Hackney Town Hall

Residents and businesses are being urged to have their say on a range of traffic calming proposals aimed at reducing the volume of through-traffic in the London Fields area.

The Council had planned to trial a road filtering scheme in the area in the new year, which would have seen 13 junctions closed to through-traffic, and consult residents at the same time.

The traffic filtering scheme was proposed to support the Mayor of London’s Cycling Vision, including the Quietway route through this area, while also assisting Hackney Council’s priorities of reducing through-traffic and improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians

However, in response to local concerns and high levels of public interest, the Council announced that it would instead undertake an extensive, independent consultation with residents before a decision is made on whether to proceed with any traffic schemes in the area.

Options were presented to residents at a public meeting held last month in the Assembly Rooms of Hackney Town Hall.

The options are:

• Area-wide scheme (original, 13-junction closure to through-traffic)
• Closure of Middleton Road only
• Lansdowne Drive bus gate with possible Middleton Road closure
• Middleton Road width-restriction only
• Residents’ ideas

A consultation pack, with this information and more, has been dropped to 11,500 homes in the area affected but anyone interested in the proposals can comment online here. If you would like a hardcopy, please write to: London Fields Consultation, Streetscene, London Borough of Hackney, Keltan House, 89-115 Mare Street, E8 4RU.

The consultation contains both closed style questions and opportunities to give fuller responses.

A series of drop-in sessions will be held in the coming weeks, at which residents can talk to officers about the options. These will take place at Queensbridge Sports and Community Centre, 30 Holly Street, E8 1XW, on:

• Wednesday 27 January, 5-9pm
• Wednesday 17 February, 5-9pm
• Saturday 27 February, 3-7pm

The Council will also arrange to meet with local residents’ associations too.

The public meeting was held on 14 December. Following a presentation of the options, the audience were given the opportunity to talk to the Council panel about their concerns and views, a summary of which, along with FAQs, can be viewed here.