Via email: / Your ref:
Date: / 09 July 2015
Our ref: / LBH/4387715
Direct dial: / 020 8489 2556
Email: /
Dear MsvonAhn,
Internal Review of theFreedom of Information Act/ Environmental Information Regulations request reference: LBH/4290115
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to review the response we have sent to your Freedom of Information / Environmental Information Regulations request.
Your original request was as follows:
Sent: 13 May 2015 09:23
To: FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Introduction of no left turn at Dowsett Road N17
Dear Haringey Borough Council,
Please supply the date of introduction of the traffic restriction prohibiting left turns from Tottenham High Road into Dowsett Road.
Please supply the traffic accident data used to underpin the decision to introduce the restriction. I assume that this will cover a period of at least 5 years, but should be the same as those which led to the decision to introduce the restriction.
Please supply or direct me to the documents and reports that were used in the decision to introduce the restriction, and the traffic order making the change.
The response sent to you on 11 June by Mr Hirani was as follows:
The traffic sign indicating “Ahead Only” direction was introduced September 2000, the TMO for this restriction has been in place since 22nd March 2003.
The CCTV enforcement commenced on 9th January 2015 and the first PCN (penalty charge notice) was introduced on 15th January 2015.
We do not hold the PIA data prior to the period of the restriction being in place.
In your email of 12 June 2015 at 16:26 you responded to Mr Hirani:
I asked for the documents used to introduce this "Ahead Only" traffic restriction, but you have not supplied any records of the decisions underpinning either the signage, or the Traffic Management Order. I want to know why the Traffic Management Order was created.
Additionally, you state that CCTV enforcement of this TMO was imposed in January 2015 - FIFTEEN YEARS after the introduction of the signage. You have not supplied any records of the decision to undertake this enforcement, and I would have expected that there would be some road safety or traffic control rationale (other than mere income generation) to do this.
You state that "We do not hold the PIA data prior to the period of the restriction being in place.". While I asked for the PIA data underpinning the restriction being imposed, you could have kindly supplied all the relevant PIA data that has underpinned your decision to impose the enforcement at this junction, but I will, of course, submit another FOI request to obtain this.
Given that you have not supplied any of the trail of policy and decision documents underpinning the decisions to introduce the signage, create the TMO and to enforce the TMO with such a lengthy delay, I would like to have this request referred to internal review.
Having reviewed the response which was sent to you I accept that it was not as full as it should have been as there was no reference made to your request for the relevant documents and reports from when the restriction was first introduced, nor was the traffic order provided to you. However in your request for an Internal Revoew of the case you also asked for addtional informaiton about the enforcement of the restriction, and for accident data from the time of the enforcement beginning, which you had not asked before.
On 12 June at 16:39 you submitted another request:
Please supply information on accidents that have occurred at the junction of Dowsett Road with High Road, N17 for the period which you have records, particularly with regard to data used to underpin the decision to implement CCTV enforcement of the "Ahead Only" sign for southbound traffic in January 2015 - FIFTEEN YEARS after the signage was introduced and TWELVE YEARS after the TMO was created.
I want to know WHY you have decided to enforce this traffic restriction.
To which I responded on 15 June beleiving it to be a duplicate request of part of case LBH/4290115, the Internal Review of which was also with me.
You responded further on 15 June at 15:20 stating it was not a duplicate request.
I am sorry for any confusion, from looking at the history of the correspondence I accept that you had not asked for the same accident data in your original request made on 13 May, where although you asked for accident data, it was relating to the introducion of the restriction rather than for the implementation of the enforcement of the restriction.
I have made further enquiries and can advise the following key dates:
- the traffic sign indicating “Ahead Only” direction was introduced in 2002,
- The Traffic Management Order for this restriction has been in place since 22 March 2003.
- Thefixed CCTV camera was installed November 2014.
- CCTV enforcement commenced on 9 January 2015
- The first PCN (penalty charge notice) was issued on 15 January 2015.
I have investigated what information we may hold regarding the Introduction of the restriction in 2000 andthe enforcement of the restriction.
Introduction of the restriction
Our records indicate that the sign was erected in 2002 as an experiment and then made permanent in 2003. The records/designs on this have been discarded. The banned left turn was introduced as part of a bus priority scheme.From this we can assume that the banned movement was introduced to eliminate conflict between buses and left turning vehicles at the junction. With the bus stop being in close proximity to the junction (in 2002 it was sited at its present location) there wasn’t enough space on the junction approach to re-introduce a left turning lane for all vehicles. Even if there was minimum length to re-introduce the lane, the feature would not have given priority to buses which was the ultimate purpose of the scheme.
With the left turn and dog leg through Reform Row and Honeysett Road to re-join Dowsett Road available, the banned left turn at the High Road/Dowsett Road should not impact journey times and increases capacity at the High Road/Dowsett Road junction.
The existing Traffic Management Order (TMO) for this is attached, along with the request for the TMO.
The enforcement of the restriction
The fixed CCTV camera was installed in October 2014 and has been in use since January 2015. However, prior to the fixed camera being installed there was enforcement of this restriction which was undertaken by a mobile unit. We may only enforce these contraventions by CCTV camera and have enforced quite a number of locations by the existing CCTV network and the Mobile CCTV units since 2004. We had not installed new cameras for a number of years and relied on the mobile units.
We decommissioned the mobile units last year and moved to introducingnewer CCTV cameraswhich are more efficient in that they automatically capture contraventions. There are no exemptions to moving traffic contraventions so the automatic capture is appropriate. The decision to invest in new cameras was at officer level and did not require cabinet approval.
The decision for this location to be allocated a fixed camera was taken following surveys being conducted at a number of locations where we had concerns and which highlighted a level of contraventions that required intervention; the Dowsett Rd junction being one of them. The surveys consisted of manual counts, hand recorded by members of staff, the records of which have not been retained. I am advised that we hold no other records regarding the decision for the camera to be placed at this location.
Accident Data
The accident data was not a factor in the decision to either implement or enforce this location and we do not routinely hold this information. However, in the course of responding to your correspondence we have approached Transport for London who have provided the attached accident data. This covers the period Jan 1997 – December 2005.
I hope that you are satisfied with my response to your complaint. If you are dissatisfied, you may complain to the Information Commissioner, who may be able to help you. Please note that if you wish to refer this case to the Information Commissioner, they ask that you do so within two months of our response to you.
You can contact the Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Email:
Website:
Yours sincerely
Sue Dyos
Feedback Team Leader