Lambeth Council has announced that schemes to make walking and cycling more accessible across the London borough are now in place, with more work to follow after being awarded £2.6m in emergency funding by Transport for London (TfL).
Low traffic neighbourhoods have been created around Brixton’s Railton Road and a second similar scheme is also up and running in the Oval to Stockwell triangle area. Windmill Drive on Clapham Common is closed to motor vehicles as part of a raft of changes being made to improve cycleway 5.
A joint council and TfL makeover of Baylis Road In Waterloo has also been completed featuring segregated cycles lanes and full resurfacing. Low traffic neighbourhoods in the Ferndale, Streatham Hill and Cornwall Road area of Waterloo are next in line in the council’s emergency transport programme.
The council is also running free cycle servicing and is encouraging residents and local businesses to take up the Try Before You Bike scheme with Peddle My Wheels, where users can trial a cycle or cargo bike for a small fee before deciding whether to purchase it.
The council said it has been installing new planters in the Railton Road and Oval to Stockwell Triangle low traffic neighbourhoods to make the closures clear and visually appealing.
Cllr Claire Holland, Lambeth Council deputy leader for sustainable transport, environment and clean air, said: “We are ambitious for our borough and want to help all our residents embrace walking and cycling. Around 60% of our residents don’t own a car, yet cars have dominated our streets for too long making it unsafe to walk and cycle and worsening our children’s health.
“Our changes aim to redress this balance, making it safer for people to walk and cycle so that those without a car have genuine transport options whilst leaving our road clear for those that absolutely have to use them.”
Further new research also shows that three in four local people believe air quality in the borough was better during lockdown and want action to keep it that way. The Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Charity, Global Action Plan and Environmental Defense Fund Europe survey found:
- 73% of Lambeth respondents said air quality was better during lockdown
- 73% of Lambeth and Southwark respondents were concerned about increased traffic
- 74% of respondents in Lambeth and Southwark wanted more urgent government and local authority investment in plans to tackle air pollution and traffic
Feedback on the low traffic neighbourhoods is being sought online with interactive maps set up for people to share their views.
