Camden Town Area Bus Priority & Pedestrian Safety Improvements Consultation

Overview

We are seeking your views on proposals to introduce bus lanes and pedestrian safety measures on Parkway and Kentish Town Road.  

We want our streets to have more safe space for everyone to walk and cycle, for children to get to and from school safely and healthily, for businesses to be able to flourish, to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and for you to be breathing cleaner air.

We want our communities to be prepared for the changing climate and provide a lasting legacy of greener, safer, and healthier travel with streets resilient against the impacts of climate change.

In line with our Camden Transport Strategy, Climate Action Plan, and Clean Air Strategy and Clean Air Action Plan, and to continue supporting safe, healthy, and active travel following the pandemic, we have been making changes across Camden as part of our Safe and Healthy Streets Programme.

We are proposing measures in the Camden Town Area which aim to improve bus journey time reliability and pedestrian safety. Transport for London (TfL) has identified Parkway and Kentish Town Road as key areas needing these bus journey time reliability improvements. 

Parkway

Photo of Parkway looking towards Bus Stop CW

Transport for London (TfL) has identified Parkway as an area which needs improvement for bus journey time reliability. To support these improvements, we are proposing changes that would help improve bus journey time reliability on Parkway between Gloucester Avenue/Delancey Street and Arlington Road for bus numbers 88 and 274.

We are now consulting on the following measures on Parkway:

• Introducing an 170 metre long eastbound 24/7 bus lane on the north side of Parkway between Gloucester Avenue and Arlington Road with associated waiting and loading changes (see Parkway Parking and Loading Bays Summary table below). Our website has more information on bus lanes.
• To faciliate the introduction of bus lane changes, waiting and loading on the both sides of Parkway would be amended.
• Adding on the north side of Parkway Double Yellow Lines with double kerb markings (no parking/waiting at any time) so that buses are not delayed by parked vehicles. A 15 metre timed loading bay (10:00-16:00 and 19:00-07:00) would be retained on the north side of Parkway outside 98 Parkway. 
• Relocating one Blue Badge parking bay from outside 84 Parkway (north side) to outside of 83-85 Parkway (south side) to accommodate the 24/7 bus lane.
• Making a number of changes on the south side of Parkway to waiting and loading.
• Removing on Parkway a total of 11 Pay by Phone Parking bays and 5 new loading bays would be installed
• A summary of the changes proposed are listed in the table below and can also be seen on the design, also linked below.

The design for Parkway

Kentish Town Road

Photo of Kentish Town Road Junction with Hawley Crescent

The current configuration of the Kentish Town Road and Hawley Crescent junction does not have signalised pedestrain crossings on all arms. Only the southern side is equipped with a controlled signalised pedestrian crossing. The remaining three sides do not have controlled signalised pedestrian crossings. To enhance pedestrian safety at this junction, we are proposing to convert it into a fully controlled signalised crossing, including a diagonal pedestrian crossing. This change would provide clearer and safer crossing paths for pedestrians on all sides. 

We are also proposing to improving the walking link between Camden Road Overground station and Waterlane/Camden High Street/Stables Market/Chalk Farm Road via the introduction of a Zebra Crossing on Kentish Town Road south of the junction with Camden Gardens. This Zebra Crossing would be the second phase of improving this walking route. Camden have recently approved proposals for the installation of a signalised crossing so people can safely get across Camden Street from Bonny Street to Camden Gardens. This completes a link which includes the previously-consulted on pedestrian crossing of Camden Street.

Transport for London (TfL) has also identified Kentish Town Road as a key area which needs improvements for bus journey times. To support these improvements, we are proposing changes that would help improve bus journey time reliability on Kentish Town Road between the Camden High Street (Britannia Junction) and Hawley Crescent for bus numbers 88, 134, 214 and N20.

We are now consulting on the following pedestrian improvements on Kentish Town Road:

• At the junction of Hawley Crescent and Kentish Town Road we proposed to introduce signalised pedestrian crossings with countdown timers, including a diagonal pedestrian crossing, to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility. This would require the removal of 4 Pay by Phone parking bays on the north side of Hawley Crescent to extend the pavement for pedestrians on Hawley Crescent.
• Amending the traffic lanes on Kentish Town Road at the junction with Hawley Crescent to allow left turns only to Hawley Crescent from the nearside lane and straight and right turns only from the offside lane for all vehicles.
• Introducing a new zebra crossing on Kentish Town Road, south of the junction with Camden Gardens, which will provide a safe walking route between Camden Road Overground Station and Chalk Farm Road/Stables Market/Camden High Street via Water Lane. This would require the replacement of 27 meters of Single Yellow Line, on Camden Gardens, with 15 meters of Double Yellow Lines and Double Yellow Lines with double kerb markings (no parking/waiting at any time) and 12 meters of Double Yellow Lines.

We are now consulting on the following bus lane measures Kentish Town Road:

• Introducing a 110 metre long northbound 24/7 bus lane on the west side of Kentish Town Road between Camden High Street (Britannia Junction) and Hawley Crescent. Our website has more information on bus lanes.
• To faciliate the bus lane changes to waiting and loading would be made. Double Yellow Lines with double kerb markings (no parking/waiting at any time) would be installed along the 24/7 bus lane so that buses are not delayed by parked vehicles. This will require the removal of around 30m of Single Yellow Line on Kentish Town Road south of the junction with Buck Street.

Why your views matter

Your views are important in providing feedback both on the proposed scheme as a whole and elements of it, and we would therefore welcome your responses on the pages that follow.

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

After the consultation, a decision report will be produced and published online via our website. The report will consider a broad range of information including officer observations, consultation responses, relevant policies, and other data/information. Local residents and stakeholders will be notified of the outcome and next steps.

For information on how we will use data collected from this consultation read our privacy statement: Data protection, privacy and cookies - Camden Council

What happens next

After the consultation, a decision report will be produced and published online via our website. The report will consider a broad range of information including officer observations, consultation responses, relevant policies, and other data/information. Local residents and stakeholders will be notified of the outcome and the next steps.

All of this information will be considered in making recommendations in the report about whether the proposed changes should be constructed.