One of London’s busiest roads is benefiting from the construction of a range of sustainable transport improvements.
Work on Gray’s Inn Road is due to start next week with changes that form part of a borough-wide cycle network that aims to make it easier and safer for more people to cycle and walk in Camden.
The changes include; new segregated cycle lanes in both directions on Gray’s Inn Road between Harrison Street and High Holborn making it safer and easier for cyclists to travel around the area, cycling improvements at the junctions with Ampton Street/Sidmouth Street and Calthorpe Street/Guilford Street and new continuous pavements at selected junctions with side streets giving pedestrians priority in these locations
Bus stops along the corridor are to be consolidated (reduced in number and relocated to maintain spacing) to minimize the impact on bus journey times and journey reliability as well as the relocating parking and loading provision onto neighbouring side streets, giving more space for pedestrians and cyclists while still supporting local business and resident use.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet member for a Sustainable Camden, said: “Gray’s Inn Road is a very busy route in the borough, for all forms of travel, including cyclists and pedestrians. Camden’s Transport Strategy also identifies it as a primary route for improving for cycling. The strategy, which we adopted last year, sets out how we will transform Camden’s streets to enable greener, easier, and safer travel for residents and visitors.
“By encouraging sustainable transport choices at an important route like Gray’s Inn Road, we’re recognising the benefits that walking and cycling have when it comes to improving people’s health, reducing motor vehicle traffic and congestion, contributing to better local air quality and also making travel safer across the borough, whether it is travelling to school by bike or returning to work.”
The Council consulted on the secheme in the winter of 2019 and received over 908 responses from residents in support of the scheme.
Councillor Harrison continued: “While this scheme was not specifically designed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, making changes to support walking, cycling and public transport are more important than ever as we respond to the new road safety challenges caused by the impacts of covid.
“This scheme will reallocate road space to favour pedestrians and cyclists giving more space for people to physically distance. We will work closely with businesses on Gray’s Inn Road to establish a sustainable and strategic Freight Action Plan for this road.
“As there is an immediate need for these safety improvements, we are using an Experimental Traffic Order to implement them. The experimental scheme will run for 18 months and all interested parties are able to comment at any time on the changes we have implemented.”
