Council announces long-awaited meeting for residents to have a say on Barnsbury traffic plans
Anti-LTN protesters outside the Town Hall last year. Photograph: Julia Gregory
A long-awaited meeting has been announced for residents to discuss proposals for reducing motor traffic in Barnsbury, months after police were called to a council event.
The council wants to create a “Liveable Neighbourhood” in Barnsbury and Laycock to cut nitrogen dioxide pollution from cars in the borough and reduce respiratory problems.
The proposed area is bordered by Pentonville, Caledonian and Holloway Roads and Upper Street.
The busy Liverpool Road runs through the centre of the area.
Islington Council wants to encourage people to walk or cycle to get around rather than jumping in a car.
There are already seven School Streets in Barnsbury and Laycock. Roads near the schools are closed to motorised traffic at the start and end of the school day.
The borough is one of the six London boroughs at risk of the worst impacts of climate change. Cars emit carbon dioxide which contributes to climate warming.
The council has created seven low traffic neighbourhoods since 2020 and has unveiled plans to cut car use across 70 per cent of the borough.
It wants to make Barnsbury and Laycock “greener, healthier and more pleasant to spend time in” and put in new plants, trees and seating.
Other aims include making streets safer for children to get to school and create places they can play and cut traffic numbers “to make local streets quieter, less polluted and safer to walk and cycle around.”
The council said it also wants to “support local businesses to thrive”.
Last year police were called when a meeting room in West Library proved too small for the number of residents who turned up, and some people voiced their frustrations.
Cllr Rowena Champion, who is executive member with responsibility for environment and transport, apologised to residents that the council had only booked a small meeting room.
Islington Council has set up an online public meeting on 22 February from 7pm to 8.30pm.
There is also a workshop at Islington town hall on Tuesday 7 March.
People will be asked to share their ideas during the event which runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
They can pick to attend one of three 30 minute sessions.
The council said: “Capacity for this event will be limited, priority will be given to residents of the Barnsbury and Laycock area and neighbouring streets.”
It plans to draw up designs this summer and launch a formal consultation in the autumn.
The work might have to be done in several stages and would start next year if it gets the green light.