Camden Council will remove traffic from part of the street for an 18-month trial
Amidst all the talk of Oxford Street getting pedestrianised, it’s been confirmed that another busy London road is going traffic-free this year. Following a recent consultation in which 70% of respondents came out in favour of the move, Camden Council is going to pedestrianise a section of Camden High Street for a trial period of up to 18 months, supported by £130,000 from TfL.
As anyone who’s ever exited Camden Town tube and walked up the High Street will know, it gets extremely busy, with up to 40,000 people vying for space on the pavements at peak times, so this trial should make the experience safer and less stressful.
Motor vehicles will be removed from the junction with Parkway and Kentish Town Road up to the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent, with buses going towards Chalk Farm being rerouted along Kentish Town Road and then Hawley Crescent. Blue badge parking will be provided on side streets and contra-flow cycle lanes will also be introduced.
Speaking about the trial, Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden, said “Camden Town is an internationally recognised destination and an important transport hub. Its iconic markets, music venues, and businesses draw people in from across London, the rest of the UK, and the world.
“The high street is the first thing many people see when they exit Camden Town tube or get off the bus. But at peak times there can be as many as 40,000 people on the high street, creating significant overcrowding and a stressful experience. So many people ask why the high street is not already pedestrianised – now we are delivering on that call.”
The pedestrianisation trial is slated to start later this year, though we don’t have an exact start date just yet, so watch this space…
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