The Friends of the Parkland Walk have been involved in discussions around Haringey Council’s plan to replace the bridge that takes the Parkland Walk over Stanhope Rd.  We have agreed the bridge design, which is similar to that of the existing bridge, but have serious concerns about the plans to build a new access ramp from the road to the Walk. The plans entail an almost total hard-surfacing of the area to the southeast of the bridge, with the loss of several mature trees and most of the existing ground cover vegetation.

We are completely supportive of well-considered measures to enable better access to the Parkland Walk for those with mobility problems, but the level of destruction of green space that these specific plans will entail is unacceptable, disproportionate and unnecessary.

It is vital that Haringey Council abandons its narrow thinking on this issue and adopts a strategic approach to the provision of improved access to the nature reserve, taking into account both the utility of the site of any new access paths and the need to protect trees and green space for all users. The provision of wheelchair-friendly access at alternative locations on the Walk could fulfil these objectives.

We believe that the consultation with key stakeholders was flawed. Haringey Council failed to genuinely listen or respond to our views. No questions on the preferred site of any accessible entrance were included in the community consultation or that with the Wheelchair Group. We urge the council to put this plan on hold and resume open and honest consultation with stakeholders on suitable alternatives.