A vision of a car free stretch of Camden High Street

CAMDEN High Street could be pedestrianised under a council plan to block off cars.

The Town Hall has launched a consultation survey on a proposed scheme to permanently close a stretch of road from Camden Town tube station to the Elephant’s Head pub in Hawley Crescent. Only blue light emergency vehicles and rubbish trucks would be allowed through.

But council chiefs have already been warned to expect opposition William Miller, who lives in nearby Gloucester Crescent, represented his street and others in a meeting with the council about the plans.

He said: “It is a crazy idea. Camden High Street, and the space outside the Tube is Hell’s waiting room. Pedestrianising it will just make it 10 times worse, dominated by drug dealers and illegal street sellers. That’s all it will be good for.”

He added: “We have a massive problem already with overcrowding due to the ever-expanding markets. Look at what happened to Inverness Street when it was closed – it became both a toilet and a base for drug dealers and pickpockets. All this will do is make it easier for them to hang around the Tube station.”

Mr Miller said he was worried about how traffic would flow, adding: “The turning from Hawley Crescent into the High Street is very tight. Double deckers will not be able to get round it and pedestrians, who ignore the crossings there anyway, will be at real risk. It will be an accident waiting to happen. It isn’t a scheme with residents in mind. It is purely for crowds visiting.”

Plans seen by the New Journal show traffic, including the number 31, Number 24 and Number 1 buses, would travel up Kentish Town Road before rejoining original routes by Hawley Crescent. Camden plans to run an 18 month trial to see how the scheme works before making it permanent.

Businesses will be helped by new loading bays created in surrounding streets, while a section of Jamestown Road will also be permanently closed. By making it one way towards Regent’s Park, the Town Hall says it can hand over half the road to restaurants for more al fresco dining.

Camden also plans on holding cultural events in the street to create a performance place to encourage visitors. Business group Camden Town Unlimited have been involved in  drawing up the plans.

Chief executive Simon Pitkeathley said: “The High Street is very crowded and we need to make better use of public space. It is an experiment and has been carefully drawn up by the council. “We should be able to trial things like this. If it doesn’t work, we can change it back.

One element of the scheme is that Camden is trying to manage anti-social behaviour, and how we make it easier for the police – and this scheme can do that.” Camden’s environment chief Labour councillor Adam Harrison told the New Journal: “Camden High Street’s iconic markets, music venues and range of businesses make it a vibrant place, catering to visitors and residents alike.

“The high street is the gateway to this, however, with over 40,000 visitors at peak times, the area also experiences significant overcrowding, with not enough space for people to enjoy their time.

He added: “By trialling the removal of motor vehicles from Britannia Junction, in front of Camden Town Underground station, to Jamestown Road, we would seek to create a space that is not only safer, but also healthier, and creates opportunities to improve the reclaimed space.”

‘Extra space will make it easier for visitors’

BUSINESSES in Camden HIgh Street appear to be in favour of pedestrianisation, writes Christophe Domec.

Becca Ryan, who works at the Oxford Arms pub and lives on the street, said: “It would make people feel a lot safer. If there’s more room, then people may be more aware of what’s around them, and may be able to better protect themselves against pickpocketing, which is such a massive issue here.”

he added: “On Sundays, it’s hard to even walk into shops because of the size of the crowd. If we had more space to move, [the council’s plans] may actually allow people to better see businesses and feel compelled to go inside.”

Furkan, an employee at E&E Jewelry, said: “Tourists make up 90 per cent of our customers, and we want them to feel safe. Larger pathways will bring more of them to the street.

“The space will make it easier for them to enjoy their time here – and they won’t have to worry about potentially getting hit by cars.”