Camden Council has decided to trial the removal of motor vehicles from a section of the high street, in a bid to create a safer and healthier environment for residents, businesses, and visitors.
The trial, which will be implemented under an Experimental Traffic Order, will see the removal of motor vehicles from Camden High Street, from the junction with Parkway and Kentish Town Road to the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent.
Buses travelling towards Chalk Farm will travel along Kentish Town Road and then Hawley Crescent before continuing northward.
The trial is set to begin later in 2025 and will last for a maximum of 18 months.
Over 70 per cent of people who took part in a public consultation said they supported the pedestrianisation and the proposal to trial a motor traffic-free section of Camden High Street.
Councillor Adam Harrison, cabinet member for planning and a sustainable Camden, said: “The high street is the first thing many people see when they exit Camden Town tube or get off the bus.
“But at peak times there can be as many as 40,000 people on the high street, creating significant overcrowding and a stressful experience.
“So many people ask why the high street is not already pedestrianised – now we are delivering on that call.”
The trial is part of Camden Council’s plans to establish a Low Emission Neighbourhood in Camden Town, backed by £500,000 of funding from the Mayor’s London Air Quality Fund.
Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “This trial is great news for Camden.
“Removing traffic will improve air quality and enable the high street to thrive as local residents and visitors enjoy a safer, cleaner and more attractive environment.”
The council will keep the trial under continual review and collect a range of data to test the impacts, including feedback from residents, businesses and visitors.
Following the trial and considering the data and feedback collected, consideration will be given to next steps, which could include the closure being made permanent.
More information about the planned trial and the cultural programme will be available on a dedicated Commonplace page, where residents can also sign up for regular email updates.
