Construction is about to begin on the first part of Enfield Council’s controversial £42m cycle improvements scheme, one of Transport for London’s (TfL) ‘mini-Holland’ projects.
Enfield said its Cycle Enfield Programme ‘aims to transform the borough's high streets and town centres, promote more active forms of travel and create safe and secure cycle lanes’.
A Cycle Enfield cycle skills session
It said works on the A105 Scheme, which will link Palmers Green and Enfield Town, come after a consultation process that lasted over 18 months, ‘as result of which significant changes have been made to the initial proposals’.
Cllr Daniel Anderson cabinet member for environment, said: ‘The Cycle Enfield Programme will see £42m of external investment into our borough. It will enable and promote more active, healthy forms of travel.
‘This once in a lifetime opportunity will improve the look and feel of our environment creating better streets for Enfield and more desirable destinations for shoppers and visitors. Everyone, young and old alike, will benefit.
‘Our proposals are the culmination of an extensive engagement process with residents and businesses and it’s an incredibly exciting time for Enfield. Many residents recognise that this scheme is going to improve their quality of life and bring dramatic improvements to this part of the borough; I’m looking forward to seeing its implementation.’
Cllr Anderson said there would be an inevitable degree of disruption but ‘future generations will thank us for these visionary proposals’.
The project is one of three ‘mini-Hollands’ that were each awarded around £30m funding by TfL in 2014. However, it was the subject of significant local opposition, including local MP David Burrowes, who in February wrote to the then mayor, Boris Johnson, asking for the funding to be stopped.
As well as infrastructure improvements, Cycle Enfield runs activities such as cycle skills and maintenance classes and offers bike ‘loans’ for £10 for a month.
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