Hackney Central green corridor

Overview

The consultation is now live, click here to find out how to get involved!

What we’re doing

We’re delivering on longstanding commitments to make the Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus greener and safer to create a new green corridor through the heart of Hackney Central.

This will include:

• Turning the main road along Amhurst Road between Mare Street and Pembury Circus into a green route with new pocket parks, greenery and seating
• Redesigning Pembury Circus junction to improve how pedestrians, cyclists and buses move through the space safely and swiftly.
• Reclaiming space from motor traffic for people as part of 23,000 sqm of improvements to public spaces
• Reducing through traffic through Hackney Central town centre via Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road
• Complementing the improved gateways into Hackney Central at Hackney Central and Hackney Downs stations

Why we’re doing it

Hackney Central is dominated by traffic, with high footfall but poor air quality. Pembury Circus has the highest recorded levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Hackney, and Amhurst Road has among the highest levels.

Since 2017 there have been 229 road traffic collisions between Mare Street and Pembury Circus, including 25 serious incidents and two fatalities.

Despite this, 40% of traffic in Hackney is through-traffic which doesn’t start, finish or stop in the borough. Transport for London data shows that nearly 90% of journeys starting in Hackney are made by walking, cycling or public transport, the highest of any borough after the City of London.

Our plans are shaped by our conversations with local people. Thousands of people took part in the Hackney Central Conversation and helped create the Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy, identifying priorities including:

• reducing the impact of traffic in the town centre
• creating a better environment for walking and cycling.
• recognising the value of local parks and green spaces
• encouraging more small-scale green spaces

How we’re doing it

We’ve already agreed plans to redesign the Pembury Circus junction to make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and to restrict vehicle traffic along Amhurst Road during the day. 

Our current proposals are for a bus gate that would prevent most vehicles travelling along Mare Street beyond Graham Road or down Amhurst Road past Brett Road between 7am-7pm. This would include exemptions for buses, emergency services, blue badge holders with e-companion badges, and deliveries to certain properties

As part of this, we will be conducting extensive monitoring – including Healthy Street surveys on roads such as Graham Road, Urswick Road and Upper Clapton Road –  that are expected to see some of the diverted traffic.

We want to work alongside the community to design the new green route that can be created by these changes. We’re keen for your ideas on how we can make the most of the new public spaces that will be created, whether that’s play equipment, seating, greenery or public art.

While there will be some disruption during construction, lessons learned from recent major projects such as the new cycling lanes on Lea Bridge Road will inform a construction plan designed to lessen the impact on residents as much as possible. 

When we’re doing it

Launching in January 2024, we will be undertaking a wide range of community engagement events and activities to develop designs for Hackney Central, including workshops, a public exhibition, and an online survey.

Key dates for these events will be published soon. Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates on Hackney Central and other local projects and events.

Through this, we will be working with local people to develop designs for these changes. These designs will build on extensive engagement with local people over a number of years, including the Hackney Central Conversation, where people made clear that a greener, healthier town centre was a priority and engagement on previous proposals to improve Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road.