Local people invited to give their views on Amwell people-friendly streets neighbourhood
Islington Council is inviting local people to have their say on the Amwell people-friendly streets neighbourhood, with new monitoring data reflecting the positive impact of the scheme so far.
The scheme in Amwell is one of seven people-friendly streets neighbourhoods to be introduced by the council as 18-month trials, to help create the cleaner, greener, healthier Islington that local people have long been calling for.
By preventing cut-through traffic within the neighbourhoods, the trials help make streets where it’s easier to walk, cycle, scoot and use buggies and wheelchairs.
The Amwell people-friendly streets neighbourhood was introduced in November 2020, and monitoring data published today (Wednesday, 15 December) shows the benefits it has brought in its first 12 months.
Comparing data from September 2020 with figures from October 2021, the report shows that within the neighbourhood traffic fell by 48% and the number of speeding vehicles dropped by 70%. On roads within the neighbourhood, cycling also increased by 65%.
All seven of Islington’s people-friendly streets neighbourhoods are subject to public consultations after around 12 months, to help decide if they should remain in place, be changed, or be removed.
The Amwell trial’s consultation is currently open, and will close on Monday, 31 January 2022. Further information on the consultation, and consultation events, can be found on the council’s people-friendly streets webpage.
Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We’re creating people-friendly streets neighbourhoods to help make Islington a cleaner, greener, healthier place to live.
“The monitoring reports that we have issued so far reflect the positive impact of the schemes in their first 12 months in reducing traffic within the neighbourhoods, creating streets that are more pleasant and enjoyable for local people. The Amwell neighbourhood has brought similar benefits, making it easier to walk, cycle, and use buggies and wheelchairs.
“Feedback from local people on all of the schemes is really important to us, and we’re looking forward to hearing from people living in and around the Amwell neighbourhood on their experience of the trial so far.”
The report, which has been published in full on the council’s website, also reveals:
- Traffic on Lloyd Baker Street has decreased by 71%, from 1,179 to 340 vehicles per day.
- Cycling has increased by 196% on Margery Street (westbound) from 261 to 771 cycling trips per day.
- There was no significant impact on London Fire Brigade response times, or on crime and anti-social behaviour.
- Overall, changes in nitrogen dioxide are slightly better than those in the borough more widely.
- On boundary roads surrounding the neighbourhood, there has been a negligible change in traffic (see notes to editors)
It is likely that the monitoring results will have been impacted by a bollard being taken without the council’s permission at the northern filter of Lloyd Square.
Islington Council has already held public consultations on the St Peter’s, Canonbury East, and Clerkenwell Green neighbourhoods, and a consultation on Canonbury West is ongoing. Public consultations on the Highbury West and Highbury Fields neighbourhoods will be announced in due course.
Notes to editors
To account for the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on transport in London, traffic figures in the monitoring report have been adjusted through a process known as “normalisation”. Further details on this process can be found in the report itself.
Please note: traffic flows fluctuate on a daily basis (generally up to 10%). As such, changes of traffic volumes within -10% to 10% are considered insignificant (i.e. no or negligible change).
On boundary roads, traffic increased negligibly by 5% across three sites. There has been a 30% increase in motorised traffic on Farringdon Road, a negligible increase (3%) in traffic on Pentonville Road and a negligible decrease (-5%) on Rosebery Avenue. Two boundary road sites were affected by emergency utilities works during traffic surveys.
Contact information
If you are a member of the public with a general question about the council please view the contact information on our website or call 020 7527 2000.