The Green Party is urging the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to reinstate an important cycle lane – that was removed after just a few weeks.
The Kensington High Street (KHS) cycle lane was a government initiative to enhance active travel during the covid pandemic.
The trial was supposed to last 12 months and cost £300,000 – and proved popular with local community and cyclists. But it was removed after just seven weeks.
The council argued that many residents and businesses opposed the scheme. But only partial data has been made public. Some residents publicly complained about increased congestion and blamed the trial, but the council’s own traffic data showed that journey times remained stable during the seven week period.
The Green Party urges the council to seize this perfect opportunity to make travel safer for the local residents, particularly children, and the wider community. Reinstating the KHS cycle lane would maximise the travel initiative and resources the council has already invested, instead of going to waste.
With the possibility of a costly Judicial Review on the horizon, the Kensington and Chelsea Cllr Leader Elizabeth Campbell has announced a decision to reconsider the closure.
“The number of cyclists using Kensington High Street has doubled, leading to fewer cars on the roads, less air pollution and healthier active travel. Why would you stop this trial when it seems to be working so well?” said Zack Polanski, Green Party Assembly candidate.
This is the council’s chance to act, to make London better by reducing pollution and facilitating sustainable travel.