A coalition of organisations have joined together to call on all Mayoral candidates to commit to ditch the Archway roundabout if elected in May. Better Archway Forum and Archway residents, along with Islington Living Streets and Islington Cyclists Action Group took to the streets tonight on bikes and on foot to show support for a livable Archway.
Campaigners gathered for a slow walk/cycle round the roundabout this evening (Thursday). They are calling for the return of the roads to traditional two-way flow, with 20 mph limits where people live, work and shop, making the area safe for journeys on foot and by bike not just by car.
Kate Calvert of Better Archway Forum (who wrote her views on the area on Big Smoke in January) said, “Despite the traffic dominated street-scape at Archway, with eight lanes of traffic, there is a thriving community of residents and businesses who have suffered the noise, pollution and danger for years and deserve better. Existing funding allocated for routine maintenance of signals and road surfaces would cover much of the cost of removing the roundabout. All that is needed is the political will to make it happen.”
Caroline Russell of Islington Living Streets said, ” Archway is a place where people live, work and shop, but the road system prioritises vehicles over people. Re-designing the junction as a place rather than a trunk road would improve safety, reduce air pollution and make the area more liveable.”
Alison Dines of Islington Cyclists Action Group said, “Given the current focus on cycle safety following the parliamentary debate on 22nd February, this nightmare junction must be re-designed for the benefit of all and particularly before the cycle super-highway route 12 brings more cyclists through this traffic hotspot.”
Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn came and showed his support and politicians from all four London Assembly parties, except the Conservatives, came and showed their support.
From Left to right: Bridget Fox (Lib Dems), Caroline Allen (Greens), Greg Foxsmith (Lib Dems), Cllr Janet Burgess (Labour), Jeremy Corbyn MP (Labour) & Cllr Arthur Graves (Lib Dem)
Living Streets campaigner Caroline Russell addresses the crowd
2 Comments
Well done on demonstration – gave us all an inkling of how Archway could be so much more pedestrian and cycle friendly and lead to less noise and better air quality.
Fun could be had more often if less of Archway was under permanent occupation by cars and lorries.