Neighbourhood

Neighbourhood Forum (Camden Town Hall 14 November)

Tobias, Hermann and I, and other King's Cross Local Group members helped run two launch events with the Neighbourhood Forum for King's Cross. There was a great deal of interest in what a neighbourhood forum may be able to do under the new Localism Act 2011 to improve King's Cross.

The talks with barbecue, bonfire and fireworks at Alara Camley Street on Saturday (10 Nov) were followed by an open evening, discussion and workshop at the town hall on Wednesday 14 November with a visitor from Spacehive and a community participation expert.

Meanwhile the local group will participate in a consultation session with Transport for London on 20 November in Kings Cross.

Dutch Occupation London

Shall we Gyrate?

Fix my Transport

Is a living street actually part of the transport system, the environment, or the public realm?

That seemed to be part of the misunderstanding, when Deputy Mayor for Transport, Isabel Dedring was questioned about the King's Cross area on 17 October at Camden, and mentioning the project to review the gyratory, (the one-way traffic system of red routes in King's Cross) she spoke only of "roads". 

There was no mention of the public realm function performed by important routes (despite the existence of 'TfL London Streets' and Better Streets 2009) in the town centre of King's Cross:

• A501 Pentonville Road, Gray's Inn Road, Acton Street, Swinton Street 

• A5203 Caledonian Road, Wharfdale Road 

• A5200 York Way 

• A201 Penton Rise, Kings Cross Road 

• A5202 Pancras Road, Midland Road, Goods Way 

http:// j.mp/MfS60seconds)There was also confusion about whether and how pedestrians are counted in street design.

Safety at junctions took precedence in the discussion over wider notions of public space like environment, business vitality, and legible and walkable streets. Transport people (even keen cyclist Isabel) often think of transport systems as being mainly for wheeled transport. What will become of the public realm functions of these routes in King's Cross? Will the street environment (air, noise, trees etc.) - and its shops, offices, entertainment business es, and places to walk through and talk - be considered?

(see Manual for Streets 2 http://j.mp/MfS60seconds)
http://j.mp/fixmytransportkx

Space Hive

Will TfL and its consultants talk to the users (11 months, no word yet) and will they think beyond wheeled traffic flow?

https://spacehive.com/kingscross

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