Stoke Newington’s low traffic neighbourhood is here to stay after results from its trial period showed less traffic, more people walking and cycling, and support from local residents.

The low traffic neighbourhood was introduced in September 2021 as part of Council efforts to tackle air pollution, prioritise walking and cycling and rebuild a greener Hackney in the wake of the pandemic.

It consists of a 7am-7pm bus gate outside the Red Lion on Church Street, which permits only buses, cyclists, emergency and waste vehicles to pass through between those times, and a further six 24-hour traffic filters in the surrounding area, which only cyclists, emergency and waste vehicles can pass through. 

Now, following analysis of traffic and air quality data, and comments from residents and businesses, the Council has made the decision to retain the low traffic neighbourhood on a permanent basis. 

Analysis of responses from residents and walking and cycling data showed that: 

• Walking is up on Stoke Newington Church Street by 16%
• Cycling is up on Stoke Newington Church Street by 38%
• 6 in 10 respondents in N16 wanted to retain the LTN

The analysis also looked at the levels of traffic over 24 hours across five roads in the area: Lordship Road, Green Lanes, Lordship Park, the A10 at its junction with Walford Road and Albion Road. Live traffic monitors on these roads showed that over 24 hours: 

• Traffic was down on Lordship Road (-77.9%), Lordship Park (-8.3%), the A10 (-3.9%) and Albion Road (-48.1%)
• Traffic was up by 7.5% on Green Lanes
• Taken together with Stoke Newington Church Street, traffic was down by 21.4% across these roads.