Mare Street Cycle Link between London Lane and St Thomas’s Square Quietway 2

 

The Council is committed to making Hackney’s roads safer for everyone living, working and visiting the borough. Creating an environment that will encourage more walking and cycling is a key part of the Council’s transport vision and an essential part of Hackney’s Transport Strategy.

 

In spring 2013 the Mayor of London published his Cycling Vision for London – a 10 year strategy with approximately £1bn of investment, to increase the levels of cycling in London. One of the primary objectives of the strategy is to create a “tube network for the bike” – a mixture of fast commuter cycle routes offering dedicated cycle facilities on key main routes, complemented by a number of “Quietways”, which together will form a network of direct, joined-up cycle routes throughout London.

 

Within the borough, Quietway 2: Bloomsbury to Walthamstow starts at the boundary with Islington by Southgate Road and runs eastwards to London Fields via Middleton Road, and then north-eastwards to Lea Bridge Road and the boundary with Waltham Forest.

 

One of the key objectives of the Quietway routes is to link destinations, following backstreet  routes, through parks, along waterways or treelined streets. The Quietways aim to overcome barriers to cycling, targeting cyclists who want to use quieter, low-traffic routes and providing an environment for those who want to travel at a gentler pace. 

 

A number of key issues have been identified along the route and Transport for London (TfL) has provided the Council with funding to make improvements. These include improving or upgrading specific locations such as junctions and crossings in order to improve safety and visibility and reduce the potential for accidents.

 

Hackney Council is now consulting residents and businesses on a proposal to provide a safer link for cyclists using the Quietway 2 route across Mare Street.

 

In addition to meeting the objectives of the ‘Quietways’, encouraging the use of cleaner and greener transport options (particularly cycling and walking) and reducing non-essential private car journeys are key long-term objectives for the Council due to the wide range of benefits these transport options can bring, including:

 

• Reducing road accidents

 

• Improving personal mobility

 

• Creating safer, cleaner, and quieter residential neighbourhoods

 

• Creating a successful balance between pedestrians and other modes of transport,

in order to improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience

 

• Improving pedestrian and cyclist crossing facilities

 

Should the Council agree to proceed with these proposals, residents and businesses nearby will receive a notification. Public notices will also be displayed, giving the date works will start.