Major work to transform Highbury Corner is complete

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Transport for London and Islington Council have officially opened the new Highbury Corner junction.

The Mayor and TfL are investing record amounts across London to eradicate death and serious injury from the capital’s roads and enable more people to walk, cycle and use public transport.

Construction work to remove the 1960s roundabout and replace it with two-way roads began in June 2018. Traffic switched to two-way operation for the first time in 60 years in April this year whilst work continued on the new junction.

The transformation is now complete, with improvements including:
– Segregated cycle lanes on all three sides of the new junction
– A new green public space for everybody in the area to enjoy, including a new Highbury and Islington station forecourt
– New, wider and ‘straight across’ pedestrian crossings, which are easier to use than the old two-stage crossings
– More green space by partially opening the arboretum to public access
– A new shared pedestrian/cycle toucan crossing across St Paul’s Road to allow two-way cycling to and from Corsica Street

Khan said: “I’m delighted that our work to transform Highbury Corner is complete. It has overhauled the junction from three lanes of busy motor traffic into an area safer for walking and cycling, with a new public space for everyone to enjoy.

“Whether you’re commuting into central London or heading to the local shops, the transformation of Highbury Corner will make the area safer for everyone.

“With thousands of people dying prematurely every year as a result of our dirty air and our continuing inactivity crisis, it is essential other boroughs follow the lead of Islington in getting more Londoners walking and cycling as part of their everyday routine.”

The work to transform Highbury Corner is part of TfL’s Safer Junction’s programme, which is reducing danger by overhauling London’s most ‘intimidating’ and ‘dangerous’ junctions.

Work has now been completed at 31 junctions across the capital, with another ten set to be completed by May next year.

Major work to remove another outdated and intimidating roundabout at Old Street, in partnership with Islington and Hackney Councils, is set to be completed next year.

In September, four new Cycleways were launched across London and construction on a number of major new routes is either underway or set to begin this year.

Work on Cycleway 4 between Tower Bridge and Greenwich began in June, whilst work on Cycleway 9 between Brentford and Olympia is planned to start later this year. Construction work also continues on Cycleway 34 between North Acton and Wood Lane.