Consultation on the proposed Highbury Crescent Road closure and connecting the North and South sections of Highbury Fields Park
This consultation has ended
| Start date | 16 December 2019 |
|---|---|
| End date | 07 February 2020 |
Update June 2021
In December 2019, the council, in line with its commitment to creating a greener, safer, healthier borough, launched a consultation on proposals to permanently close the section of Highbury Crescent between Highbury Terrace and Highbury Place to motorised traffic.
An experimental closure was introduced at that time to give local people the chance to understand the impact of the scheme before giving their feedback.
The council’s consultation, which ran between December 2019 and February 2020, showed support from the local community for the proposals, with 67% of the 996 respondents saying they were in favour of a permanent closure. Read the consultation report for more information.
In line with this feedback, the council has decided to continue with the arrangements introduced in December 2019 by making the measures permanent.
Original text
The overall purpose of this project is to reconnect the North and South sections of Highbury Fields park, increasing the amount of greenspace in Islington and improving air quality. This part of Highbury Crescent has been closed since October 2014 while it has been used as a construction works compound. The construction compound is no longer needed and the Council has introduced an Experimental Traffic Order to keep the road closed to motorised traffic to allow a period of consultation before a decision is made on whether to permanently close the road and join the two sections of park.
The road is currently closed off with planter boxes at each end which only allow pedestrians and cyclists to pass through.
Islington Council would like to understand the effect of the road closure and obtain resident’s views on the closure. Islington Council is committed to increasing and improving greenspace in the Borough and making walking and cycling more attractive to residents and visitors by reducing the dominance of cars. Reducing car traffic will help to make the area greener, healthier and a more attractive place to live and use Highbury Fields.
The map below shows the section of Highbury Crescent that we proposed to permanently close.
Respond to the consultation online. You can also respond by sending your comments to Transport Planning & Strategic Projects, Environment & Regeneration, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1 2UD.
Please respond before 7 February 2020 when the survey will close.
If you have any further questions regarding the proposals, please contact Will Umney by email at Will.Umney@islington.gov.uk or by telephone on 020 7527 1845.
Why is a section of Highbury Crescent being closed?
The overall purpose of this project is to reconnect the North and South sections of Highbury Fields park, increasing the amount of greenspace in Islington and improving air quality. This part of Highbury Crescent has been closed since October 2014 while it has been used as a construction works compound. An Experimental Traffic Order has been introduced by the Council to keep the road closed to allow a period of consultation before a decision is made on whether to permanently close the road and join the two sections of park.
Islington Council is committed to making walking and cycling more attractive to residents and visitors by reducing the dominance of cars. Reducing car traffic will help to make the area greener, healthier and a more attractive place to live and use Highbury Fields.
Islington has some of the lowest levels of greenspace and trees in London, increasing greenspace is a priority as set out in the Islington Transport Strategy. Increasing the amount of greenspace and the number of trees in the Borough is an essential element of the Council’s response to the Climate Change Emergency declared by the Council in June 2019.
The purpose of this consultation is to allow the Council to understand the effect of the road closure and gather resident’s views on the closure. Islington Council has an aspiration to permanently close this section of Highbury Crescent to traffic and to transform it into greenspace to join the North and South sections of Highbury Fields.
What is an Experimental Traffic Order?
The current road closure of part of Highbury Crescent has been introduced under an Experimental Traffic Order. Such an order is a legal document which allows the Local Authority to trial traffic and parking restrictions as part of an ongoing consultation process.
An experimental order can stay in force for a maximum of 18 months while the effects are monitored and assessed. Once the experimental order comes into force, there is a statutory 6-month period during which objections are considered. Changes can also be made during the trial to any of the restrictions, before the Council decides whether to continue (or not) with the changes brought in by the experimental order on a permanent basis.
How will the road be closed?
The section of Highbury Crescent to be closed in this trial will have planting units installed at either end of the road to prevent vehicle access. There will be space between the planters to allow access for pedestrians and cyclists who may continue to use the road throughout the trial period.
Will there be any traffic displacement on neighbouring roads?
Highbury Crescent has been used as a works compound associated with railway maintenance work and the project to transform Highbury Corner. The road has been closed to traffic since October 2014. While the road has been closed, traffic has used alternative routes for their journeys. Traffic will continue to operate as it has since October 2014, with traffic passing around the Southern end of Highbury Fields.
How will the scheme benefit pedestrians and cyclists?
Removing the barriers and fences from the existing construction compound on Highbury Crescent will improve access between the North and South sections of Highbury Fields. The experimental closure of the road will also provide a traffic-free route for pedestrians and cyclists.
What will the road look like?
The road is currently closed to traffic using several temporary planting units. These will physically restrict access to vehicles and increase the greenery and the look and feel of Highbury Fields.
If a decision is made to permanently close this section of Highbury Crescent, different design options will be evaluated at a later date with public input.