Plans to transform Streatham Hill for walking and cycling

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Community Editor
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Plans to transform Streatham Hill for walking and cycling

Postby Community Editor » Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:07 pm

Transport for London is moving forward with permanent measures to make roads in Streatham much safer and less intimidating for people walking and cycling, following a public consultation that showed strong support for plans for the area.

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This vital new scheme is in addition to wider measures TfL and Lambeth Council are taking across the borough as part of the Mayor’s Streetspace programme to enable saferwalking and cycling during the coronavirus pandemic.

The changes proposed for Streatham Hill, which TfL will now start detailed design work on, include:

- Nearly 2km of new, high quality segregated cycle lanes between Sternhold Avenue and Holmewood Road, making cycling much easier and safer on this busy stretch of road
- New pedestrian crossings and the relocation of existing crossings, making sure that people can cross safely at the most convenient locations
- Changes to side road entry and exit rules to reduce rat running on local roads
- Improvements to make the local area more attractive for everyone, including by planting new trees and improving landscaping in the area

The results of TfL’s consultation into the scheme show that 83 per cent of respondents agreed that the proposals would make people feel safer cycling through the area, with 70 per cent saying the same about walking.

Ensuring that people feel safe when walking and cycling is absolutely vital to enable more people to reduce their reliance on cars and switch journeys to more sustainable modes wherever possible.

Cllr Claire Holland, Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council (Sustainable Transport, Environment and Clean Air), said: “I’m delighted that residents have shown their strong backing for this transformational scheme for Streatham High Road which will make it much safer to walk, scoot, wheel or cycle.

“We know that many groups in society are underrepresented when it comes to using a cycle to get around and we know that the main barriers are accessibility and danger, real or perceived. Only by delivering transformational main road schemes like this one, together with area-wide low traffic neighbourhoods on our local streets, can we make Lambeth into a borough whereby everyone has access to affordable and safe mobility options.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Transport for London to deliver on this and much more across the borough to build a fairer, equitable Lambeth.”

TfL has listened to feedback from people responding to the consultation and made changes to the scheme to improve it, including increasing the amount of tree planting and making other changes to side road access to further reduce rat running in the area.

TfL will now work to finalise its designs for these changes to local roads and will look to start construction work in the spring.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: "We are doing all we can to support the increased numbers of Londoners who are walking and cycling and help prevent a damaging car-led recovery from the pandemic. Permanent road changes, such as the transformation of Streatham Hill, are key to this and it is positive that so many respondents to the consultation said it would make them feel safer on bike and on foot.

“Temporary improvements also play an important role as the success of our local Streetspace measures shows. We will continue to work closely with Lambeth Council to further support walking and cycling as the detailed design work for the A23 is completed.”

The consultation report is available on the TfL website at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a23-streatham-hill/
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