The council won the Sustainability category at the annual Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) awards, the industry body comprising highways and transport experts, for the Kerbside Strategy [link].
The kerbside is the area between the road and pavement that is currently dominated by car parking spaces. The Kerbside Strategy will reclaim a large part of the space to create new areas for people to meet and socialise.
Lambeth Council deputy leader Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our unique and ambitious Kerbside Strategy has been recognised by such an esteemed professional body.
“It shows that our approach to tackling road danger, the climate crisis and air pollution is making waves and we can be an example to other local authorities to take urgent action at a local level.
“The council has worked tremendously hard to devise and deliver the Kerbside Strategy, we are excited by the possibilities to really make a difference in how people can both travel around and enjoy their local neighbourhoods.”
The kerbside is one of the largest public spaces that is controlled by Lambeth Council – equivalent to 194 football pitches – and the strategy aims to reclaim a quarter of that area for residents to enjoy.
The Kerbside Strategy focuses on four priorities for the future of Lambeth’s streets. It will enable accessible and active travel, create social spaces, increase climate resilience, and reduce motor vehicle traffic and cut emissions.
The strategy will allow for more space for seating and tables to create social space, more cycle infrastructure such as bike hangars, and the roll-out of the biggest community parklet scheme in the capital.
It will also lead to more shared scooter and bike bays, electric vehicle charging points, cycle hangers and support for businesses using cargo bikes and electric delivery vehicles.
Lambeth Council and Sustrans were highly commended in the Streets Award category for their joint work on designing low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).
Sustrans worked with Lambeth residents to help design and add social value to the borough’s first LTN schemes that have been introduced over the last three years. They held inclusive workshops with disability groups to ensure pavements are accessible and not cluttered with street furniture.
Cllr Chowdhury added: “Being highly commended for our work with Sustrans on the LTN programme is also hugely important as it shows the power of working closely with residents to deliver the improvements they want.
“We believe that by radically transforming our kerbside and local streets to reclaim it from car parking we can reimagine the space for uses that benefit everyone. I’m looking forward to see this change over the next few years.”
For more information visit the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) website.
