Kerbside Microhubs

Overview

We want Camden’s streets to be safer, healthier and more pleasant places for everyone. This includes making it easier and safer for people to walk, wheel and cycle, reducing harmful emissions from road transport, and managing limited kerbside space fairly and effectively. 

The way goods are delivered is changing. More parcels are being delivered directly to homes and businesses, which can mean delivery vans making frequent short stops on local streets. This can add pressure to the kerbside and may cause conflict with pedestrians, cyclists, buses, other freight activity and local residents. 

Camden’s Freight and Servicing Action Plan includes a commitment to explore micro-consolidation and foot porterage for last-mile deliveries. These approaches have the potential to reduce the number of van journeys and stops needed to make local parcel deliveries, while helping the Council manage delivery activity more carefully. 

We are consulting on proposals to trial four kerbside microhubs in Camden. The trial would be operated by delivery companies, using dedicated kerbside bays during set hours and subject to strict operating conditions, monitoring and review. 

What is a kerbside microhub? 

A kerbside microhub is a dedicated section of kerbside space used as a temporary local base for parcel deliveries. 

A delivery van parks in a marked bay and parcels are transferred to small walking carts, known as e-walkers. Delivery porters then walk parcels to nearby homes and businesses, returning to the van to reload as needed. 

This means that, instead of delivery vans making multiple stops and long journeys through residential streets, one van acts as a fixed base for many deliveries made on foot.. 

The bays would be around 12–15 metres long, equal to 2-3 parking spaces. They would operate during specified hours, such as 10am and 6pm, and would be clearly marked and signed. 

Each proposed bay would be allocated for use by one delivery company during the trial period. The delivery company would be required to follow agreed operating conditions, including requirements relating to safety, noise, keeping footways clear, staff conduct, data sharing and responding to issues raised by the Council. 

Why are we proposing this trial? 

Parcel delivery demand has increased substantially in recent years. In dense urban areas, door-to-door deliveries can require many short van stops on streets where kerbside space is already in high demand. 

Kerbside microhubs help to: 

• reduce local van mileage and multiple short delivery stops; 

• support deliveries made on foot for the final part of a journey; 

• reduce conflict caused by ad-hoc loading and stopping; 

• improve the Council’s ability to manage delivery activity on the public highway; 

• provide evidence on whether this approach works safely and effectively in different parts of Camden. 

A large retail company currently operates a similar microhub on private land at Regis Road in Camden. They have shared early operational data from this site with the Council. For the period September 2025 to March 2026, it is estimated that the operation delivered around 109,000 parcels on foot, reduced the equivalent of approximately 725 van trips, and reduced an estimated 20,240 van kilometres. These figures are operator estimates and are one reason why the Council wants to test how the model performs on the public highway, with clear conditions and independent Council oversight. 

This would be a limited, time-bound trial. It would help us understand the benefits, impacts, safety considerations, local acceptability and practical operation of kerbside microhubs before any decision is made about whether they should continue, change or be considered more widely. 

What are we proposing? 

We are proposing to create up to four dedicated kerbside microhub bays at the following locations: 

1. Clarence Way 

2. Barnby Street 

3. Guilford Street 

4. Lincoln’s Inn Fields 

The sites have been identified following an initial assessment of delivery demand, kerbside activity and safety considerations. We have sought bay locations that can support frequent occupation whilst minimising potential impacts on local people and other street users. 

In particular, we have considered: 

• local parcel-delivery demand; 

• the availability and current use of kerbside space; 

• footway width and pedestrian activity; 

• proximity to homes, schools and other sensitive uses; 

• access to safe crossing points and walking routes; 

• distance from junctions and vehicle accesses; 

• potential conflict with bus stops, cycle lanes, loading bays, disabled bays, car-club bays and electric-vehicle charging bays. 

Clarence Way 

We are proposing a dedicated kerbside microhub bay on Clarence Way on the north side of Castlehaven Community Park. The bay would use three existing permit-holder parking spaces. 

Barnby Street 

We are proposing a dedicated kerbside microhub bay on Barnby Street, opposite the Royal Mail Parcel Depot. The bay would use three existing paid-for parking spaces. 

Guilford Street 

We are proposing a dedicated kerbside microhub bay on Guilford Street. The bay would use three existing paid-for parking spaces. 

Lincoln’s Inn Fields 

We are proposing a dedicated kerbside microhub bay beside Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The bay would use four existing paid-for parking spaces. 

How would the trial be managed? 

If approved, the bays would be introduced through Experimental Traffic Management Orders (ETMOs). These are temporary traffic orders that allow a scheme to be put in place and monitored in real conditions. 

The trial would be expected to run for up to 18 months. During that period, the Council would monitor each site and retain the ability to amend operating conditions, change the design or remove a bay if it is not working safely or acceptably. 

The Council would enter into an agreement with delivery companies setting out requirements for the operation of each bay. This would include: 

• permitted operating hours; 

• the maximum number of delivery staff and walking carts at a site; 

• requirements to keep footways and accesses clear; 

• arrangements for loading and unloading; 

• staff training, behaviour and safety requirements; 

• reporting of parcel volumes, van journeys, van kilometres and operational issues; 

• arrangements for dealing with complaints and non-compliance; 

• regular performance reviews. 

Why your views matter

Your views will help us understand local knowledge, concerns and opportunities at each proposed location. 

We are particularly interested in views about: 

• whether the proposed locations are appropriate; 

• potential impacts on residents, businesses and local services; 

• parking, loading and access needs; 

• any changes that would make the proposals safer or more suitable. 

Following the consultation, we will consider all responses alongside relevant policy, site surveys, road-safety considerations, kerbside information and operational evidence. 

A decision report will then be prepared and published. This will set out the consultation findings and make a recommendation on whether to proceed with the trial, amend the proposals or not take them forward. 

If a decision is made to proceed, the Council would then promote Experimental Traffic Management Orders for the proposed bays. There would be a further opportunity for people to comment during the statutory ETMO process.