Cabinet agrees massive investment in highways network
More than £11million will be invested in highways-related improvement programmes in Haringey in the next financial year, after the Cabinet approved five key projects including a Street Lighting Investment Plan, a Parking Improvement Plan, a Disabled Parking Action Plan and Road Safety Investment Plan.
The investments will see roads resurfaced, pavements improved, replacement of the borough’s street lighting, improving parking for disabled people; as well as measures to tackle flooding.
The £11.4 million being invested in a number of major schemes between April 2021 and March 2022 forms just one part of a substantial programme of investment in Haringey’s roads, pavements and public realm as set out in the 2021/22 Council budget. The wider capital programme includes £5.1m Streetspace Plan funding that will contribute to walking and cycling schemes, £600,000 for the school streets programme and £1m in LIP funding, subject to confirmation from the Transport for London’ for other transport schemes.
The Street Lighting Investment Plan will see £4.8 million invested in Haringey’s street lighting with all of them converted to LED, lighting columns replaced where needed; and a new central management computer system put in place.
This system will make the borough’s street lighting much more responsive and therefore safer for residents, as well as cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.
The council’s Parking Investment Plan will enable changes to controlled parking zones to go forward following consultations with residents, ward councillors and others.
Contactless payment terminals are being set up to enable a ‘stop and shop’ approach at on-street parking locations and council car parks. Sixty will be in place across the borough by April and a further 40 will follow in the coming months.
In addition, the Cabinet has agreed plans to improve walking conditions by preventing parking on footways, where it is currently permitted. This will make it safer for pedestrians, particularly parents with prams and wheelchair users.
Existing disabled parking bays will be made longer (6.6 metres), improving access to vehicles for those with disabilities.
Funding will also be used to improve the parking management computer system so that civil enforcement officers can more easily identify blue badge fraud, as well as provide an improved parking service in general.
In total, 30 roads across the borough’s 217-mile network have so far been selected for resurfacing as have 22 locations across its 374 miles of footways.
Funding will also be brought forward to repair the Bank Retaining Wall at Highgate Hill, closely involving Heritage England, with work expected to be completed in December 2021.
And nearly £900,000 has been set aside to carry out ad-hoc repairs where needed, including repairing potholes and removing footway trip hazards.
Cllr Seema Chandwani, Cabinet Member for Transformation and Public Realm Investment, said: “I am pleased that we are investing so much in local road network, street lighting and parking infrastructure. This is in addition to the millions that we will invest this year in walking, cycling and safer, greener streets.
“Our Disabled Parking Action Plan will make it easier for our disabled residents to be independent and make full use of all the borough has to offer. This is a critical social justice issue and I have been pleased to work with disabled residents to inform our plans.
“As part of our drive to reduce carbon emissions and redirect as much of our scare resources as possible to frontline services I am pleased that we will be replacing all our old street lights with modern LED lights. This will provide better street lighting for residents whilst be more cost and energy efficient.
“All these initiatives are being delivered after listening to residents and will help ensure Haringey is safer, greener and that we have a public realm we be can proud of.”
