Traffic-calming measures

To reduce the number and severity of road casualties and to reduce the number of accidents in which people, particularly children, are killed or seriously injured, we can introduce a variety of traffic-calming measures. 

These measures include:

• 20 mph speed limit zones
• Build-outs
• Chicanes
• Central islands
• Gateways
• Pinch-points
• Road closures
• Road humps
• Speed cameras
• Speed cushions
• Speed tables
• Variable speed signs
  

Deciding on which traffic-calming measure is  most appropriate depends on many factors, such as:

• The classification of the road
• Access for emergency services
• Bus routes
• Level of on-street parking
• Proximity of industrial/ business premises
• Existence of road junctions/ private access

We consider using speed humps and cushions only if all other measures have been considered and ruled out as either inappropriate or ineffective.  This policy is based on concerns raised by the emergency services, especially London Ambulance Service, about the effect of speed humps on their emergency response times.

Unfortunately, the demand for traffic calming measures far outstrips the resources available. We have to prioritise our budgeting.  We do this primarily by considering the history of injury accidents for roads and junctions around Enfield.

We produce a safety schemes programme each year part of our bid to the Mayor for London; the bid is for funding in the following financial year.  As part of the bidding process, requests for traffic-calming measures are investigated to see if they can be justified when compared to the other roads in Enfield with accident problems.  If improvements are being asked for at a location that is already on the safety schemes programme, we will inform the person who made the request.

Requests for traffic-calming measures that cannot be met through the above process are retained on a database.  When other sources of funding for traffic calming measures become available to us, we can consider these requests.

You can request traffic-calming measures:

• By post
• By phone
• By email
• In person