The Council of the London Borough of Lambeth in England has announced plans to transform curbside parking into more sustainable and accessible areas. Approximately 94% of the curbside in Lambeth is currently taken up by parking spaces for motor vehicles.
“This is a landmark strategy and one of the first of its kind in both ambition and scope, which will ensure the shared kerbside is used for everyone’s benefit and not just for those wanting to park their cars. Kerbside space is at a premium with large swathes taken up by parked vehicles, while our pavements can be cluttered and difficult to navigate for everyone else. We need this to change so people have more equal access to this important shared space,” Councillor Rezina Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said.
The council’s new Kerbside Strategy will commit to reclaiming at least 25% of the curbside from vehicle parking. The space will instead be used for sustainable alternatives that prioritize active travel, social spaces, climate resilience, and reduced traffic and emissions. New uses will include: bus and micro mobility lanes; green spaces and trees; shared scooter and bike bays; electric vehicle charging points; cycle hangars; and space for businesses using cargo bikes and electric delivery vehicles.
“We need people to feel confident walking, cycling, wheeling or scooting in our borough and we need our kerbside to support as many people as possible to do this. It will allow us to implement climate resiliency measures such as sustainable drainage systems to address flood risk, and more trees and green space to provide shade during the hottest days of the year. At the same time, more green spaces will help to make our streets more inviting places to be in,” Chowdhury added.