A Hackney campaign to encourage cycling around the borough has been backed by local organisations.

Hackney Cycling Campaign (HCC)’s Vision for Hackney, which sets out multiple suggested interventions to make the borough’s roads more pedestrian and bike friendly, has received support from Hackney Living Streets and Homerton Hospital.

The campaign has also identified 32 low-traffic neighbourhoods and pinpointed areas which it believes could house new public spaces.

READ MORE: Hackney group calls for fast action to encourage walking and cycling as lockdown easesREAD MORE: Key route in Hackney to close to through-trafficTracey Fletcher, chief executive of Homerton University Hospital, said: “Public Health England has highlighted the importance of increasing the proportion of journeys made by bicycle or by foot.

“The prime minister has told regional leaders to encourage people to commute on foot or by bike to help avoid a dramatic increase in car use after lockdown.

“We very much hope that these initiatives will be installed across Hackney as soon as possible.”

Jono Kenyon, coordinator of Hackney Cycling Campaign, said the measures will help prevent the area “lurching from one public health emergency to another”.

Cllr Jon Burke, Hackney Council’s cabinet member for energy, waste, transport and public realm, said the authority is working quickly to widen pavements and close roads at 11 locations, including at key routes for Homerton Hospital workers on Barnabas Road and Ashenden Road.

He added: “We are under no illusions about the scale of intervention required to protect people who are walking and cycling more and minimise the secondary impact of coronavirus on air quality in Hackney.

“We already have one of the most ambitious transport strategies in the country in terms of reallocating road space for walking and cycling and, in addition to further measures to be announced shortly, we are working at pace on an emergency transport plan - in line with recent Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL) guidance - to ensure Hackney’s streets are fit for the post-lockdown world.”

Hackney mayor Philip Glanville tweeted in thanks to Homerton Hospital: “What we need now is this spirit to be continued and amplified across health and social care system in London.”