Support modal filtering in London Fields

Last year, as part of its 2014 local elections campaign, the London Cycling Campaign in Hackney won a public commitment from the Council to introduce modal filtering in London Fields and Haggerston wards.

http://action.space4cycling.org/data/ward/964
http://action.space4cycling.org/data/ward/980

Predictably, there is now a loud 'anti' campaign who claim, inaccurately, that there was secrecy surrounding the idea (they are late engaging with it). As with Waltham Forest, where a similarly loud 'anti' campaign formed, we are confident that there is already a sizeable majority of residents in the area who will be in favour of the proposed scheme.

The Council has just decided not to go ahead with the trial it had proposed earlier and to hold a consultation period in the run-up to a possible trial later in 2016:

http://news.hackney.gov.uk/update-london--fields-filtering-scheme/

We think this is a good thing, as a trial in the colder months would not have brought out quite so obviously the advantages of filtered streets. If you support the scheme and live in the area or cycle there, make sure to let the Council know of your support. You can write to the ward councillors in London Fields ward:

emma.plouviez@hackney.gov.uk
mcan.ozsen@hackney.gov.uk
anntoinette.bramble@hackney.gov.uk

... and to Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods:

feryal.demirci@hackney.gov.uk

... in support, or, of course, if you're opposed, feel free to articulate that, too. :)

The formal consultation looks as if it'll be limited to local residents, but don't let that stop you from giving your opinion, as of course many more people use the local streets than just residents.

In case you don't know what 'modal filtering' means, the idea is to 'filter out' the big lumps and permit the smaller lumps to get through. The main aim is through motor traffic, e.g. in Hackney we have a particular problem with people rat-running through local residential streets to get to the motorway.

Anyway, this scheme is quite critical for ensuring that other areas feel able to follow suit. There is tremendous support for this kind of thing all across Inner London, which has very low car ownership and where people stand to benefit immensely from more walking, cycling, and public transport use.

Hey @Oliver Schick are there any suggestions or more clear plans of what will be done? I live right in the middle of the area being discussed and I find congestion to be focused on Richmond Road and Queensbridge Road. I'm just not sure driving more traffic onto roads that are already congested will help much, but I'm interested to see what's being planned.

Hey @Oliver Schick are there any suggestions or more clear plans of what will be done?

There was a drawing floating around which I think has been posted in a few places, but as the Council has just announced that they will have another consultation, there will undoubtedly be new consultation materials produced. I wouldn't go by the old drawing, as it can only sow confusion now, I think.

I've written something about it in the draft Vision for London Fields:

http://hackney.cc/vision/

I'm rarely tempted in thinking about these things to be too determinate about filtering locations, as there are just so many possibilities, and this also needs local knowledge--local residents often know otherwise invisible things that are very valuable for informing schemes.

I live right in the middle of the area being discussed and I find congestion to be focused on Richmond Road and Queensbridge Road. I'm just not sure driving more traffic onto roads that are already congested will help much, but I'm interested to see what's being planned.

There is also considerable congestion in Westgate Street and other streets around Broadway Market, as well as a lot of rat-running. Queensbridge Road will remain unfiltered, as one of the most major streets and direct alignments in Hackney, but we think that eventually Richmond Road should be filtered, too. Right now, this is not possible yet. While following a filtering scheme, through motor traffic levels in Richmond Road wouldn't get significantly worse (the phenomenon is nowadays called 'motor traffic evaporation'; I like Jane Jacobs' term of 'attrition of automobiles by cities', too), we are additionally advocating a similar scheme in the Frampton Park area, where a lot of the through motor traffic continues from Richmond Road (have a look for Darnley Road, Elsdale Street, and Terrace Road on a map--that's one of the worst rat-runs in Hackney). Basically, Hackney is mainly blighted because of through motor traffic to and from the motorway (the A12, a motorway in all but name). With Frampton Park filtered, through motor traffic volumes and driver behaviour in Richmond Road would change, and this would pave the way for filtering there. The motorway traffic problem is only going to get worse and worse, so we need to start tackling it asap.

One constraint are local bus routes, which are very valuable for many people and which should be protected. There's a local bus route along Richmond Road. To filter a street for buses and cyclists, you need camera enforcement of the (otherwise open) filter, which hasn't yet been cast into an easy-to-apply template and is more expensive, too. We expect Hackney to be able to install these soon. A similar problem is in sub-cell 'F', if you look at the little map on p. 9 of the draft Vision for London Fields. There's a local bus route there, too, and a need for a bus-and-cycle filter, as also, finally, in Lansdowne Drive.

Oops, just realised I forgot to post the link to the community site of people who are in favour:

http://www.enjoylondonfields.org/

There's a Frequently Asked Questions page which may illuminate it a little more. More stuff is being added to counter some of the inaccurate claims about the scheme and its intentions.

Hope that answers your question!

I've just realised I hadn't posted the consultation link yet:

https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/streetscene/london-fields-middleton-road-traffic-management-sc

Make sure you reply before the 27th March. (Obviously, whether you're in favour or not. :) )

Hi all

It is very important that as many people as possible support the area wide scheme which will cut out through rat running over a wide area (reducing motor traffic overall). There is huge opposition to the scheme. The taxi drivers networks are telling their members to vote against it. It is in danger unless people fill in the consultation and support Option 1 the area wide scheme - consultation.hackney.gov.uk/stre­etscene/london-fields-middleton-road-tra­ffic-management-sc. It will only take a minute of your time, please do this if you want to improve conditions for walking and cycling in London.

For those who say it will only displace traffic onto neighboring streets, we say we would rather do more than do nothing. Also this will reduce traffic levels overall and any displacement would be short term. We have to start somewhere and then move on to other residential streets in Hackney and elsewhere. If this scheme fails, in a progressive borough like Hackney, where will a traffic filtering scheme have a chance of succeeding? No borough is going to be brave enough to take something as ambitious as this on.

So please do fill this in. Visitors count as well as local residents. Every vote counts. This is really important!

Thanks a lot.

Brenda

consultation.hackney.gov.uk/stre­etscene/london-fields-middleton-road-tra­ffic-management-sc

It's the final week for this consultation. Option 1 would ensure that the Quietway isn't just a single route in that area, but connected to a network of other safe local streets that would make the most of the Quietway concept. Hackney LCC have just put up a post with their response.

Direct link to the consultation here: bit.ly/supportoption1

Reviving this thread to update with news about the London Fields School Streets scheme that came into force today 6/6/18.
From the top of Broadway Market it means no motor traffic eastwards on Westgate street from 8.30 to 9.15 am and from 3.15 to 4.00pm and also no motor traffic westwards on Landsdowne drive due to Bus Gate operating 7am-10am and 3pm-7pm Monday to Saturday.
Once the drivers learn to stay away cycling should be much better.
There could be motor traffic chaos for the first few days, drivers are being warned this week and will receive penalty fines from Monday.
Photo of motor vehicle chaos at 9.10 this morning.

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This scheme is a follow on from the failure to get community approval for the wider schemes at the top of this thread. The current status of plans and action are set out here https://www.hackney.gov.uk/london-fields-streets . All the senior council officers and cabinet member were on site this morning. They will be studying the impact on neighbouring streets including ones where I and @cjr live. The original consultation included another bus gate on Pownall road, if residents there lobby for it then it could come later.

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