Low traffic neighbourhoods
Oval to Stockwell route
Low traffic neighbourhoods have been created in 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 will be closed to motor vehicles from Monday 13th July 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 just 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.
Get cycling
To support people in getting on two wheels the council is running free cycle servicing from Dr Bike and continues to encourage residents and businesses to take up the Try Before You Bike scheme with Peddle My Wheels, where you are able to trial a cycle or cargo bike for a small fee before deciding whether you want to purchase it. The council 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.
Word from cabinet
Cllr Claire Holland, Deputy Leader (Sustainable Transport, Environment & Clean Air) said: “We are ambitious for our borough and want to help all our residents embrace walking and cycling. Around 60 per cent 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.
“As the coronavirus lockdown eases our residents have told us they don’t want to go back to the old normal where Lambeth had some of the worst air pollution in Europe. We have a chance now to make a real difference. I know this is new and different, and we are determined to bring all our communities with us in this push for a cleaner and safer borough because we will all benefit.”
Emergency transport fund
Baylis Road cycle route
The work follows Lambeth Council being awarded £2.6 million in emergency funding by Transport for London, the biggest funding pot in the capital. Further new research shows that three in four local people say air quality was better during lockdown and want action to keep it that way.
Residents concerns
The Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Charity, Global Action Plan and Environmental Defense Fund Europe, have published a new survey highlighting how much air pollution declined in Lambeth and Southwark during lockdown, and residents concern about the issue returning.
The 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
Support
Dr Ian Abbs, chief executive and chief medical officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, which employs 17,000 people has also backed the council initiatives, writing to Cllr Holland this week calling for further work to boost walking and cycling in the borough.
Share your views
Feedback on the low traffic neighbourhoods is being sought online with interactive maps set up for people to share their views:
Oval Triangle Low Traffic Neighbourhood: part of Lambeth’s Covid19 response
Railton Low Traffic Neighbourhood: part of Lambeth’s Covid19 response
