Hackney Downs residents were “delighted” after the council took “urgent action” to restrict traffic in the area.

Resident Alice Roberts set up a petition in June concerned for the health and safety of school children attending eight schools in and around Brooke and Evering Road.

She, and more than 100 residents who signed the petition, worried about speeding and rat-running occurring on the streets in their neighbourhood, particularly after the government announced plans to suspend free travel on London transport for young people after October 28, meaning more children will need to walk and cycle to school.

READ MORE: Residents to have their say on Hackney council’s plans for a greener borough

She told the Gazette; “we’re delighted to see a Hackney Downs Low Traffic Neighbourhood being installed today with Brooke and Evering Road being closed to through traffic as part of the Covid-19 crisis emergency measures, in time for kids going back to school. It will make their journeys so much safer.

Alice’s petition mentioned several “road danger hotspots” in the area, particularly at Brooke/Evering junction, according to road safety website Crash Map.

She also said speeding is a “known problem” on Evering, Nightingale and Kenninghall Roads as well as rat-running on residential streets due to drivers avoiding congestion on main roads.

Alice praised the “urgent actions” taken by the council to make “streets safer and healthier”, including introducing ‘school streets’ for local schools.

READ MORE: Petition calls for traffic-free routes around Hackney

The council will be introducing the first of 40 new School Streets on September 7 as part of its plans to rebuild a greener Hackney in the wake of the pandemic.

The Hackney Downs low traffic neighbourhood was introduced with one in Hoxton West and another is set to be introduced between London Fields and Kingsland Road this month.

Environment Chief Jon Burke said: “Our radical measures to rebuild a greener Hackney are designed to secure the quieter, greener streets we saw during lockdown, helping people to walk, cycle and shop locally as public transport capacity remains low.

“If just a fraction of people who used to use public transport return to their cars, it will exacerbate the air quality and road safety crisis we already had before lockdown, and prevent the 70% of Hackney residents who don’t own a car from getting around safely. These plans are aimed at reducing this clear danger, and creating a better Hackney for everyone.”

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