Camden Approves £1.7M Fitzjohn’s Avenue Traffic Scheme Hampstead 2026

Key Points

• Camden Council has given the green light to the £1.7 million ‘Safe and Healthy Streets’ scheme on Fitzjohn’s Avenue in Hampstead.
• The plan consists of cycle tracks, zebra crossings, rain gardens, removal of car parking spaces, and moving of bus stops.
• There is a trial of ‘School Street’ on College Crescent at times of children being dropped off and picked up from schools.
• More than 1,100 people have signed a petition calling on the council to rethink its plan owing to congestion and accessibility problems.
• Outcomes of the public consultation showed that 77 percent of the residents living in the directly affected zone were against the scheme.
• On the contrary, three out of four people living outside the borough backed the bike lane scheme.

Camden (North London News) September 1, 2026 – Fresh road upgrades and traffic control measures will go ahead in north London despite an outcry from local residents and business owners. A new ‘Safe and Healthy Streets’ scheme at Fitzjohn’s Avenue in Hampstead was officially approved by Camden Council in March. The £1.7 million project will introduce a suite of permanent infrastructural changes, including protected cycling lanes, new zebra crossings, sustainable drainage rain gardens, the removal of several kerbside parking bays, and the relocation of multiple local bus stops. Additionally, the Council confirmed that a temporary traffic ban on College Crescent during school drop-off and pick-up hours, structured as a ‘School Street’ initiative, will be trialled alongside the main physical works.

Why Has Camden Council Approved the £1.7 Million Fitzjohn’s Avenue Scheme?

As reported by local community reporters for the North London News, Camden Council approved the £1.7 million scheme in pursuit of long-term sustainable transport targets, active travel safety, and improved local air quality. The local authority stated that Fitzjohn’s Avenue forms a critical north-south link for cyclists moving between Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, and Central London. According to official cabinet papers released by Camden Council, municipal officers determined that the absence of dedicated cycle tracks on steep incline routes like Fitzjohn’s Avenue created a significant safety hazard for vulnerable road users, thereby deterring wider bicycle adoption.

The Council argued that removing selected parking spaces and reallocating road capacity to segregated cycle lanes directly aligns with London-wide health strategies to lower carbon emissions and combat local pollution around urban schools. Council officers maintained that the installation of rain gardens will assist with surface water management during heavy rainfall, whilst new zebra crossings will improve foot traffic safety for elderly residents and schoolchildren traversing the busy corridor.

How Did Local Residents React to the Public Consultation Results?

As reported by transport correspondents at the Hampstead & Highgate Express, the municipal proposals were largely rejected by the majority of residents who participated in the formal public consultation process. Out of 950 individual consultation respondents, residents living directly within the affected Hampstead zone opposed the infrastructure scheme by almost three to one. Data published within Camden Council’s consultation summary revealed that merely 23 per cent of local residents supported the proposed alterations, while 77 per cent expressed clear opposition.

However, the consultation highlighted a sharp divide between local and non-local road users. As documented by cycling transport writers for London SE1, three in four respondents who lived outside the London Borough of Camden were in favour of the project. Outer-borough commuters and regional cycling advocates cited the urgent necessity for protected cycling corridors across major northern thoroughfares, noting that infrastructural benefits extend beyond immediate ward boundaries.

What Are the Main Objections Raised by the 1,100-Signature Petition?

As reported by urban affairs correspondents for the Ham & High, a petition bearing more than 1,100 signatures was formally lodged with Camden Council urging municipal leaders to ‘think again’ before allocating public funds to the project. Organisers of the petition highlighted several primary concerns:

• Increased Traffic Congestion: Residents argued that narrowing carriage lanes and removing turning pockets on Fitzjohn’s Avenue will divert vehicular congestion into adjacent residential side streets, creating secondary gridlock.
• Loss of Vital Parking: The removal of established kerbside parking spaces is expected to harm local trade, reduce access for residents without off-street driveways, and restrict spaces for visiting tradespeople and healthcare workers.
• Impact on School Runs: Local parents and delivery drivers expressed concern that the College Crescent traffic ban during drop-off and pick-up hours will simply compress vehicular queues onto surrounding arterial roads like Finchley Road.
• Safety Concerns for Elderly Pedestrians: Opponents raised issues regarding bus stop relocations, arguing that longer walking distances to relocated stops could burden older residents navigating the area’s steep topography.

Background of the Fitzjohn’s Avenue Development

The approval of the £1.7 million Fitzjohn’s Avenue scheme marks the culmination of a multi-year effort by Transport for London (TfL) and individual London boroughs to construct an integrated network of high-capacity cycling corridors across the capital. Following the implementation of various emergency ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhoods’ (LTNs) and pop-up cycle lanes during recent years, municipal authorities have progressively sought to convert temporary measures into permanent infrastructure.

Fitzjohn’s Avenue has long been identified in Camden’s Transport Strategy as a high-priority corridor due to its proximity to numerous independent schools, transport hubs, and residential estates. Despite previous community debate regarding road space reallocation in North London, Camden Council has consistently prioritized active travel routes, pedestrian safety upgrades, and pollution reduction schemes in accordance with Greater London Authority (GLA) climate targets.

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Prediction: How Will This Development Affect Local Residents and Commuters?

The implementation of the £1.7 million Fitzjohn’s Avenue project is expected to bring immediate and contrasting effects across different user groups in North London:

• For Cyclists and Active Travel Users: The introduction of fully segregated cycle lanes will dramatically improve safety and journey confidence along a major North London arterial route. Commuters cycling between Hampstead and Central London will experience safer travel, likely encouraging a higher volume of modal shifts away from private cars and public buses.
• For Motorists and Local Residents: Vehicle owners residing directly on or near Fitzjohn’s Avenue and College Crescent will face reduced street parking options and potentially heightened journey times during peak travel hours. The school-run traffic ban on College Crescent will force parents to alter drop-off routes, which may lead to temporary traffic bottlenecks along secondary diversion routes during morning and afternoon peaks.
• For Local Businesses and Schools: Retailers in the immediate vicinity may experience shifted footfall dynamics, benefiting from increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic, while simultaneously adapting to altered delivery and short-stay parking arrangements. Schools along College Crescent will benefit from diminished localized vehicular emissions and improved pedestrian safety during peak entrance and exit hours.