A more environmentally friendly, cleaner and healthier place for all

In recognition of the bold action that the council has taken, and is continuing to take, Islington has for the past five years ranked as the top inner London borough in the Healthy Streets Scorecard rankings and last year was awarded top of the charts for single tier authorities for its climate action work. 

To help make Islington a more environmentally friendly place, the council is: 

• Providing free cycle training, with more than 2,000 children and 600 adults taking part in sessions designed to improve cycle safety last year. 

• Securing nearly £1 million in Government funding to expand electric vehicle charging points across the borough, ensuring that the council vehicles that residents see on their streets are eco-friendly. 

• Completing our first two liveable neighbourhoods in Mildmay and The Cally, creating safer, healthier, more welcoming spaces for everyone. 

• Creating safer streets around schools with 36 school streets delivered, with our first secondary school street covering Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school later in 2026. 

• Improving the historic Clerkenwell Green, more than doubling the amount of public space here. 

• Continuing to make sure all our streets are accessible, welcoming and inclusive for all as part of our ongoing neighbourhood improvements.

• Introducing new electric street sweepers, which will save over 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – the equivalent energy to power 15 homes for a year. The council’s vehicle fleet now includes 150 fully electric vehicles. 

• Continuing to invest in parks and green spaces, with Islington receiving 14 Green Flag awards in 2025. 

• Maximising the potential of parks and open spaces, by hosting 30,000 educational visits and 1,000 health and wellbeing events last year. 

• Investing £2m in making recycling simpler and easier on estates, while also rolling-out food waste recycling to flats above shops. The food waste service will soon be available borough wide. 

• Helping local people ensure that precious resources are being reused, rather than going to waste. With the council hosting 93 repair, upcycling and reuse workshops, and training more than 3,000 residents in repair skills since 2023. 

Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, said: “We’re absolutely focused on making it happen for local people — cleaner air, safer streets, more environmentally friendly neighbourhoods and more opportunities to live healthy, active lives. 

“These achievements show what’s possible when we work alongside our communities and stay ambitious for our borough. 

“Tackling the climate emergency is at the heart of our efforts to create a more equal borough, and we’re working with residents to make it happen for Islington”. 

To help continue to drive progress, the council is working with partners and the local community on a refreshed “Climate Action Plan”, which will set out how Islington will work to build on its recent success.