Shaftesbury Avenue: Overhaul for new ‘healthier streets’ plan with cycle lanes, rain gardens and fewer cars

Proposals to put in roughly 550 metres of protected lanes between St Giles High Street and Cambridge Circus were officially approved on Wednesday (14 May).

The scheme also includes plans to widen pavements and upgrade pedestrian crossings, with two new walking and cycle-only zones to be created by closing Phoenix Street and the top of St Giles Passage to motor vehicles.

Basins will also be installed to soak up rainfall – ‘rain gardens’ – on the avenue’s south side, physically separating cyclists from motor traffic.

These will help mitigate climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the Town Hall stated when it announced its plans for the road. Running through the West End of London, it is known for its theatres, shops, and close proximity to landmarks such as Covent Garden, Soho, and the British Museum.

Rain gardens will also contribute to local biodiversity by adding new “nature habitats” and “improving the look and feel of the area”.

Under the plans, three cycle hangars are to be installed on Shaftesbury Avenue, while 19 parking spaces will be removed.

Pedestrians and cyclists will make shared use of the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Monmouth Street, helping ensure easier access for those turning right onto the latter.

Residents overall backed the scheme, but respondents living and working in the immediate area raised concerns over the threat of congestion and pollution, closed roads and anti-social behaviour – especially near Phoenix Street and around the rain gardens.

The infrastructure changes form part of the borough’s transport strategy to promote active travel and the use of public transport over cars.

As part of its three-year transport strategy, the council is aiming to install 40km worth of segregated cycle infrastructure by 2028.

Camden is yet to announce an official start date for the works.