Walworth Streetspace

Scheme background

The Walworth Streetspace scheme is a traffic reduction scheme. It consists of traffic filters introduced on certain streets to reduce through-traffic movements. These filters use physical measures like planters or bollards, or enforcement cameras to prevent motor vehicle access.

The measures were introduced as experimental in 2020. The aim was to repurpose the street space, creating a healthier, greener, more active environment for all.

By changing the way we use and design our streets, we want to:

• Improve road safety
• Reduce carbon emissions to help tackle the climate emergency
• Make walking and cycling an enjoyable, safe and easy way to get around
• Reduce inequalities in health and wellbeing
• Reduce the amount of cut-through traffic
• Reduce parking pressure for local residents
• Encourage people to shop locally to support businesses and reduce car use
• Improve air quality and reduce pollution and noise levels
• Make more space on our pavements for social distancing to help keep everyone safe from COVID-19

• View the healthy Walworth Streetspace Proposal map ^{(PDF, 191kb)}
• Find out more about Southwark blue badge exemptions for this scheme   

Walworth Streetspace review

A review of the scheme was carried out in summer 2021 to understand its impact.

The review consisted of:

• A public consultation from July to September 2021. This gathered feedback from local people on what impact the measures have had on them and their preferred future for the measures.
• An in-depth monitoring report that included traffic volumes, cyclist volumes, pedestrian activity, bus journey times and air quality modelling. See further information and reports.
• An Equality Impact Assessment and bespoke engagement activities with certain demographics.

The review and statutory consultation closed on 13 January 2022. These informed the final decision on the measures. The decision made on Monday 21 February 2022 was to make the majority of the measures permanent.

• Read the original decision report on the measures and recommendations    
• See the outcome of the statutory consultation

Next steps

Spring 2022

• Upgrade and improve Walworth Streetspace signage (March)
• Engage with local residents on relocating the Cooks Road closure to Dale Road. Carry out further impact investigations (March)
• Make Permanent Traffic Orders live (March)
• Share monitoring results (from April/May)

Summer 2022

• Begin engagement with local people on the design of pocket parks at Browning Street, Alberta Street and Amelia Street.
• Begin engagement with local people on complimentary measures to improve access for the Cooks Road traffic restriction.
  Register for this event if you would like to find out more about how we are engaging.

Documents and links

• Newsletter – March 2022 ^{(PDF, 2.1mb)}
• View the healthy Walworth Streetspace Proposal map ^{(PDF, 191kb)}

Page last updated: 05 July 2022