Daniel from Acton Street has asked councillors and TfL to look into the question of the outstanding changes, in order to calm and humanize streets affected by the decades old gyratory system.
A consultation in 2016 suggested several changes, but so far, they were not implemented, with the argument that it could not be done due to HS2 construction. Amongst others some of our streets were to become emergency parking lots for HS2 construction site lorries.
Meanwhile traffic has been slowed to 20 Miles an hour on the Southern edge of Kings Cross Road, but not elsewhere. Changes were also implemented in relation to the cycle path link from Farringdon up to St. Pancras and the Tavistock Place cycle lanes. But on the main roads of the gyratory, motor traffic continues unchanged to often exceed the existing 30 miles speed limit, such as on Kings Cross Road, Pentonville Road, Acton Street and Swinton Street, with stretches used by some for brief bouts of speeding, regardless of the fact that in some of the streets residents live, amongst them children and elderly persons. The width and straightness of parts of the streets attracts drivers and riders to do so.
During the pandemic the mayor of London has taken some unexpected traffic reducing and calming steps across London including in Camden, but the gyratory system has been left almost untouched, in spite of the consultation and ready to implement suggestions by TfL itself.
TfL has now been asked why Kings Cross residents have to continue to wait for the smallest of all improvements, an extension of the 20 miles speed limit in this very built up area,where there there are many people also on their feet and bikes. The question will also be posed by AM Andrew Dismore to the mayor, most likely in an assembly session in October 2020.
The Islington councillor Paul Convey, also supports the asking of these questions, given the more recent changes on streets such as Euston Road.
On the positive side, Chris Gardener, who is Camden’s responsible officer for the electric vehicle charging point infrastructure, has written to Daniel, that Acton Street may receive an extra fast charging point on the Southern side of the Street. It is not a guarantee, but a need has been recognised. The lanterns on the streets at Kings Cross are apparently mostly unsuitable for the slower charging points. New EV charging points on the Camden side get currently erected in accordance to need and demand. There are more charging points at the moment in the Islington administered zones near Kings Cross than in the Camden zones.
