• COUNCILLOR Danny Beales’s comment that we need to “reimagine our high streets” is timely.

What will happen when the Covid-related barriers that give more space for social distancing are no longer needed for that purpose? They have shown that the spaces they occupy are not needed for traffic so what do we want in their place?

Time and again in the Visioning Camden 2030 entries there were hopes for a greener environment with more trees, less pollution, less traffic as well as more spaces for sitting out. Trees are one element the public would welcome in their high street.

Trees soften the hard lines of buildings, adding colour and movement, while breathing out the oxygen we need and absorbing the pollutants we don’t.

They could be in containers that include shrubs and flowers with seating between them – but even more could be possible with imagination.

Camden High Street is controlled by Transport for London so it was also encouraging that Cllr Adam Harrison (cabinet member for sustainability) earlier this week offered to write to TfL to see how they viewed this idea.

MIKE JENN
North Villas, NW1