The drawing on the right, which is taken from the Camden Transport Strategy Annual Update, shows a planned cycle route (in green dashes) from Kilburn High Road via Greencroft Gardens and Fairhazel Gardens to the junction with Belsize Road (at the Belsize roundabout) and then continuing to Loudoun Road. We understand that this will be the continuation of Q3 which currently stops at Maygrove Road, close to the borough boundary. The Belsize roundabout is shown as a pink circle to indicate that a junction improvement is planned.
We would have expected the consultation to mention the presence of the cycle route and of the need to improve the cycle journey through Belsize Roundabout.
We are unable to find anything in the proposals that relates to safer cycling on this part of the Q3 route and we are very concerned that the opportunity to make such changes will be missed.
Camden’s proposals
- to improve crossing facilities* ‘for those who walk, wheel and scoot’.
- to introduce SuDs (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) in Fairhazel Gardens, Loudoun Road, Hilgrove Road and Belsize Road
- to widen footways on Goldhurst Terrace at the junction with Fairhazel Gardens
- to add continuous crossings across Coleridge Gardens on Fairhazel Gardens
- Belsize Roundabout
- Add a raised zebra crossing with widened pavements on Loudoun Road, approaching the roundabout
- Relocate the zebra crossings on the both sides of Belsize Road to be closer to the junction with Fairhazel Gardens
- Raise the informal crossings over Fairfax Road
- Cycle parking:
- Add 2 cycle hangars and extending the dockless bike hire bay outside of Likewise Community Centre on Fairhazel Gardens
- Add new cycle stands on Fairhazel Gardens and Hilgrove Road
- New benches in Fairhazel and Loudoun and Fairfax Road Belsize Road
* crossing facilities seem to amount to a continuous footway at one junction plus two improved zebra crossings and one improved raised crossing over arms of Belsize Roundabout
Motor vehicle counts
We have requested recent counts from Camden Council. In the meantime here are some 10-year old counts.
The drawing on the right shows some traffic counts from 2015, taken on a Thursday. These were combined with another set of counts on a Tuesday to produce the following totals:
- Belsize Road 7497
- Hilgrove Road 5425
- Fairfax Road 1914
- Loudoun Road 2581
Fairhazel gardens PM peak counts:
- Southbound – 196 per hour
- Northbound – 340 per hour
With the possible exception of Fairfax Road, these numbers are all well in excess of what is permissible for an unprotected cycle route.
Camden Transport Strategy
The Camden Transport Strategy Annual Update Appendix B2 – 2026-6 and 2027-8 delivery plan includes the following:
- A2: “New”/emerging strategic cycle corridor schemes – consultation and delivery in 25-28 period
- Kilburn High Road to South Hampstead High quality cycling corridor (secondary route)
- Link between LB Brent border and South Hampstead/onward connections using mainly residential streets; Feasibility underway on several interventions along length of the route, most of which would be delivered through associated Safe & Healthy Streets projects
- F: Healthy Junctions
- Belsize Road/ Hilgrove Road roundabout
- Road safety, cycling and walking enhancements at this junction and on adjoining streets including Loudoun Road (outside South Hampstead station). Engagement and feasibility to be undertaken in 2026/27 with consultation and further phases from 2027/28 onwards.
Consultation Feb 2026: The Fairhazel Gardens and Loudoun Road area proposals are concerned with two of the roads on the Kilburn High Road to South Hampstead cycling corridor. The main issues on the Fairhazel Gardens and Loudoun Road section of the Kilburn High Road to South Hampstead cycling corridor are:
- The motor traffic levels are too high for all types of cyclists to share the road with motor vehicles, particularly on Loudoun Road. See Appendix below for traffic counts.
- Cycling between Fairhazel Gardens and Loudoun Road involves using the Belsize Roundabout which is very challenging in the southbound direction even for many experienced cyclists.
Our questions:
- Why is there no reference to the Kilburn High Road to South Hampstead cycling corridor or to plans to improve it? Camden’s other preliminary consultations (e.g. on Fitzrovia or Somerstown) refer to future plans.
- Why is there no reference to the plans for the Belsize Roundabout when it is very likely that they will all need to be undone when the junction is upgraded?
- Why is Camden proposing to make the above listed changes on the Belsize Roundabout when it is very likely that they will all need to be undone when the junction is upgraded?:
- Add a raised zebra crossing with widened pavements on Loudoun Road, approaching the roundabout
- Relocate the zebra crossings on the both sides of Belsize Road to be closer to the junction with Fairhazel Gardens
- Raise the informal crossings over Fairfax Road
Consultation on Camden’s website
Scheme drawings here
CCC Response
To be written