• I APPLAUD Camden’s new traffic reduction emergency measures that seek to create healthy streets and more pleasant low traffic neighbourhoods in Gospel Oak and Kentish Town.

I noted a couple of letters of opposition in the CNJ but I’d point out two relevant facts: less than half of Camden’s residents have any access whatsoever to a car and, for the first time, there is the will and the funding from government to encourage such schemes.

This is been embraced by Camden’s clever officers by using experimental traffic orders.

With schools still being mainly shut, Camden could ambitiously expand this initiative in the weeks before schools return in September.

For example, Bartholomew Road has for years been both a schools and commuters rat-run, much to the detriment of our Bartholomew area neighbourhood.

It would be a welcome breath of fresh air to consolidate the recent gains of less traffic and pollution by “filtering”. Specifically, at the centre of that road, just as has been effectively implemented on Constantine Road.

For decades the bane of Camden traffic has been the tidal schools run to the 17 campuses around Swiss Cottage.

Camden could act swiftly to pre-empt the upsurge in cars surely heading in that direction come September by expanding Camden’s pioneering schools road closures between 8am and 9am and between 30pm and 4pm.

This is a golden opportunity.

PAUL BRAITHWAITE
Bartholomew Villas, NW5