Highbury people-friendly streets trials

In January 2021, Islington Council introduced the Highbury Fields and Highbury West low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) trials to make the streets cleaner, greener, and healthier for all. We installed bollards and traffic cameras to reduce traffic and road danger and create more space for walking, cycling and wheelchairs, while allowing emergency vehicles and buses through.

The trial aimed to: 

• make it easier and safer to walk and cycle
• clean up the air we breathe and protect and improve the environment
• reduce road danger, eliminate all deaths and serious injuries.

We consulted on the Highbury Fields and Highbury West people-friendly streets trials from 7 February to 14 March 2022. Thank you to everyone who provided their feedback.

We have now published the consultation results for both people-friendly streets neighbourhoods. You can find the detailed findings and links to the full consultation reports further down this page. The full consultation reports can also be accessed in the ‘Useful Documents’ section at the bottom of this page.

For information on the next steps for the Highbury people-friendly streets neighbourhoods and changes we will be making, please visit the Highbury PFS webpage.

Highbury Fields

Key findings from the pre-consultation engagement report

We have now published our pre-consultation engagement results report for Highbury Fields. This report includes all feedback up until the public consultation (7 February – 14 March 2022) from commonplace and trial feedback surveys, email correspondence, formal objections and stakeholder meetings.

Feedback received

• 233 Commonplace comments
• 209 emails
• 1704 trial feedback surveys

Commonplace feedback refers to comments received before the trial was advertised. The figures provided for Commonplace and trial feedback surveys are for the percentage of respondents. The Commonplace platform was open between May 2020 and March 2021. The trial feedback survey was open between November 2020 and February 2022.

Top 3 problems

• 39% – traffic rat running
• 35% – volume of traffic
• 27% – fast traffic

Top 3 ways to make it better

• 34% – make roads access only
• 14% – make more space for walking
• 14% – road closure except for cycles and buses

Trial feedback survey (percentage of respondents)

Top 3 things people like about the trial

• 22% – reduces air pollution
• 21% – reduces traffic
• 19% – the area is more pleasant

Top 3 things people dislike about the trial

• 58% – more traffic on main roads
• 36% – increases air pollution
• 33% – car trips are inconvenient

Key findings from the public consultation 

We have also published our independently written consultation report for the Highbury Fields PFS trial. This report includes feedback received through the public consultation (7 February – 14 March 2022).     

• 37% said it is easier to cross the streets – 26% disagreed
• 34% said the streets look nicer – 25% disagreed
• 32% said the air is cleaner – 27% disagreed
• 33% said there is less noise from traffic – 32% disagreed
• 28% spend more time in the area – 23% disagreed
• 30% said it is easier to walk and cycle to local shops and businesses – 14% disagreed
• 61% of participants have a car, versus 29% of households in Islington
• 21% of participants who have cars say they walk and cycle for shorter trips instead of driving
• 29% of participants mentioned LTNs increasing traffic on boundary roads

Highbury West 

Key findings from the pre-consultation engagement report

We have now published our pre-consultation engagement results report for Highbury West. This report includes all feedback up until the public consultation (7 February – 14 March 2022) from Commonplace and trial feedback surveys, email correspondence, formal objections and stakeholder meetings.

Feedback received

• 760 Commonplace comments
• 1,276 emails
• 2,771 trial feedback surveys

Commonplace figures refer to comments received before the trial was advertised. The figures provided for Commonplace and trial feedback surveys are for the percentage of respondents. The Commonplace platform was open between May 2020 and March 2021, the trial feedback survey was open between November 2020 and February 2022.

Top 3 problems

• 50% – volume of traffic
• 49% – traffic rat running
• 46% – fast traffic

Top 3 ways to make it better

• 44% – make roads access only
• 39% – slow down traffic
• 27% – road closure except for cycles and buses

Trial feedback survey (percentage of respondents)

Top 3 things people like about the trial

• 25% – reduces traffic
• 22% – reduces air pollution
• 18% – it is easier and safer to cross the road

Top 3 things people dislike about the trial

• 57% – more traffic on main roads
• 40% – car trips are inconvenient
• 33% – I was not asked for my views

Key findings from the public consultation 

We have also published our independently written consultation report for the Highbury West PFS trial. This report includes feedback received through the public consultation (7 February – 14 March 2022).     

• 42% said it is easier to cross the streets – 23% disagreed
• 38% said the streets look nicer – 23% disagreed
• 37% said the air is cleaner – 24% disagreed
• 42% said there is less noise from traffic – 29% disagreed
• 30% spend more time in the area – 16% disagreed
• 34% said it is easier to walk and cycle to local shops and businesses – 10% disagreed
• 63% of participants have a car, versus 29% of households in Islington
• 24% of participants who have cars say they walk and cycle for shorter trips instead of driving
• 34% of participants mentioned LTNs increasing traffic on boundary roads 

You can find more information in the Highbury PFS consultation results and next steps resident leaflet.   

For further detailed information you can read the full Delegated Decision Report and Equality Impact Assessment for the Highbury PFS scheme and the other appendices in the 'Useful Documents' section.