News on Rebuilding a Greener Hackney

It has now been just over a month since low traffic neighbourhoods in Hoxton West and Hackney Downs were fully introduced. London Fields low traffic neighbourhood has been in place for nearly three weeks.

In each area, traffic has significantly reduced. This is vital in supporting people to walk, cycle and shop locally, which brings benefits to air quality and health. It is also important in helping prioritise buses for those who need them, as they are currently only operating at 40% of their usual capacity. The images below show scenes from London Fields and Hackney Downs low traffic neighbourhoods.

In the longer-term, by making our neighbourhoods better for walking and cycling, we expect overall traffic levels in the borough to reduce as residents switch to other modes of transport and drivers from outside the borough avoid Hackney completely. The extension of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone to the north and south circular next year, which the Council lobbied heavily for, is expected to help improve air quality in the borough too.

Nearly all of the closures are now shown on sat nav apps such as Google Maps. We update these apps regularly through a database known as the National Street Gazetteer, but changes can often take a number of weeks to show.

Monitoring traffic levels and air quality

We are carrying out traffic monitoring around all of our measures to rebuild a greener Hackney, including on main roads. We will use this data to assess the impact of schemes on traffic levels and air quality in the borough, which we will take into account alongside residents’ views when we make a decision on whether or not to make measures permanent.

Graham Road

Traffic on Graham Road is now easing after we asked Transport for London to change traffic light timings at the junction with Mare Street. Drivers are also beginning to change their behaviour and choosing other routes.

Hackney Downs low traffic neighbourhood

We have installed bollards on the pavement at the traffic filter at the junction of Brooke Road and Evering Road. This is to prevent drivers mounting the pavement to avoid the filter.

Upper Clapton Road

Over the past few weeks, there has been an increase in traffic on Upper Clapton Road, which some of you have told us about. This is due to temporary traffic lights at the junction with Northwold Road, which are in place for Thames Water work in the area. These roadworks are scheduled to end this month. We are monitoring traffic levels and will take action to improve traffic flow if necessary.

Hackney Road

There are temporary traffic lights in place at the junction of Hackney Road and Cambridge Heath, which are causing delays on Hackney Road. The roadworks are expected to end this month, but we are monitoring traffic, and will work with Tower Hamlets on mitigation measures if issues continue.