Newsletter March 2024

Associated with the plans for the Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood, Camden are proposing a number of ‘quick wins’ that could be launched ahead of the main project. They are calling these STARter projects. We’re capturing them here, along with our responses.

There are several parts to this consultation and while it may seem like a lot, most of them will only take a minute or two of your time:

• Share your thoughts on a specific location on their map
• Share how you feel about Holborn as it is now and general ideas for the Holborn area in a quick survey – in ‘other comments’ please support new STARter projects to enable cycling (not in 2019 proposal} i.e. Bury Place / Fisher Street / Proctor Street

STARter projects starting ASAP (some underway):

• The deadline for the Keeley Street consultation is 17 March (Sunday) so please respond before then.

Camden are consulting on a major scheme to improve the streets in the Christchurch Hill, Cannon Place and Hampstead Square area of Hampstead. This would include Healthy School Streets in the vicinity of Christ Church Primary School, banning motor traffic between 8.15 – 9.15 am and 3 – 4pm, Monday to Friday during school terms on selected streets.

We encourage you to strongly support this consultation and you may wish to include the following point in your response:

• From the data supplied, the morning peak for motor traffic appears to be just before the start time of the proposed restrictions. I am concerned that there may be a rush to get into the streets just before 8:15 and therefore suggest that the start time should be earlier and in the evening that it should extend later for the same reason.

You can view our full response and more of the proposed changes to Christchurch Hill here (the response form is linked at the bottom of the page)

Deadline to respond: 18 March

Camden are consulting on a Healthy School Streets scheme that would cover Ferncroft Avenue, Kidderpore Avenue and Kidderpore Gardens in West Hampstead. Motor traffic would be banned between 7.45 – 9 am and 3 – 4:15 pm, Monday to Friday during school terms.

As above, we encourage you to support this consultation but please include the following point if you agree:

• I think that the afternoon hours should be longer and suggest that the afternoon restriction should be extended to at least 5 pm.

You can view our full response and more info on the proposed St Margaret’s and St Luke’s Healthy School Streets here (the response form is linked at the bottom of the page)

Deadline to respond: 18 March

We encourage you to support the consultation on introducing bus lanes on Parkway and Kentish Town Road. Here are some points you may want to include in your response:

• The bus lane on Parkway should be extended as far as Britannia Junction
• Please consider planning for the introduction of two-way cycling on Hawley Crescent which should be feasible when the second phase of pedestrianisation of Camden High Street goes ahead
• I support the changes to parking and loading bays and the new Zebra crossing of Kentish Town Road

You can view our full response and summary of the Parkway and Kentish Town Road consultation here (the response form is linked at the bottom of the page)

Deadline to respond: 19 March

Held online, via Zoom from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.

Anyone interested in cycling in Camden is welcome to join us. Agenda  to include:

• Introductions
• Minutes of the February meeting to approve
• TfL Strategic Cycling Analysis 2022
• Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood plans
• LTNs
• Should Lime bikes have dockless parking at Sheffield Stands?
• 27/04/24 ‘Little Big Ride
• Vehicles stopping in the bike box
• AoB (parking provision for cargo bikes – hangars etc)

Held at Kentish Town Health Centre, Bartholomew Road, NW5 2BX on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

One participant’s response: “As well as making me feel welcome, they helped fix the problems with my bike and I learnt a few things as well. This is a really good initiative and it takes the stress off doing the mechanics. Plus it makes my cycling a lot safer, now the brakes are working properly. It felt like I was cycling on a brand new bike this morning :)”

It’s free of charge. Sign up for monthly KTBW notifications.

Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have featured prominently in the news lately, not least including a report that states they provide 100 times the value of their implementation. Moreover, this report was actually commissioned by PM Sunak’s team. Below are links to some of the articles on this issue:

• Government tried to bury a report which found that LTNs are effective and popular – covered by road.cc and The Guardian
• Health gains of low-traffic schemes up to 100 times greater than costs
• “Spread the word – these schemes work”

Wednesday, 10 April 2024, 14.00 – 15.30

“The explosion of online and app-based delivery services has made the challenges of last-mile delivery tougher. Cargo bikes are the obvious zero emission choice, helping local authorities to meet net zero, air quality and decongestion targets.”

The panel on the webinar will cover these questions:

• What’s needed to scale up cargo bikes to the next step?
• What’s the quickest route to getting more cargo bikes into service?
• What can we learn from them success of different operational models?.

Camden Cyclists is the local group of the London Cycling Campaign. Our members enable the work we do and receive a whole host of great benefits.

Join as a member today and choose from free lights, lock or a pump!*

Already a member? Refer a friend and you’ll both receive gifts.

*Offer applies to Individual and Household membership purchased via Direct Debit.