Camden Council’s new vision for Holborn championed by local business leaders

An influential group of business leaders in London, which champions major public realm projects, has given its backing to a new project that could transform Holborn.

The West End Streets Steering Group (WESt), run by BusinessLDN, has selected Camden Council’s Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood project as its new public realm project to champion following an open competition.

WESt brings together the private sector and public sector stakeholders to promote funding and delivery of major London public realm projects. At any one time it champions three priority projects and following the completion of Strand Aldwych, it will now support Camden Council’s scheme as its latest project following strong competition.

The project proposes significant change across the Holborn area with the aims of reducing the dominance of traffic, enhancing connectivity for active travel and public transport, increasing the safety of the streets and creating a greener Holborn with significant new areas of public realm.

The areas that will benefit from Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood’s public realm improvements include:

• Tourist destinations, such as the British Museum
• Major transport hubs including Holborn and Chancery Lane stations and key links from Bloomsbury Way/High Holborn and Kingsway/Southampton Row
• A key business centre, including London’s legal district and links to The City and further into the West End
• Nationally significant institutions including Great Ormond Street and the Inns of Court.

Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet member for a Sustainable Camden, commented: “It has been clear for too long that the Holborn area needs safety and public realm improvements. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and former colleagues of cyclists who have died on the roads here.

“Following a range of permanent safety improvements completed over the last few years in partnership with Transport for London (TfL), we are now currently introducing further changes to reduce the risk to cyclists, pedestrians and all road users in the Holborn area.

“This is also a fantastic opportunity to undertake a major transformational project in the heart of London, implementing Healthy Street improvements supported by TfL and building on the outstanding success of the West End Project.

“The scheme will transform the streets in and around Holborn to improve conditions for walking, cycling and public transport, facilitate the expected growth in the area, and support the local economy, creating safer, healthier, greener and more attractive streets.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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