The council proposes improvements for pedestrians in Buck Street (just north of Camden Town Tube Station) as part of a Government funded “Liveability programme”.
The proposed improvements include new paving on both sides of Buck Street.
The other proposals relate to pavement widening, priding two options.
• Option 1 – Widen the pavement on both sides of the road near The Camden Market and outside Hawley Infant School and change Buck Street into a one-way street from Camden High Street to Kentish Town Road. The number of existing pay and display bays will be reduced and in order to improve safety. No parking or loading allowed on the double yellow lines.
• Option 2 – Widen the pavement where possible but retain two-way traffic flow. No parking or loading allowed on the double yellow lines.
CCC’s response
Camden Cycling Campaign supports the Liveability programme in the Camden Town area and is pleased to see this attempt to improve Buck Street.
However, we are very concerned that the ability to cycle through Buck Street in both directions should not be lost as a result of implementing these improvements. Since we understand that LB Camden does not intend to reduce cycle permeability, we find it surprising that cycle contraflow was not proposed as a part of Option 1.
Our preferred option is Option 2 because we believe that one-way streets are in general a bad idea for both cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging speeding and causing confusion for other road users. Under this option, it would be possible to gain more footway space outside Hawley Infants School by removing the parking bays opposite and/or by narrowing the roadway.
However, if Option 1 is chosen as a result of the consultation, it is essential that the scheme includes contraflow cycling facilities.
