Camden’s vision of how the road will look in future

THE time has come for a verdict on whether the pedestrianisation of Camden Town high street should be made permanent.

Last May, the stretch of shops between Parkway and the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent was closed off to traffic on a trial basis, and now the Town Hall is deliberating on whether to keep the new set-up for good, and even extend it further.

The consultation will run for six weeks from Monday 13 July to Sunday 23 August. Camden’s planning chief Cllr James Slater said: “Previously, before the trial, the number of motor vehicles on this section of road could lead to conflict with pedestrians overspilling from the pavement, worsen air quality, and negatively affect visitors’ experience on Camden High Street.

“The trial has made the area safer and more pleasant for pedestrians and reduced air pollution on the street. The extra space has also allowed us to hold events and activities that showcase the best of Camden’s culture and communities.”

Cllr Slater told how ongoing feedback throughout the trial has been largely positive, with people saying that walking in the area is more comfortable, air quality has improved, crime has fallen and both visitor footfall and business takings have remained unchanged.

But others have been less positive about the transformation. Disability campaigner Mik Scarlet told the New Journal: “If they’re going to make it permanent, which we all know they are, I think they have got to do it right.”

Councillor James Slater

Mr Scarlet urged the council to make the area “properly pedestrianised”: stop cyclists whizzing down, fully level off the street, improve the barriers that are there now and move the barrier on Inverness Street closer to the junction with Arlington Road. It also needs to be properly accessible.

“If you want it to be a tourist destination, disabled people are tourists too,” said Mr Scarlet.

But the details of a pedestrianised road layout is only one factor, and the make-up of the traffic-free high street is something else the council should consider, he said.

“When you walk out of the tube you see Popeyes, Wendy’s, Holland & Barrett – but that’s not the Camden that people come to see. If you are going to make it pedestrianised then you need to allow outdoor seating and promote places to eat and socialise. There needs to be proper investment in making it something special, not just a few weird benches.”

Mr Scarlet added: “To me it’s a bigger conversation: who is Camden for? There’s a real issue that it’s very much becoming a place for tourism and not really for people who live here. And that’s sort of sad.”

According to Camden Council, more than 70 per cent of people in a public consultation held in 2024 said they supported the proposal to trial a motor traffic-free section of Camden High Street.

Councillor Slater added: “If the trial is made permanent, this could provide opportunities to replace the large barriers with a smart bollard system and make further improvements to the look and feel of the street, through more level surfaces, benches and planting.

“Many residents have told us that they want to go even further on pedestrianising Camden High Street, so we will also be seeking views on extending the area across Camden Lock bridge and up to the junction with Castlehaven Road.”