Camden Cyclists’ Statement on the Haverstock Hill Cycle Lanes
Summary of deputation presented to Camden Council Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee 26th August 2021
This scheme is designed to improve safety and make a key route more accessible to cyclists of all ages and abilities. We are extremely disappointed that, particularly in a month with a tragic fatality at Holborn and a serious injury on Adelaide Road, there are councillors who oppose it.
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- Haverstock Hill is a key link in Camden’s planned cycle network.
It has been in the Council’s Transport Strategy since 2018. It is classed as ‘high priority’ in TfL’s Strategic Cycling Analysis. Like other main roads, Haverstock Hill is direct and follows the route with the smallest maximum gradients. - It will enable the thousands of people who live in Belsize Park and beyond in Hampstead to cycle safely up and down the hill at their own pace
rather than being hassled by motor vehicles, or trapped against parked cars. - The increasing affordability of e-bikes means this will also include less active cyclists.
- The scheme will replace parking space with cycle lanes and for most of the route there is no loss of road-space.
Cycle lanes are, we believe, a much better use of space than car parking. - Most visitors to Haverstock Hill arrive on foot, cycle or use the nearby tube and bus connections.
The provision of safe and convenient cycle lanes can only add to the footfall. TfL’s study Walking and Cycling: the economic benefits (2014) shows that high street walking and cycling improvements in London increase retail sales by up to 30%. - The ‘alternative route’ proposed by the objecting councillors is circuitous, on busy one-way roads with little space for cycle lanes (the Fleet Road gyratory), involves steeper hills (Pond Street, 50% steeper than Haverstock Hill) and totally ignores anyone living or with a destination to the west of Haverstock Hill. It is not ‘flatter’ nor ‘quieter’.
- The councillors’ call-in document selectively emphasises groups with high percentages opposed to the scheme. Overall, numbers opposed to and supporting the scheme are well balanced.
In particular, parents and carers of children at local schools were overall in favour and the schools themselves were 100% supportive as was the senior management at the Royal Free Hospital. - Haverstock Hill is a main thoroughfare and though the wishes of residents and business owners should be respected, they should not have a veto on changes to the road to make it safer.
- Haverstock Hill is a key link in Camden’s planned cycle network.
Background
Haverstock Hill is an important link in Camden’s growing borough-wide cycle network. It is shaded in orange on the map on the right – click the map to see an enlargement.
Camden proposes to build protected cycle lanes on both sides of Haverstock Hill between Prince of Wales Road and Pond Street. We expect them to look similar to the lanes on Haverstock Hill south of Prince of Wales Road as shown in the photo on the left.
Other changes will include the following
- Four new zebra crossings and one new signalised crossing.
- The removal of traffic islands at formal and informal crossings.
- The existing bus lane will be made a full-time bus lane.
- Shared use bus boarders at most bus stops, as shown in the photo on the right.
- Removal of almost all of the car parking to make room for the cycle lanes
More details on Camden’s website