Harlesden Town Team and Brent Transportation Consultation

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Open Day/workshop: 27 Nov.

Note the new location - see poster below!

THE Brent Transportation presentation at the Charter launch meeting on October 4th, and subsequent discussion, demonstrated a real willingness on the part of Brent Council to engage the Town Team in decision-making about improvements to Harlesden.

We understand that Transport for London have committed to some measure of funding in 2012/2013. It is possible that inexpensive changes that can be shown to be of benefit could be addressed earlier.

This is a great opportunity for us, and the clearer our view of the changes we would like, the more chance we have of securing the funding and getting Transport for London and Brent Council to provide us with the Harlesden we want.

We are planning to have a workshop on 27 November, with Urban Design Skills facilitating, and Brent Council Transport department participating.

In order for this workshop to be as productive as possible, we, the Team Harlesden 2010 advisory panel, would like to suggest the following preparatory steps:

• When you are walking, cycling, or driving around Harlesden, parking, shopping, or going to the pub, we want you to be aware of your surroundings and take note of anything that would improve the ease and enjoyment of your journey.
• Think about the basic traffic flow; the one-way systems the two way roads, blocked roads, no right, or left turn signs etc. Is the system basically okay, or are there changes that could help the traffic to flow?
• Are the traffic lights in the right place? Are they correctly phased? Do they need additional filters, or pedestrian phases?
• Are the existing pedestrian crossings in the right place? Are additional pedestrian crossings needed, e.g. in Harlesden High Street, Manor Park Road, Craven Park Road, and Tubbs Road?
• Is the combination of parking, loading, disabled and motorcycle bays, single and double yellow lines, about right, or are there places where it could be improved?
• Where cars are parking on double yellow lines to access the shops, e.g. near Furness Road, can anything be done to enable access to the shops without impeding the traffic flow. Part parking on the pavements has made a great improvement to Fortune Gate Road. Could this be used to good effect here, or elsewhere?
• What is the impact of the 24/7 parking charge in the Harlesden Plaza? How will this affect our ability to draw people in to Harlesden for increased cultural events? Would it be good to be able to use the Plaza for a market day once in a while? How could it be made to look more attractive and beautify the heart of Harlesden?
• Are there streets and pavements which need attention, e.g. Station Approach? Would red brick cobbling on the wide Craven Park pavements improve their look?
• When there is gridlock in Harlesden, as does happen, what is causing it? Almost certainly there will be an artic. lorry, or a car transporter, somewhere in the line. 
• Would you like to see the parking permit zones altered, e.g. a slightly enlarged central H zone and a single outer zone, rather than the multiple HS, HY, HW zones as at present? Would you like the times be reduced, perhaps to Monday to Friday only on the outer zone(s) and less hours to discourage commuters, but encourage people to visit and shop in Harlesden?

Who better to have a view on these and, we are sure, many other matters that affect the flow of traffic and people in and around Harlesden than the people who live, shop and work there - us!

If you could send any thoughts, suggestions, photos, to us over the next few weeks, we can then collate and analyse them and use the results to good advantage for our 27 November workshop.

No suggestion is too small, or idea too big at this stage. The more times an item is suggested will influence whether it goes forward into the overall plan.

Please send your ideas to teamharlesden@yahoo.co.uk with a subject of Brent Transport for Harlesden so we can filter them into a specific folder.
Alternatively, you can send them by post, to Harlesden Town Team c/o Urban Design Skills, 5, Vigo Street, London W1S 3HB, and they will be sent on to us.

This is a great opportunity to get the Harlesden we want. Let’s make sure we make the most of the opportunity. Please see the leaflet below:
 

Click above for enlarged leaflet!

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