CAMPAIGNERS trying to save a shopping parade threatened by a road expansion scheme and improve road safety say they have won concessions from developer Transport for London.

With the help of Joanne McCartney, assembly member for Enfield and Haringey at the Greater London Authority, the Bowes Telford Community Action Group (BTCAG) reached an agreement with TfL which means they no longer oppose plans to widen the North Circular road.

The group had obtained legal advice about challenging the planning permission granted for the scheme which covers a section of the A406 in Palmers Green.

Henry Brown from BTCAG said: "The only way we could challenge it was by opposing the whole scheme eventhough there were elements that we supported and only needed to deal with the parts of it that we felt were unsatisfactory."

One the main areas of concern was to do with the demolition of the Ritz Parade shops in the Bowes Road.

The BTCAG's Laura Davenport said: "We haven't achieved everything we set out to achieve; the scheme for this area of the A406 stil isn't good enough, but we have managed to ave some of the local shops.

"We've managed to save the local chemist just down the road; we've managed to save the local dentist, and we've managed to save some of the shops along the Ritz Parade."

Joanne McCartney said: "TfL have sat down with residents which is the way consultation should proceed. We've now got a scheme for the main road that is workable for most people."

She said that a planning inspector would hopefully approve the scheme to start work early next year, and the next challenge was to get Enfield Council moving on implementing traffic calming measures in the side roads to the A406.

A TfL spokeswoman said: "During last week's public inquiry we requested that the Compulsory Purchase Order be confirmed subject to an amendment excluding the Ritz Parade Extension properties (156-162 Bowes Road). "The Planning Inspector will now prepare a report for the Secretary of State who will make a decision."