What you told us
We love Hackney Central, but we know from our conversations with local people some of the issues it faces.
The town centre is dominated by traffic, in particular the main road through Mare Street and Amhurst Road, with major junctions at Graham Road, Morning Lane and Well Street.
The result of this is an area with busy 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.
Thousands of people took part in the Hackney Central Conversation and helped create the Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy. You identified 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
The area generally needs more trees, plants and green spaces around (and less cars) to clean the air, increase biodiversity, give people spaces to rest and connect with nature and each other respectively.
What we're doing
Based on your feedback, we will create a greener, healthier town centre that’s more attractive and accessible for residents and visitors to spend time in. That means less traffic congestion, reduced air pollution, improved walking and cycling routes and much more green space.
This will support the delivery of the Hackney Central town centre strategy, developed in partnership with the local community, to implement measures to fight against the effects of climate change, move towards zero carbon, improve biodiversity and reduce waste.
How we're doing it
We’re making a comprehensive plan to make Hackney Central greener and healthier. There will be a new green corridor of trees and pocket parks along Amhurst Road. This would link Hackney Central and Hackney Downs stations.
Significantly reducing traffic along this route would remove one of the direct routes of traffic into Hackney Central town centre, providing opportunities to improve air quality and make two of the most dangerous junctions at Pembury Circus and Mare Street-Graham Road safer.
This will also enable the transformation of public spaces at Hackney Central Station and Hackney Downs Station to create more welcoming entrances – part of 23,000 sqm of improved public spaces planned in the town centre.
We’re also proposing quick improvements that can make Hackney Central greener straight away, starting with a new green link and pocket park off Graham Road at Marvin Street.
Get involved
Hackney Downs station gateway
This page is for information only. No consultation is currently live. What we’re doing While less busy than Hackney Central station, Hackney Downs station is used by thousands of residents, visitors and commuters daily, and is one of the top 100 busiest stations in the UK. That’s why we’re investing in public spaces around Hackney Downs station to create a better gateway into the area and respond to feedback about difficulty accessing the station. Why we’re...
Hackney Central station gateway
Consultation is expected to begin in Autumn 2023 “Hackney Central station (or at least the approach to it) needs drastically improving to welcome visitors from outside the area. It would also greatly improve the experience for commuters and make Hackney Central a more viable place to work long-term.” What we’re doing Hackney Central station is the main arrival point for many people into the town centre, used by tens of thousands of people every day. The station has...
Closed activities
Marvin Street, Sylvester Road and Penpoll Road New pocket park and transport facilities
Hackney Central is changing Big changes are coming to Hackney Central, which will mean cleaner air, less traffic, and better facilities for the community. We’re proposing a range of changes, shaped by the views of thousands of local people and informed by a new town centre strategy created alongside the local community. Now we’ve received a £19 million boost from the Levelling Up Fund, it’s time to start delivering on them. We’re proposing transformational...
Reimagining Amhurst Road
The consultation took place in February and March 2024, click here to see the consultation pages! 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 ...
Reimagine Amhurst Road
Big changes are coming to Hackney Central, which will mean cleaner air, less traffic, and better facilities for the community. At the heart of this transformation will be a reimagined Amhurst Road – made possible by redesigning Pembury Circus to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and significantly reducing traffic. These changes will create opportunities for new pocket parks, greenery and seating along Amhurst Road, and a new public space in the heart of Hackney Central...
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