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SQUARE DEAL FOR CORNER
Controversial plan to turn Highbury Corner into ‘Trafalgar Square’
A MASSIVE “Trafalgar Square-style” scheme that will transform traffic-clogged Highbury Corner is set to be announced next week.
A central plank to the proposals will be a revamped Highbury and Islington station and the removal of the capital’s most gridlocked roundabout by linking it up with nearby Compton Terrace or Highbury Fields.
The scheme, which includes pedestrianisation, will be presented to the East Area Committee meeting on November 12 before going out to public consultation.
Architect Harley Sherlock, who has been campaigning to get rid of the roundabout for more than 20 years, cautiously welcomed the proposals.
He said: “Most people agree roundabouts are a complete waste of time in urban areas. They take up a lot of space and if one exit is blocked with traffic – and Upper Street is often blocked – the whole thing grinds to a halt.
“With traffic lights, if the road opposite is blocked, there’s always another option. They can do away with the roundabout completely and just have a crossroad.
“We’re trying to reduce the number of private cars coming into London and one of the ways of doing that is to make it difficult for them. They should be giving way to buses and delivery vehicles.”
Estate agent Imran Haidar said the plans were long overdue.
“When the traffic merges at the top of Upper Street it becomes a bottle neck,” he added.
“Holloway Road comes to a standstill and Upper Street is pretty much always stagnated. Closing one arm off will ease the flow of traffic.”
There are various different ideas to improve the roundabout, which handles 40,000 vehicles a day and a ceaseless roar of traffic and clouds of pollution.
One suggestion is to place the pedestrian area outside the station where the majority of people gather. Many believe linking the island with Compton Terrace would make most sense.
Michael Marland, chairman of the Upper Street Association said: “It would make good sense to rejoin Compton Terrace with the roundabout to create a new urban walk. At the moment you can walk along the the Terrace but it comes to an abrupt stop. “
Environment chief, Lib Dem Cllr Lucy Watt, said it was an ambitious project to transform Highbury Corner and to create a landmark public space.
She expected criticism but added: “When the north arm of Trafalgar Square was closed concerns were expressed, but now I think everyone would agree that the space works so much better for everyone.”
She said that she was aware of concerns that it may increase traffic density along the Holloway Road.
“I have seen Transport for London’s computerised modelling of how this would affect the traffic flows and it shows that it won’t make the situation on Holloway Road, Upper Street and St Paul’s Road any worse,” Cllr Watt said.
The original Highbury Corner was destroyed by a V1 during the war destroying three homes.
Highbury resident and Daily Mail columnist Peter Oborne said: “The roundabout is dirty and drab and needs a visionary scheme to transform it.”
Former Islington Labour councillor and planning chairman Peter Powell warned doing the scheme all at once would cause “chaos”.
“If they are going to do it as one big scheme it’s far too much,” he said. “They need to be careful. Underground is possibly much more complex than on top – there’s the Victoria line, the Moorgate line, water, gas and electricity.
“I would like to see them work piece by piece, not a huge job lot.
“There are some beautiful trees and I won’t like to lose them. The lessons we didn’t learn from Arsenal, and are still suffering from, doesn’t make one feel particularly happy about the way the planning department works.”
Transport for London was unavailable for comment about plans for the new station last night (Thursday). |
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