road, a short bike lane has been marked on the pavement which allows bikes to by-pass the “No Entry” sign. Hence: Bikes are welcome in both directions. Cars can drive in both directions, but only for “Access” (not for driving through). The street auditors felt that much would be gained if these facts were better understood.
We want cars to slow down. 20 MPH and “Access Only” signs will help to reduce speeds and lead to less aggressive encounters between cars and bicycles. Again and again drivers fail to see the “Access Only” sign and believe the oncoming cyclist is in breach of the law - this is a perfect recipe for conflict and agression.

Reduction in vehicle speeds are already achieved through a “natural” chicane around # 30 where car parking changes sides. This helps to slow down traffic. Additional “chicanes” or bottlenecks would be useful. Options could be:

1. Change the side of parking a second time towards the middle of the road. 
2. Signage highlighting the presence of bikes and pedestrians: “Cars yield to oncoming bikes and to pedestrians” with a bi-directional bike marking on the street. (Challenging conditions of the pavement, especially for push-chairs and wheel chair users, sunken curbs with very steep angles which are hard to navigate). 
3. Bike Parking: The street offers parking for 55 cars, perhaps one of those spaces could be converted into a on street bike parking structure (especially if parking by non-residents can be reduced). If big enough, it could help to reduce car speeds and add convenience for those who use bikes with trailers and find it difficult to naviate them onto their own property. 

Pavements generally are not wide enough and in a very poor state. On the Eastern side, between Nos 16 - 34, no curb exists. The pavement is marked visually only. Help drivers to yield to pedestrians by increasing the width and distinctiveness of the optical “pavement area.”
Along Peter Maitland Ct, the pavement is wide and comfortable. Wooden poles on the pavement in the past prevented vehicles from parking in front of the building. They should be re-instated.

Suggested Actions:  Signage:

• Double Yellow Lines at Victoria Road junction are degraded and need re-painting
• Victoria Road “No Entry” sign, add “Except Bicycles” (“Bikes Welcome”) sign
• “Access Only” signage at Bateson Rd is only visible from one direction. Improve visibility, add signage to make restricted status of street clear to turning vehicles (add two times “Access Only”)
• Extend traffic lane divider line at Northern end to No 86, re-paint stop line, perhaps add bollard.
• Add signage to warn downhill cyclists turning from Bateson Rd into Garden Walk of counterflow traffic
• Other Improvements: Road cleaning, curbs in a bad state, road markings worn out, sewers blocked, telephone pole in front of No 68 is badly placed and blocks sidewalk

Other Issues: Parking by non-residents.

Please comment below if you want to raise additional issues and join us on Saturday 29 September at 10:00 am in front of No 60 to discuss this proposal and decide the next steps. We need a few volunteers to meet with city planners.

Road Audit Report

A group of  7 or 8 residents ( 20, 33, 35, 41, 49, 63, 77, 99) caught a few rays of rare sunshine this Saturday morning, 23 June, walking up and down our very own Garden Walk, listing some issues we want to see addressed

Garden Walk has a dark secret. Garden Walk is not a One-Way Street. It is a two way street with a "No Entry" sign at Victoria Road, and a "Access Only" sign at Bateson Rd. / Stretten Ave. At Victoria Road, in a somewhat desperate legal construction, a short bike lane has been marked on the sidewalk which specifically serves to by-pass the "No Entry" sign. Hence: Bikes are welcome in both directions. Cars can drive in both directions, but only for "Access" (not for driving through) and must not enter at Victoria Rd. The street auditors felt that much would be gained if this information was made clearer and more visible for all. 

Our road is used for:
Residential traffic and parking, deliveries and taxis with business on Garden Walk
Non-residential parking (extent not well known)
School traffic (mostly bike and pedestrian) to access Chesterton and Milton Rd Schools, Sunflower Nursery
Pedestrian traffic to and from Arbury and the North
Bicycle traffic to and from Arbury and the North
General cut-through traffic which tries to avoid the speed bumps on Stretten Ave
Taxi Drivers without business on Garden Walk

The street auditors felt that reduction in vehicle speeds is of prime importance. If the correct legal status of the road was made more evident to drivers, reduced speeds and less aggressive encounters between cars and bicycles could be achieved. It is a perfect recipe for conflict and agression when drivers fail to see the "Access Only" sign and believe the oncoming cyclists are in breach of the law. 

