TfL and Hackney Council to Trial Traffic Reduction Schemes

De Beauvoir and other parts of Hackney are set to become more pleasant places to live, walk and cycle after TfL and the London Borough of Hackney confirmed that two traffic reduction schemes along Cycle Superhighway 1 will be implemented on a trial basis this autumn.

Cycle Superhighway 1 (CS1) was completed in April and runs largely on roads parallel to the A10 between Tottenham and the City.

Further improvements

During the original route consultation, which was carried out in 2015, further improvements were identified to make the areas around De Beauvoir and Wordsworth Road more welcoming and address concerns of 'rat-running' on minor roads.

Through motor traffic at five junctions in the De Beauvoir Road area will be restricted, as will through traffic at three junctions around Wordsworth Road, in Hackney.

The ability of residents to access their properties using their vehicles will be unaffected and emergency vehicles or those making deliveries or collecting refuse will still have access.

New measures

The new measures will be implemented on a trial basis for up to 18 months to allow TfL and Hackney to monitor the impact on traffic flows and carry out a further consultation with local residents to determine whether to make the closures permanent, remove the closures or extend the trial period.

In the De Beauvoir area, the following junctions will be restricted to local access only:

• Ardleigh Road / Culford Road junction
• Culford Road / Culford Grove junction
• De Beauvoir Road / Stamford Road / Englefield Road junction (southbound traffic maintained)
• De Beauvoir Road / Buckingham Road junction
• De Beauvoir Road / Tottenham Road junction

In response to detailed feedback in the consultation, the junction of De Beauvoir Road, Stamford Road and Englefield Road will be redesigned to allow southbound traffic to be maintained.

Around Wordsworth Road, restrictions will be put in place, again on a trial basis, at the following junctions:

• Wordsworth Road / Matthias Road / Boleyn Road junction
• Wordsworth Road / Bennett Road junction
• Salcombe Road / Truman's Road junction

In addition, TfL will look into the feasibility of installing of a zebra crossing on Wordsworth Road between Bennet Road and Prince George Road in response to suggestions made during the consultation.

Much nicer places

Alan Bristow, TfL's Director of Road Space Management, said, "We've worked closely with Hackney Council following feedback from local people in the recent consultation, and we have now developed these trial changes, which will make the De Beauvoir and Wordsworth Road areas much nicer places to live, walk and cycle. We'll monitor the changes carefully and continue to discuss the changes with local residents. Reducing traffic in residential areas can make a real difference to the local environment and improve quality of life."

Important route

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighborhoods and Sustainability, said, "I am delighted that the schemes around Wordsworth Road and De Beauvoir will go ahead - they should make this important route into the City safer and more pleasant for cyclists, pedestrians and local residents. We took local residents' concerns from the original consultation on board and, in partnership with TfL, amended the proposals. We will monitor affected roads, and those in the surrounding area, for 18 months to gain a full picture of the impact, and make amendments accordingly."

In addition to the Hackney proposals, a further consultation was held in October 2015 with Haringey Council to restrict through traffic at Broadwater Road, Linley Road and Radley Road, with additional changes to the W4 bus service.

After careful consideration of responses and in agreement with Haringey Council the decision was taken to not proceed with these measures.