Brixton Hill Timeline

Brixton Hill Low Traffic Neighbourhood: Trial Launch

The Brixton Hill LTN trial launched on 4 September 2023 under an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO). The LTN trial included eight traffic filters on local streets which prevented unauthorised vehicles from traveling through the area, creating safer, healthier streets for all. All addresses within the area remained accessible by motor vehicle, although some routes will have changed. Certain vehicles like buses, emergency vehicles and blue badge holders were allowed through some or all of the filters.

Key considerations about the traffic data before the trial: 

1. The majority of the roads within the Brixton Hill LTN area are predominantly local roads and not designed to carry significant volumes of traffic, however, baseline traffic data collected between 2019-2022 indicates that prior the trial launch there were significant levels of through traffic in the area, with particularly high vehicle flows on Lyham Road, Dumbarton Road and New Park Road.   
2. Traffic data collected from June – December 2021 indicated that between 62.5-75% of motor traffic travelling northbound on New Park Road (between the South Circular and Morrish Road) in the busiest times did not originate from or was not destined for the local area.  
3. For vehicles travelling southbound on New Park Road (between the South Circular and Morrish Road) in the busiest times, 50-75% of vehicles did not originate from or was not destined for the local area. The consequences of high vehicle traffic volumes in residential areas include: 

a) road danger threat to those road users most at risk  

b) perceived danger and discomfort suppressing active travel and mode shift to sustainable travel 

c) air pollution and  

d) noise pollution.  

• It is important to consider that the proposals were also expected to have a significant beneficial impact in terms of pedestrian (including those who require the use of mobility aids) and cycle movements in the area, making these safer, more convenient and more accessible.    
• Lyham Road forms part of the borough’s adopted Healthy Route Network, as defined in the TSIP Healthy Route Plan, connecting Streatham to Clapham. To meet the defined Healthy Route criteria, motor vehicle traffic must be separated or sufficiently low so that people walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling the route are comfortable and safe. At this location, officers considered a traffic management approach to be more suitable than the provision of separated cycle infrastructure and the experimental scheme was expected to achieve a sufficient reduction in motor vehicle traffic to meet healthy route criteria. Traffic on Lyham Road was c.3300 motor vehicles per weekday (as per traffic data collected in October 2022).  
• The LTN restricts vehicles cutting through residential streets. This help to reduce road danger and congestion on these streets and tackle the climate crisis by supporting people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle. Lambeth Council will also increase the number of street trees, cycle parking, and places to rest and play. 

Experimental Traffic Orders:

Below the map of the traffic filters implemented as part of the ETO on the 4 September 2023.

The council used Traffic Orders for the following interventions:  

Traffic Filters 

Traffic filters have been implemented in the following locations: 

• Branksome Road  
• Lyham Road/Crescent Lane 
• Lyham Road/Dumbarton Road / Chale Road 
• Strathleven Road 
• Mandrell Road / Strathleven Road 
• Kingswood Rd / Chale Road 
• New Park Road 
• Forster Road 
• Morrish Road 

Major improvements  

The major improvements that were proposed in the below locations are currently under review: 

• Lyham Road / Kings Avenue Road; 
• Thornbury Road; 
• New Park Road (between Kingswood and Lyham Road); 
• New Park Road (between Dovefield Rd and Felsberg). 

Minor improvements  

After considerations with internal and external stakeholders we: 

• Liaised with the Tree Team to plant street trees in the LTN area; 
• Liaised with the Active Travel Team to discuss the opportunity to deliver cycle hangar in the Brixton Hill area. See the Active Travel programme here. 
• In conjunction with Living Streets, we ran a series of engagement sessions to explore the potential of installing parklets in the Brixton Hill LTN area. 

Modification during Experimental Traffic Order 

During the ETO we engaged with business owners, and we made the following change according to their feedback: 

• Added a timed bay on Lyham Road. 
• Converted a portion of kerbside space on Morrish Road to loading bay. 

Brixton Hill Low Traffic Neighbourhood: Monitoring

This Stage 1 Monitoring Report (full report attached below) shows that the Brixton Hill LTN trial met the objectives of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Transport Strategy and supported the Lambeth 2030 Borough Plan by reducing traffic overall. Before and after traffic data collected to assess the impact of the trial shows:

• An average 58% decrease in traffic within the LTN
• An average 6% increase in traffic on boundary roads.
• An overall 3.6% net reduction in traffic when looking at roads within the LTN and on the boundary roads, including on main roads approaching the LTN.
• The number of vehicles traveling over the speed limit has reduced by an average of 83%