Barnet Council announces A1000 cycle lane here to stay after majority of locals give it their backing in consultation, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

A1000 cycle lane in Finchley (credit Google) — A section of the A1000 cycle lane in Finchley High Road (credit Google)

A cycle lane that was rolled out along the A1000 during the Covid-19 pandemic will be made permanent.

Barnet Council’s environment committee agreed to retain the cycle lane, which runs between The Bishops Avenue in East Finchley and Tally Ho Corner in North Finchley, during a meeting on Wednesday.

The two-mile scheme has undergone several changes since it was introduced on an experimental basis in late 2020 using funding from the government and Transport for London to support alternative travel modes during the pandemic.

Some lanes that were previously used only by buses and cyclists have been reopened to cars following complaints from residents and businesses that the scheme was causing congestion and delays.

So far, the scheme has cost more than £720,000 to implement.

The decision to make the cycle lane permanent followed a two-stage public consultation held between September and December last year.

The results showed 62% of survey respondents wanted the scheme to be made permanent but the design to be amended, with 33% calling for it to be removed and 5% giving no response.

A majority (52%) of those who live, work, or have a business property along the cycle lane route favoured removal, while other groups wanted it to stay. Most drivers (54%) favoured scrapping the scheme, while 92% of those who mainly walk and cycle wanted to keep it.

A council report states there has been a “general consistency” in the number of cyclists using the route from just before the scheme’s rollout until the end of last year but notes that information is limited by the lack of pre-pandemic data and the impact of lockdowns and working-from-home trends.

Figures also show concentrations of nitrogen dioxide measured at points along the routes generally remained below the maximum level set by government air quality regulations.

The report adds that further changes could be made to the scheme, including fully-segregated cycle lanes, improvements to the road surface and measures to improve the route’s continuity.

Alan Schneiderman, chair of the council’s environment and climate change committee, said: “It’s great news that we have been able to take the decision to make the A1000 cycle lane permanent.

“Barnet has been in the cycling slow lane for too long and we can now get on and make the quick improvements that are needed as we work towards having a state-of-the-art cycle lane. This includes making it safer for pedestrians as well as cyclists. We will continue to consult residents, businesses and cycling and community groups to make sure that we get this right.”

The Conservative group issued a statement on behalf of its committee members, which said: “We believe that any scheme must be implemented with the consent of residents, businesses and local councillors. Decisions such as these cannot and must not be made by executive fiat as it affects so many livelihoods and businesses.”

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