Baynes Street Safe and Healthy Street Scheme

Overview

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how people in Camden live, travel and work. Since the start of the pandemic many of us have been spending more time closer to home, making our neighbourhoods more important than ever. We want our streets to be safe spaces for you to walk and cycle, for children to get to and from school safely and healthily, for businesses to be able to flourish and for you to be breathing cleaner air.

As 69% of households in Camden do not own a car and public transport capacity remains much lower than before the pandemic, we know that safe and easy walking, cycling and scooting routes are more important than ever. Supporting and encouraging those who are able to walk and cycle, by creating safer streets will ensure that there is more space available on public transport and on our roads for those who need it the most.

Why your views matter

We are proposing to make changes on Baynes Street and St Pancras Way in order to prevent motor traffic (except buses, emergency and refuse vehicles) from using Baynes Street as a cut through between St Pancras Way and Royal College Street. The changes would make these streets safer whilst also improving bus journey times and provide a quieter and safer route for pedestrians and cyclists accessing Royal College Street, the new pop-up cycle lanes on St Pancras Way, and Regents Canal. There have been anumber  of collisions with cyclists and motor vehicles at the junction of Baynes Street and Royal College Street

The proposed changes include:

• A restriction for motor vehicles (enforced using an ANPR - Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera) between Royal College Street and Baynes Street.
• Making Baynes Street two-way for motor vehicles. It is currently one-way in the westbound direction.
• Widening and realigning the pavement on St Pancras Way near the junction of St Pancras Way and Baynes Street.
• Minor amendments to the existing parking bays on Baynes Street to ensure vehicles can turn around safely.
• Prohibiting vehicles over 7.5T from entering Baynes Street except for buses and access.
• Buses, emergency and refuse vehicles will still be able to exit Baynes Street onto Royal College Street, but general traffic will not.
• For motor vehicles wanting to access Royal College Street from St. Pancras Way they will be able to use Georgiana Street.
• All residents will continue to be able to drive into their streets, and receive visitors and deliveries, but routes may change.

To view the plans and to find out more detail on each proposal and what they would achieve, click on the links in the Related Section at the bottom of this page.

In line with new Department for Transport guidance, we are now consulting on all new and amended Safe and Healthy Street schemes so that we can engage our local residents, businesses and stakeholders in changes happening on their streets. We want to know what you think about these additional proposals.

What happens next

 As the consultation is now closed,your views, and those of everyone who contributes to this consultation, will be analysed and considered, alongside relevant data available on the scheme and in light of how the scheme aligns with our current policy objectives, in order to put forward recommendations on whether to proceed with the proposals. A summary of this analysis will be provided in the decision report, and will be made available on the Camden Council website in due course.

If you have any other ideas for improvements to make travel safer and healthier in this area, please go to Safe Travel Camden Map  to make some suggestions.