Camden High Street car ban made permanent, residents face new bus lane
The 24‑hour pedestrian zone, introduced in May 2025, will stay after a TfL‑funded trial, with an admin cost of £10,000 and a northbound bus lane set for autumn 2026.
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Camden Council announced that the 24‑hour car‑free zone on Camden High Street will become permanent at the end of October 2026, and that a new northbound bus lane on Kentish Town Road will open in autumn 2026 to reduce bus delays, as reported by MyLondon.
Trial outcomes
Camden Council makes Camden High Street permanently car‑free after trial
A consultation showed 57% overall support and the council will install permanent barriers, test a design for a northward extension and launch a trial bus lane on Kentish Town Road.
The pedestrianisation trial began in May 2025 and was funded with £5 million from Transport for London. During the 18‑month period the council recorded zero traffic collisions on the street, compared with six collisions and eight casualties in the previous year, as reported by MyLondon.
The scheme has improved air quality on the street
James Slater, planning chief
Monitoring showed nitrogen dioxide concentrations fell by 14.4 percent inside the zone, while nine comparison sites outside the zone recorded a 12.6 percent fall, giving a net improvement of roughly 1.8 percent, according to Camden Council data cited by MyLondon.
Camden Council will appoint James Slater as leader on 16 November
The vote comes after Sagal Abdi‑Wali won the Holborn and St Pancras by‑election on 12 October, securing a 12‑point lead over Green leader Zack Polanski.
Cost and exemptions
Camden Council estimated the administrative cost of making the ban permanent at £10,000. The permanent order will apply between Britannia Junction and the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent. Emergency services, council refuse vehicles and northbound cyclists will be exempt, and other motor vehicles may enter with prior approval, as outlined by the council in the MyLondon article.
Resident response
Two formal consultations were held. In the first, 71 percent of respondents supported the trial; in the 2026 follow‑up, 57 percent of all respondents favoured making the ban permanent, while 51 percent of residents living within the immediate zone voted in favour and 43 percent opposed, as reported by MyLondon.
Bus lane to ease delays
The council said the ban has added about 90 seconds to bus journeys that are diverted onto Kentish Town Road and Hawley Crescent. To address the delay, a dedicated northbound bus lane will be installed on Kentish Town Road in autumn 2026, a measure signed off in 2024 but postponed by the trial, according to MyLondon.
Next steps
The permanent traffic order will be signed before the existing orders expire on 1 November 2026. Camden Council will continue community safety patrols and a deep clean of the high street, and it plans a separate consultation on extending the pedestrian zone towards Camden Lock and Chalk Farm in spring 2027, as noted by MyLondon.
Questions this report answers
+When does the permanent car ban on Camden High Street begin?
Camden Council said the permanent ban takes effect at the end of October 2026, before the existing traffic orders lapse on 1 November 2026. Residents will therefore see the street remain vehicle‑free from that date onward.
+How much will the council spend to make the ban permanent?
The council estimated the administrative cost of formalising the ban at £10,000. This figure covers the paperwork and legal orders required to keep the zone car‑free, as detailed in the council’s statement reported by MyLondon.
+What change in air quality was recorded during the trial?
Monitoring showed nitrogen dioxide concentrations fell by 14.4 percent within the pedestrianised zone, while nine external sites fell by 12.6 percent, giving a net improvement of about 1.8 percent on Camden High Street, according to council data cited by MyLondon.
+How will bus delays be addressed after the ban?
The council identified an average 90‑second delay for buses diverted onto Kentish Town Road. To remedy this, a northbound bus lane will be installed on Kentish Town Road in autumn 2026, a measure approved in 2024 but delayed by the trial, as reported by MyLondon.
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