Islington Council has announced that the ongoing trial of the Amwell low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) has been made permanent.
The local authority made the decision after monitoring data and resident feedback, with the scheme being one of seven LTNs to be introduced by the council to promote active and sustainable travel.
Amwell’s LTN also complements the Cycleway 27 scheme, the council has said, which runs from Amwell Street and Margery Street towards Bloomsbury.
The initiative was implemented as part of an 18-month trial.
A public consultation on the neighbourhood revealed that 42% of respondents felt it was easier to make the trips they need by walking and cycling since the scheme’s introduction, with 17% disagreeing.
What’s more, 43% expressed that the air felt cleaner, though 10% disagreed, and 45% said it was easier to cross the street.
The council’s own traffic monitoring has reportedly shown a fall in traffic on roads within the LTN between September 2020 and May 2023, as well as an increase in cycling over the same period.
Other traffic-calming measures implemented by the authority include 35 School Streets, a network of cycleways and more accessible pavements.
Cllr Rowena Champion, executive member for environment, air quality and transport, Islington Council, said: “For many years, local people told us they wanted to see action to create greener, healthier, more welcoming streets – and that’s why we’ve been delivering low-traffic neighbourhood trials since 2020.
“Three years on, we’re delighted with the impact of the schemes. Making the Amwell neighbourhood permanent is another positive step, and it’s clear that the scheme has delivered huge benefits for local people.
“We know, though, that there’s still much more for us to do. We’re going to be working to improve our low-traffic neighbourhoods further and have ambitious plans to continue to work hand-in-hand with local people to transform the borough’s streets in pursuit of a greener, healthier, more equal Islington for all.”
Amwell is the sixth Islington LTN to be made permanent.
Islington Council is a finalist for the second annual CiTTi Awards in Clean Air – Awards Projects and The Smart Parking Award categories. The ceremony will be held on 21 November 2023 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table today!
