News on Rebuilding a Greener Hackney

Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback on our measures to Rebuild a Greener Hackney so far. The Hoxton West and Hackney Downs low traffic neighbourhoods have now been in place for four weeks - with each experiencing significantly reduced volumes of traffic, helping people to walk and cycle locally.

All of the measures in London Fields have now been in place for a week in their entirety, with reduced traffic in the area supporting people to walk and cycle.

We’d like to thank residents for their patience while these schemes are introduced - we know that there has been some disruption, particularly on main roads like Graham Road, Queensbridge Road and Northwold Road. It can sometimes take a number of weeks before drivers get used to the changes and sat nav apps adjust but you can find out more about what we’re doing in response below.

It’s also worth noting that there have been TfL and Thames Water roadworks on the A10, in Stoke Newington (now nearing completion) and on Hackney Road that are affecting traffic levels across the borough at the moment, and a blocked bus lane on Graham Road has also been causing delays. Roadworks on Hackney Road are expected to finish on 7 October.

Please do continue to have your say using the Commonplace page. We have already made changes to the Hoxton West Low Traffic Neighbourhood as a result of feedback and will make changes to other schemes, if monitoring and feedback from residents shows it is necessary.

Graham Road

We know that there has been increased traffic on Graham Road, partly caused by roadworks in other areas of the borough, and a blocked bus lane on the road. The London Fields low traffic neighbourhood has also caused some disruption, but we do expect this to reduce as drivers get used to the changes and sat nav apps adjust. We are continuing to monitor traffic levels in the area. We have also asked TfL to adjust the traffic signals at the Mare Street junction to allow more time for traffic to exit onto Mare Street, helping to reduce congestion on Graham Road.

Queensbridge Road

Queensbridge Road has experienced increased traffic during the past week, which is partly as a result of drivers who cannot now pass through the London Fields area returning and using Queensbridge Road to get to Graham Road or Hackney Road. We expect this to reduce as sat nav apps update and drivers avoid the area completely. We are continuing to monitor traffic levels in the area and will also be installing cycle lanes along the road between Whiston Road and Albion Drive to make the road safer for cyclists.

Northwold Road

There had been an increase in traffic on Northwold Road as drivers got used to the changes in the Hackney Downs area, however this has now reduced slightly as part of the Thames Water roadworks in Stoke Newington have been completed. We are continuing to monitor traffic levels in the area.

We’ve had a number of questions over the last week, some of which are answered in our FAQs, but we wanted to elaborate on a few of them here.

Access for residents - route maps

We do not want to make residents’ lives harder. All residents can continue to drive to their properties, as shown by the maps below, which may be via alternative routes.

Congestion on main roads - how we expect this to reduce over time

While there are some increases in traffic on roads in the area at the moment, evidence from similar schemes, such as the Waltham Forest mini-Holland scheme where similar changes were introduced across a neighbourhood, point to an overall reduction in through-traffic over time.

Low traffic neighbourhoods also help to reduce the congestion caused by vehicles turning into side-streets. Fewer turning movements into side-streets are also shown to improve road safety, because there is less risk of collisions at junctions.

Effect on businesses

Our low traffic neighbourhoods do not prohibit delivery access to businesses, and can help to enhance footfall. Transport for London research shows that pedestrians and cyclists spend 40% more at local businesses than drivers.

Vandalism

Sadly, a number of traffic filters continued to be vandalised. We will continue to repair and replace anything that’s damaged, and will increase CCTV monitoring of sites to prevent this from happening. We will work with the police to prosecute anyone caught committing criminal damage.

You can view more FAQs at: https://rebuildingagreenerhackney.commonplace.is/schemes/proposals/frequently-asked-questions/details