The future of the 271 bus
space

Many Highgate residents will be sorry to see the loss of the direct 271 route to the City, but there is a positive side. For many years we have thought that parking buses in the centre of the village is a missed opportunity for better use of the space, so during the Fair in the Square and as part of the Highgate Festival we revived some ideas from 2007 and held an exhibition and informal consultation on possibilities.

Pond Square is a quiet and peaceful haven, while the High Street is a busy shopping centre but with quite narrow pavements and a lot of traffic. There is no intermediate space for community activities, but removal of the bus stand and redesign of the junction provides an unrivalled opportunity to create one.

Nearly everyone thought these was too much space devoted to cars and buses at the junction of South Grove and Highgate High Street. By moving the junction so that South Grove turns and runs through the present bus stand, much more space can be created, and the awkward left hand turn out of South Grove eased. Some thought South Grove should be made no entry from the High Street to reduce traffic, others that the area should be a pedestrian priority road and even – quite ambitiously – that the High Street should be made pedestrian priority.

We had about 25 or 30 people chipping in with creative ideas on how to use the space. Here are some of them:

– Cafe and restaurant eating out space
– Varied schedule of activities week to week and month to month such as Morris dancers, public speakers, bookstalls
– Tourist information booth
– Bandstand for local artists and performers
– Statue – maybe Coleridge, Andrew Marvell or perhaps George Michael
– Farmers market
– Seating and benches
– Bike parking
– Fountain
– Cash machine
– Skate park
– Trees / a wishing tree
– Mini park with insects and wildlife
– Remove cars altogether

We’re excited. Watch this space!