Camden Council is consulting on the draft planning framework for
Euston Station and the surrounding area.
The sites included in the framework are:
- Euston Station, Euston Road, NW1.
- The railway carriage sheds at Granby Terrace, NW1.
- The former BHS depot site at 132-142 Hampstead Road, NW1.
- The national Temperance Hospital, Hampstead Road, NW1.
- The Euston Police Garage, Drummond Crescent, NW1.
It’s a very long document, but contains references to cycling. In particular:
Section 8.34
In addition, improved north-south access and crossing points across Euston Road to Eversholt Street and Melton Street are needed to improve pedestrian and cycle routes to and from Central London. New east- west links are also sought across the Euston station site to link in with Drummond Street, Euston Street and Hampstead Road to the west and Drummond Crescent, Grafton Place, Doric Way and Phoenix Road to the east.
It will be great if we can get a cycle route across the station. We’ll have to encourage that.
Click here to see the consultation leaflet
CCC’s response
Our comments on the new draft planning framework for Euston Station address three separate issue: the first is as a serious barrier to cycling, the second is as an important destination and the third its other side effects on cycling in the area.
Barrier to cycling
Euston station and the railway land behind it form a serious barrier to east-west cycling; we therefore feel encouraged by the commitment (in Section 8.34) to new east-west links across the Euston station site to link in with Drummond Street, Euston Street and Hampstead Road to the west and Drummond Crescent, Grafton Place, Doric Way and Phoenix Road to the east.
Important destination
Cycle access and parking should be designed in from the start, with a view to improving interchange between cycling and train travel. We therefore are encouraged by the several references to improved cycle access via signage, high quality routes and cycle parking as well as to improved north-south access and crossing points across Euston Road to Eversholt Street and Melton Street.(in Section 8.34)
Since the framework has little detail, we suggest:
- the current means of access to the station from the east side is via steps and is inappropriate.
- signage must include not only signs to the station but also signs in a prominent position at the station
- the station’s website should also include information and maps shwoing to how to reach the station by bike (currently mentions taxi, car, bus, foot and underground in that order);
- good cycle parking is essential at a convenient position (short walk to ticket office and trains)
- the design should allow for people to take (heavily loaded) bikes on to trains
Side effects of Euston Station affecting cyclists
The framework does not specify how taxis will access the station. Current access by taxis via Melton Street has severe side effects in the Gordon Square area where taxis on Tavistock Place turn right across the cycle tracks to use Gordon Street.
It would be infinitely better for cyclists and pedestrians in the Bloomsbury area if taxis were to travel to/from Euston on of the major roads (Woburn Place, Gower Street, Tottenham Court Road) rather than rat-running through Bloomsbury.
