Creating people-friendly streets

The coronavirus lockdown has been difficult for almost everyone, in many different ways. But one benefit that many people have reported has been quieter, calmer, less polluted streets.

Islington Council is introducing people-friendly street schemes across the borough to make it easier and safer to walk and cycle by stopping traffic using residential streets as short-cuts. Residents will still be able to access their property by car, as will visitors and deliveries from outside the area, but vehicles will not be able to use residential streets as a cut-through.

All schemes are being introduced as trials and residents will be formally consulted after 12 months but you can give your views now on the plans and other traffic issues in your area on the Commonplace website.

Resident safety comes first

The council is working closely with the emergency services before each scheme is installed to make sure they can still access every street, and will continue to work with them to see how the trial measures work in practice.

Now that the lockdown is starting to ease, it’s important that we don’t go back to exactly the way it was before, and to try to keep the benefits as we return to normality.

Research has also shown that if we don’t act now, traffic will be much heavier than before the coronavirus crisis, making streets more dangerous and unhealthier for the people who live on them.

More information is available on the council website.

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