London,
22
February
2022
|
10:18
Europe/London

Queen’s Crescent improvement scheme consultation begins

Camden Council has unveiled its proposals for the future of Queen’s Crescent, which the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund has made funding available for.

Queen’s Crescent is an important local neighbourhood centre – it is the social, community, and economic heart of one of Camden’s most diverse and densely populated neighbourhoods. The new plans respond to calls from the community for greater investment in the Crescent, to create a place fit for the future.

Over 30,000 people live within a 15-minute walk of Queen’s Crescent, and figures show that over 90% of shopping trips in Camden are undertaken by walking, cycling or public transport. Meanwhile, the Queen’s Crescent area has some of the lowest levels of household access to motor vehicles in the entire borough – but it has long suffered from high levels of through traffic that impacts on the environment without benefiting local people.

Following a consultation in January last year, the Council trialled a pedestrian and cycle zone on Queen’s Crescent, between Bassett Street and Weedington Road, starting in May 2021. This trial also reduced through traffic in the wider area by restricting motor vehicle movements on Weedington Road and Grafton Road.

The new public consultation proposals are a result of a listening exercise undertaken during the trial and include key changes from the trial scheme.

Key updated proposal features include:

  • Improved and widened pavements throughout – which is a top community priority.
  • An adjustment of the pedestrian and cycle zone which keeps the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and the improved air quality as a priority and allows access to key community services. The new zone will sit between Allcroft Road and Weedington Road.
  • Timed access for traders and business owners into the pedestrian and cycle zone, enabling them to load and unload.
  • Adjusting loading and parking spaces on Queen’s Crescent, a concern raised by businesses.
  • Planting new trees and increased planting.
  • New specially designed lighting in response to address perceptions of poor public safety at night-time.
  • Relocating the Grafton Road motor vehicle restriction in response to local concerns that emerged during the trial.
  •  Introducing additional traffic calming measures on surrounding streets, such as a new pedestrian crossing point on Vicars Road.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet member for a Sustainable Camden

“The changes trialled have made the Crescent a healthier and safer place to walk, cycle, shop and spend time. They follow several years of engagement with the community, going back as far as 2016.

“After trialling these measures to give local people a chance to see how they work, we will now be undertaking a full public consultation on permanent changes, with alterations that reflect our previous engagement work and the views expressed by the community.”

Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet member for a Sustainable Camden

Since the start of the trial in May 2021 there has been a 33% reduction in motor traffic across the neighbourhood’s local roads and a 12% reduction on the main roads in the area. Cycling in the neighbourhood has increased by 37% across local streets, with the largest increase being seen on Queen’s Crescent itself. Air quality has improved, with a drop in harmful Nitrogen Dioxide levels in July 2021 compared to February 2021.

Councillor Harrison continued:

“I am particularly heartened by the figures that show there is now less vehicle traffic, more cycling, and better air quality – all of which are vital to tackling air pollution and improving road safety and our health in Camden.

“Throughout the trial, we have listened and adapted, based on the views of the local community and how they have been experiencing the trial, which is why we are presenting an adapted scheme for consultation.

“I am pleased that Camden Council has secured almost £2 million of investment for Queen’s Crescent. Change is coming to the Queen’s Crescent area in the next few years, and we hope this consultation will give local people the chance to shape this change thanks to this significant investment.

“We are also investing in the future of Queen’s Crescent market to ensure that it better reflects local interests, needs and aspirations, whilst also making it easier and more flexible for local residents to trade.”

The consultation is open until Friday 18 March and is available to complete online or by a paper copy with copies in alternative languages and large font also available on request.

Once the consultation has finished, a decision report that considers a broad range of information – including consultation responses, feedback received during the trial, relevant policies and monitoring data collected during the trial period – will be published on our website. Residents and stakeholders will be notified of the outcome.

It is anticipated that a decision will be made on the future layout of Queen’s Crescent in June.

Further information

  • You read more about the consultation and complete the questionnaire by visiting www.camden.gov.uk/QueensCrescent   
  • You can call us to request a paper form, a large print version or a copy in another language: 020 7974 4444
  • Email us: [email protected]
  • Officers will be out in the community answering your questions and distributing information about the consultation.
  • The traffic scheme forms part of larger group of public realm improvements that are funded by the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund Accelerator, a £22.1 million fund being made available by the government to enhance projects that are already under development.
  • The traffic trial that started in May 2021 was funded by the Department for Transport, and this consultation will inform the next stage of design development for the wider scheme supported by the Mayor of London.

 

  • The Council have also commissioned Our Little Markets to deliver a Market Feasibility / Enterprise Project, which seeks to:
    • Build a market offer that reflect local interests, needs and aspirations
    • Address barriers to trade to create quality employment and development opportunities for local people
    • Provide business support for new and existing traders
    • Augment the local high street offer and drive footfall to the area
    • Deliver a feasibility report on the model and the potential for its expansion to other market locations

 

  • The objectives of the Market project are to:
    • Engage and support residents by trialling community ideas, piloting market locations and offering dedicated training
    • Prototype and pilot a free, flexible community stall offer – including a booking system and stall storage
    • Evaluate project outcomes and ensure a sustainable delivery model, with a view to establishing similar initiatives across the borough
  • The project is funded by Camden Council and development funding from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund. Thirty-two local residents have engaged with the programme from the Queen’s Crescent area thus far, including 10 young people taking up Saturday job opportunities each week, with at least 6 local people are now ready to take up market licences.
  • The Mayor of London’s Tomorrow’s Market programme will also provide a review visit at Queen’s Crescent by a panel of Market practitioners and experts to take place late March/early April.

The Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund

The Good Growth Fund is Mayor Sadiq Khan's £70 million regeneration programme to support growth and community development in London. 

Working with the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), the fund supports innovative, best practice regeneration activities, that enable:

  • Londoners to actively participate in their local community and have a say in how their city is shaped
  • delivery of co-ordinated place-based strategies that welcome growth in a way that works with the physical character of London’s many places
  • diverse and accessible local economies – from our high streets and town centres to industrial areas – to realise their full potential and making London a place of opportunity for all

The Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund Accelerator

In response to the economic impact of COVID-19 the Mayor of London was allocated £22.1 million from the Government’s Getting Building Fund for a package of projects to boost economic growth, and fuel local recovery and jobs. This followed a submission coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA), working with London Councils, and London’s local authorities. You can read more here

Projects to be delivered by March 2023 include the Good Growth Fund Accelerator. 

The Accelerator provides grant funding to London boroughs to support the delivery of nine projects, spanning London.

The projects will be delivered in partnership with local organisations and funding will be used to support recovery, regenerate town centres and improve high streets by enhancing: 

  • the public realm and creating a diverse range of workspaces
  • creative hubs for fashion, art, performance space and production 
  • small scale manufacturing and market hubs
  • sustainable travel solutions by improving walking and cycling facilities.