Reduction in vehicle speeds are already achieved through a "natural" chicane around number 30 where car parking changes sides. This slows down traffic very effectively, perhaps more effectively than a speed bump. The desire was expressed  that one or two additional "chicanes" or bottlenecks would be useful. Perhaps it is possible to change over the side of parking a second time at the middle of the road. Another way to implement a bottleneck and to reduce speeds would be signage highlighting the presence of bikes. "Cars yield to oncoming bikes" of similar, combined with a bi-directional bike marking on the tarmac. Because of the challenging conditions of the sidewalks, especially for push-chairs and wheel chair users, signage "Cars yield to pedestrians" would also be helpful. (Sunken curbs create steep angles which are hard to navigate) 

On the Eastern side, between numbers 16 - 34, the sidewalk is at the road are level, no curb exists, and the sidewalk is marked visually only. It would help drivers to understand the presence and rights of pedestrians in this area better if the width of the optical "sidewalk area" could be increased, and the distinction between both road surfaces could be enhanced.

Along Peter Maitland Ct, the sidewalk is wide and comfortable. However, it is often fully blocked by parking vans. Wooden poles on the sidewalk could prevent vehicles from parking in front of the building. It may also be possible to reduce the width of the sidewalk at this location, and use the gained space to paint an extension of the very short bike lane along Maitland Ct

There is also a general sense of neglect: Road cleaning does not seem to exist. Curbs are often in a bad state. On street bike parking like the car shaped device recently installed in Kingston Street from Cyclehoop were considered and could play a role in the speed-reducing bottleneck mentioned above. 


Suggested Actions

Signage:
Double Yellow Lines at Victoria Road junction are degarded and need re-painting
Victoria Road "No Entry" sign, add "Except Bicycles" sign
"Access Only" signage at Bateson Rd is only visible from one direction, add signage to make restricted status of street clear to turning vehicles (add two times "Access Only")
Extend traffic lane divider line at Northern end to approx No 86) and re-paint stop line.
Add signage to warn downhill cyclists turning from Bateson into Garden Walk of counterflow traffic 

Additional Issues
Contact taxi firms and ask them to inform their drivers of the "Access Only" status of the road

Telephone pole in front of No 68 is baldy placed and blocks sidewalk (could it be moved onto garden of Michaelmas Place?) Whom to contact?

Overgrown Hedges: Whom to call?

Abandoned Cars, Long term parking: City Street Care

Gully blocked: Whom to call?

Granta Housing: driveway at 38 - 44 is in a very poor state, sidewalk impacted
Granta Housing: Suggestions to improve gardening should be submitted to Charlotte.Ashton@metropolitan.org.uk (nos 15, 38 - 44, Michaelmas Place)  

Contact Whitfield Group (No 68) regarding appearance of front "garden" - surely the least green like property on Garden Walk, degraded: enquiries@whitfield-group.co.uk

Thanks, Next Steps, Photos,

Everybody seems to think it was a great success. For those who missed it, here are some pictures of the children taking over the street (click on image for gallery view), the great food, neighbours meeting each other for the first time after many years, the large gazebo adventure (3 x 9 meters), no problems with Strawberry Fair parking, excellent signs, and some street cleaning exercise. Someone even talked about the first weekend in June for next year.

So what is next? Perhaps we should put all the email addresses into a proper email list where people can opt in and out (if you have never received an email from us, please write to gardenwalkparty@gmail.com and we can include you). This way we can stay in touch, react to issues as they occur, and combine our resources. Volunteers needed who know how to manage such a list or Google group.

Road audit:
Michael Cahn (#77) would be interested to invite everybody to a "road audit": Walking the street from end to end and documenting issues and ideas. This is a good way to see how we can address some of the issues that were mentioned: Especially traffic and parking. He invites everybody for Saturday 16 June, 10 am, at the corner of Victoria Rd. [Postponed to Saturday 23, 10:00 am]

Oh yes, that errant lawnmower, broken, back from holding up the "Road Closed" sign, it wanted to disappear in skip where it did not belong. Now that was not nice!

Corner Stretten Ave

Nice sign! It is being kept in a safe place, ready to come out again, - when?  

Party Time

Bunting Faerie

Here comes the team!

Action

Justin's Grandchildren

Ida

Bicycle Badge! 

Street Artists

Games

I can see you

Thanks, Liz! 

Street Art

Walking the line

Princess! 

My Car! 

Cry? Smile? Whatever! 

Fun

Street Painter in Action

Action

The words: How old are you? - 14.  - I am 8 and she is 7. 

Add caption

Helpers

My sister! 

Paul with bunting

You go first!

Kids take over the street

How many balloons in the car?

How many balloons in the car?

Garden Walk Cycling Team: Car drivers watch out for us

Garden Walk Cycling Team

Garden Walk Cycling Team

Garden Walk Cycling Team

Garden Walk Cycling Team

Garden Walk Cycling Team

Taking down the gazebo

The Clean Team in action

The Party is over. When is the next one?