Camden is consulting on proposals aimed at improving conditions for walking and cycling in the Farringdon area. They say these are part of a larger vision for the area which is a strip between Gray’s Inn Road and Farringon/Kings Cross Road; bounded on the south side by Holborn and on the north side by Swinton Street.
The consultation refers to CS6 which is currently under construction and runs most of the way through the area, northbound on Saffron Hill and Herbal Hill and then in both directions on Phoenix Road, turning left on Ampton Street, heading out of the area onto Tavistock place and Judd Street. See the map included in the consultation drawings.
The proposed measures:
Two way cycling in Eyre Street Hill
This is just what we asked for! It enables people to cycle e.g. from Tavistock Place -> Ampton Street -> Phoenix Place -> Hatton Garden without having to use the very uncomfortable cobbles in Back Hill. The proposals are:
– to close the narrow section of Eyre Street Hill at the junction of Clerkenwell Road to motor vehicles.
– to provide contraflow cycling in the rest of Eyre Street Hill
Two way cycling in Laystall Street south of Rosebery Avenue which is one-way, northbound
This proposal will form part of another (southbound) link from the e.g. Doughty Street through via Clerkenwell Road to Hatton Garden but it would be much better were two-way cycling to be provided on Laystall Street (north of Rosebery Avenue). Christopher Hatton school is sited in the northern part and might benefit from two-way cycle access.
This section of street is already closed to motor vehicles 8:30 am -4:40 pm on weekdays. Camden’s proposals are:
– it will be closed full time to motor vehicles with the exception of blue badge holders and loading vehicles
– to ban the right turn (for the few motor vehicles) from Laystall Street onto Roseberry Avenue (except cycles)
– to introduce contraflow for cyclists on Laystall Street between Roseberry Avenue and Clerkenwell Road.
Gough Street
This is a north-south road that runs between Elm Street and Mount Pleasant. The southern section is closed to motor traffic at Calthorpe Street. There is a ‘No Entry’ at the southern end – without any exception for cycles. Gough Street is surfaced with some very knobbly cobbles, but for the hardy it could form a quiet route parallel to Farrindon Road.
The Gough Street / Mount Pleasant junction:
Camden wants to close Gough Street to motor vehicles at this junction
but to allow for proposed development works at the Royal Mail site, they propose:
– a permanent road closure to motor traffic further north on Gough Street (55m north of the junction with Mount Pleasant/Elm Street)
– a temporary road closure to motor traffic at the junction with Mount Pleasant, until the development works are completed (expected to be 2020)
Gough Street north of the junction with Calthorpe Street
Option A: full closure to motor vehicles with a ‘parallel’ zebra crossing – for pedestrians and cyclists across Calthorpe Street,
Option B: partial closure to motor vehicles which would be allowed to exit eastbound onto Calthorpe Street., also with a ‘parallel’ zebra crossing – for pedestrians and cyclists across Calthorpe Street,
Frederick St / King’s Cross Road Junction
Camden proposes to close Frederick Street at the junction with King’s Cross Road to motor vehicles. This would remove reduce through traffic between Gray’s Inn Road and King’s Cross Road via Frederick Street/Cubitt Street,
See the consultation on Camden’s website:
CycleScape discussion
https://camdencyclists.cyclescape.org/threads/3806
CCC’s response
Farringdon area – proposed walking and cycling improvements – CCC response