• A PUBLIC notice has been made to announce that Transport for London are intent on proceeding with banning the left-turn from Camden Street onto Camden Road despite numerous objections by residents.

Some traffic already uses Bonny Street, Prowse Place, Ivor Street and Jeffery’s Street as a rat-run to avoid the traffic lights. Banning the left-turn will increase this issue and also drive other vehicles down Georgiana Street and Lyme Terrace in order to access Camden Road.

TfL have carried out some modelling that suggests traffic will be partly diverted up Bartholomew Road, which has a width restriction, and then onto Sandall Road, causing a significant increase in traffic outside the main entrance to Camden School for Girls. The afternoon traffic peaks around the time the school exits.

None of these roads are suitable for A-road traffic. All of these roads have residential parking both sides and can only take one-way traffic even when they are a two-way road.

Most of these streets are too narrow for some of the vehicles that currently utilise Camden Street and the left turn to Camden Road.

TfL have ignored residents’ concerns about reduced safety and increased pollution to relatively quiet residential streets. As soon as they have implemented this ban, the problem of the impact to residential streets will fall to Camden Council.

TfL have no solution for the rerouting for their own rail replacement buses that use the left turn. The issues with the junction could be addressed with a bit more planning and adjustment to the traffic light sequence and introduction of the 20mph speed limit to both Camden Street and Camden Road through this busy section of town.

This would make it compliant with mayoral and borough policies to create a better quality environment by reducing air pollution, vehicular noise and reducing risk to vulnerable road users.

As always with these issues TfL will only take note if a large number of objections are received. I urge you all to write before the deadline of February 6.

Objections and representations must be sent to Transport for London, Streets Traffic Order Team, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ quoting reference NP/REGULATION/STOT/TRO, GLA/2020/0058, to arrive before February 6.

KATE GEMMELL
Chair, Tenants Residents Associations Camden Town (TRACT)