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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 19 March 2009

Council and TfL dig in on 393 bus route – literally!

THEY warned their Kentish Town street was unsuitable for a bus – and now people living in Leighton Road say their worst fears have been confirmed as diggers began this week to rip out traffic calming measures to make the road more bus friendly.
A row over the route the 393 should take has seen people living in the Kentish Town street pitted against each other.
One group call the bus a lifeline, a valuable link from Holloway to Chalk Farm, and hope the year-old service will continue running.
Others say the bus is under used, runs at a loss of £500,000 per year and that their street is simply not suitable for a vehicle of that size – a point they say proved by a current ban on trucks weighing more than seven and a half tons.
This week, Leighton Road has been closed while workmen dig up tarmac, scoop out road humps and take away traffic islands.
John Woodcock of the Leighton Road Residents Association said the work was a direct result of the 393.
He said: “Camden claim they are upgrading the road but the real reason is the council have been given this money by TfL to remove the traffic islands.
“They know the road is too narrow for the bus and this is their answer. I resent them spending public money on this.
“We are not against the bus per se, but we feel Leighton Road is not able to take the traffic.”
Those opposing the route want the bus to run along Agar Grove instead, saying the street is wider and already has bus stops along it.
But a petition by residents in the area to keep the 393 running along Leighton Road has more than 1,000 signatures .
A consultation run by TfL has started to gauge the views of users and could lead to the bus being diverted.
A council spokesman said: “Leighton Road is currently closed so that road resurfacing can take place and the speed cushions can be replaced. These works are required to improve traffic safety.
“The existing speed cushions which were installed to help enforce the 20mph speed limit no longer meet current Department for Transport specifications and are being replaced.”

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