Focus of work
The “London Boulevard” is a term the London Cycling Campaign coined for the key cross-town, central London route that runs east to west from Old Street roundabout, along Old Street, Clerkenwell Road, Theobald’s Road, Bloomsbury Way and New Oxford Street to the
junction with Tottenham Court Road. It is a route teeming with people cycling and walking, waiting for and getting off buses. These are some of the most congested, hostile and horrible streets in London. The aim of the project was to make it easier and more pleasant to travel, and indeed linger, along this route.
In 2017, the Foundation for Integrated Transport funded the London Cycling Campaign’s London Boulevard Project to conduct a “Healthy Streets” audit of two of the five London Boulevard zones. These audits included activities such as:
- measuring pollution and
noise levels - measuring pedestrian stress levels
- conducting pedestrian, cycle and vehicle
counts - identifying areas (and potential
areas) to rest with shade and shelter - assessing bus stops (seating, signage
and position) - identifying current and potential future pedestrian crossing points.
Through this work, the London Cycling Campaign aimed to present an evidence-based case to the boroughs along the route (Camden and Islington) and to the Mayor of London to implement a radical transformation of the route that creates a much safer and more attractive place for everyone, making it easier to both travel through and visit.