Blue Badge exemption and positive results for Canonbury East LTN
New bollards blocking through-traffic in the St Peter's people-friendly neighbourhood. - Credit: Archant
A Blue Badge exemption has been announced for Canonbury East's people-friendly streets neighbourhood, following positive results from a recent consultation.
Canonbury East was the second of seven people-friendly streets to be introduced in 18-month trials.
Commonly known as low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), they aim to make it easier to walk, cycle and use buggies and wheelchairs in Islington.
In a consultation held in November last year, 45 per cent of participants said they felt the air was cleaner in the LTN and 47pc said it was easier to cross the street.
Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “We’re very pleased to hear about the benefits that the Canonbury East scheme has brought to people in the neighbourhood."
Almost half of respondents said the LTN made it easier to walk and cycle for short trips and more than a quarter of those surveyed that have cars said they are choosing walking or cycling for shorter journeys.
After studying monitoring data from July 2021, which revealed dramatic reductions in traffic (80pc) and speeding vehicles (89pc) in the area, as well as considering feedback the council has announced the introduction of an exemption scheme for Blue Badge holders living in the LTN.
The new exemption policy will be introduced in February 2022.
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The council will also be making changes to traffic filters at Elmore Street and Halliford Street, as well as introducing a filter at Ecclesbourne Road - with the aim of improving business access to the area. .
After the exemption scheme is introduced, the council will monitor its impact and people's feedback, before deciding on whether to make the LTN permanent.
Cllr Champion added: "Blue Badge holders that live in the neighbourhood will be able to apply for a permit allowing a single motor vehicle registered to their address to travel through some traffic filters in the Canonbury East neighbourhood."
The council will be installing planters and will deliver a pavements programme later in the year.
To find out more about the policy visit www.islington.gov.uk/roads/people-friendly-streets/blue-badge-holder-faqs
