Living Streets KX September Walk and Talk

Living Streets King's Cross local group will host a campaigners meeting on Thursday 6 September (evening) with guests from across London including Guerilla Gardening activist Richard Reynolds.

We will look at improving liveability of streets in Kings Cross, beginning with a walking assessment in Argyle Street and Britannia Street and possible actions there.

To join us - and to pledge to tend plantings in this area - please email livingstreetskx@gmail.com Greg

Britannia Street Community Garden KX - photos provided by Leah, Britannia Street

Living Streets Supporters Conference

Living Streets Annual Supporters' Conference

from London Campaigning

Reflection on the long haul

Living Streets King's Cross is a small local group which is campaigning in a strategically important inner area of London (with two local authorities) and works closely with the Living Streets London network for support. We recently had a walking meeting in Argyle Square, Argyle Street and Britannia Street with Tom Platt (Living Streets London Coordinator) and saw some work being done by residents to make Britannia Street more liveable.

Our local group has attended campaigners meetings in Wentworth Street over the last few years. During that time we have seen part of our area adopting a 20mph speed limit and - despite the government cuts - improving liveability of some of our local streets for walking and cycling.

Greg (chair) Photos by courtesy of Leah, local resident

King's Cross: Link or Place?

The Mayor of London, responding to the GLA's challenge prior to this year's election, has through Transport for London committed to investigating the potential redevelopment of the road layout around Kings Cross.

This is promoted as being to improve safety especially for pedestrians and cyclists, increase pedestrian permeability, enhance the urban realm, and reduce the traffic dominated ambience of the area. This includes the possible conversion of the one-way system to enable part, or full, two-way traffic operation.

The roads which form part of this study can be divided into three distinct one-way systems:
-          A501 Pentonville Road, Gray’s Inn Road, Acton Street, A201 Penton Rise, King’s Cross Road.
-          A5203 Wharfdale Road, Caledonian Road, York Way.
-          A5202 Pancras Road, Midland Road.
(King's Cross Environment)

It will be critically important to involve local people who live and work in the area - for example through a neighbourhood plan being developed under the Localism Act 2011 - to ensure that this development is one which regenerates the urban public realm.
There are tunnels already aplenty here from the last three centuries - the Fleet River, Metropolitan Line, the Piccadilly Northern and Victoria Lines, and the recent Northern Ticket Hall under the Western Concourse. Urban regeneration in this transport hub area, Kings Cross town centre, would be the ultimate wider benefit of this ostensible 'technical problem' of traffic management. Another road tunnel like that at Euston Circus to the west (or Munich City Ring) would be environmentally "regrettable".
A cleaner, walkable and more pleasant urban hub area and streetscape will be economically and socially stronger (enhancing, not harming, the station tenants' businesses). Balancing use of the public realm between motorised users and non-motorised users might be done by slowing all movement to walking pace, restoring the urban and civic value and appeal of the area.

(Emerging from continental Europe to King's Cross in 2020, one will simply walk across to 'Play 2 Win' for a game of billiards at 1 Euston Road through gaps in the trees, between cafe tables in the sun and crawling traffic on the square!)

High Street Camp

The 'High Street Camp' at Willesden Library last week suggested that public realm design in the town centre could be regenerated and revived. This might be done with (old and) new ways of facilitating social interaction and (safer, slower) use of the high street.

The day brought together street design and regeneration interests from all corners, and Mary Portas popped in to chat. (It was suggested to her that the built environment was under-emphasised in her Review) Government 'Communites' funding has been announced for ('riot-stricken') Croydon as the only 'Portas Pilot' project in London.

A presentation by Living Streets' Jack Skillen suggested that economic vitality in streets was a key factor in making them work well, but also the activity and transparency of 'good' shops make a conducive built environment. In the case of the centre of King's Cross, for example, we might say that the Post Office (17 Euston Rd) and Megaro (23 Euston Road) - with their active frontages - contribute more to the street and public realm than 'Play 2 Win' at 1 Euston Road, or William Hill opposite. 

Here is my response to the feedback request from High Street Camp:

1 Overall, what was your impression of the event?

It was a lively, well-organised day, allowing a useful exchange of case studies and a diverse range of interests and networking contacts.
2 What, for you, was the highlight of the day?
The highlight for me was visiting Queens Parade to see a regenerated street frontage accommodating pop-up small enterprises including a print shop, vintage shop and juice bar.
3 What could we do better if we were doing another High Street Camp?
I found the balance of my time about right and the flexibility of participation appropriate. I can't think of any improvement, apart from holding one in future in my neighbourhood of King's Cross.. (13miles by cycle eastward on the Regent's Canal)
4 Could you pick one idea from the event that you hope or plan to follow up?
Its ambitious, but would like to get develop the idea of high streets' roles in urban regeneration of King's Cross Town Centre in our Neighbourhood with local Boroughs (Camden and Islington) and Transport for London Streets!

Punch and Juicy (r) before

Julian Dobson on High Street Camp in the Huffington Post
The ReviveOurTownCentres site.

Greg Cowan, local group chair