Campaigners are calling on the public to have their say on Enfield’s cycle lanes after claiming the council misused highways law to build them.

Save Our Green Lanes spokesman Helen Osman wants people to make their views heard on “massive” changes to parking and loading that have been made to build cycle lanes along the A105 Green Lanes.

A consultation, which ends on Thursday (June 13), is being held on whether to make parts of the scheme that were built using experimental traffic orders permanent. These include changes to on-street parking and the removal of loading bays for businesses.

Save Our Green Lanes claims the council used experimental traffic orders so it could avoid carrying out a public inquiry that should have been triggered by a wave of opposition back in 2016.

The campaigners say the orders could not be challenged because they are temporary – but they still need to be evaluated before they are made permanent.

Save Our Green Lanes spokesman Helen Osman said: “In essence, the council is yet again trying to stop people getting involved and having their say.

“They did it this way so they did not have to do a statutory consultation.

“All along Green Lanes there have been massive changes to parking and loading. It has had a serious impact on a lot of people’s lives. People are struggling to get in and out of drives, people can’t park.

“The council took this ridiculous route – using legislation for putting up bollards.

“By law, people have a right to object. They should have put it out to a public consultation on this.”

Ms Osman claimed many people living near the A105 had not received the leaflet that was sent out by the council informing them of the consultation.

She added the two-page leaflet made no mention of parking and loading – even though these key parts of the scheme were being consulted on.

Ms Osman said: “Experimental traffic laws can only last 18 months. They have already exceeded this.

“The council tried to pass this law last summer, until they were reminded this is being done as an experiment.”

The A105 cycle lanes have been the subject of a bitter dispute since they were announced in 2014.

Some shopkeepers along the route recently claimed their businesses were still suffering from lost revenues a year after construction ended.

But members of a pro-cycling group spoke out in support of the lanes and argued they could be good for local shops.

You can comment on the experimental traffic orders by visiting:

https://consultations.trafficandtransport.co.uk/traffic-and-transportation/a105-eto/consult_view/

A council spokesperson said: “The council has used the appropriate powers to provide the new infrastructure on the A105 to improve the safety of more vulnerable road users.

“The cycle lanes themselves have not been constructed on an experimental basis and the council believes introducing measures such as these will increase the number of people who feel able to choose more active forms of travel.

“Data is demonstrating a 52 per cent increase in people cycling along Green Lanes between summer 2016 and 2018.

“However, there are some specific elements that have been introduced using experimental traffic management orders  to allow them to be easily adapted, if necessary, in light of experience and feedback.

“The elements introduced experimentally relate to a limited number of issues, including the position of disabled bays, the need for and operation of certain free on-street parking bays, an additional loading bay in Lodge Drive, as well as the introduction of waiting and loading restrictions so that double yellow lines and kerb markings can be introduced to make it clear that vehicles should not park in the cycle lanes.

“This is an entirely appropriate use of the council’s powers and we have gone beyond the minimum statutory requirements to promote the opportunity for people to let us know what they think of the experimental elements, including leafleting (residents and businesses) along the length of the route.

“The consultation period ends on June 13 and all comments received will be carefully considered.”