Campaigners ‘pleased’ as council’s Pembury Circus decision ‘called in’ for review

Cyclists crossing Pembury Circus. Photograph: Action for Pembury Circus.

Hackney Council’s decision to press on with a controversial redesign of Pembury Circus has been called in for a special review, the Citizen understands.

After their “bitter disappointment” when the move was announced, local activists from the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) welcomed the news that the plans would be put in front of a council scrutiny panel.

The Hackney branch of LCC had put forward an alternative design, commissioned by a “top traffic engineer”, which includes protected cycle paths.

On 11 October, the Town Hall published a point-by-point response to the group’s design, arguing it had “significant shortcomings”.

Now, the council’s own proposals will be pored over by a scrutiny committee, chaired by Cllr Margaret Gordon (Labour, Lea Bridge).

A spokesperson for the campaigners told the Citizen that Green and Independent Socialist councillors had triggered the review.

“We’re pleased to see the decision has been called in, and we encourage the council to request Active Travel England to assess both designs, and act on the one that is safest and best for Hackney residents,” the spokesperson said.

The council is yet to publish an agenda for the meeting, scheduled for 11 November, during which members are expected to examine a design that some residents have labelled “dangerous”.

Hackney LCC said the council’s plans are at odds with Mayor Caroline Woodley’s stated ambition to make the borough’s streets safer.

Others have also intervened in the debate around the revamp.

Claudia Schergna, 25, who was was knocked off her bike by a car at the junction and treated for a head wound, wrote to Mayor Woodley urging her to reconsider forging ahead with the council’s scheme.

Mayor Woodley replied to Schergna, emphasising that the plans included banned turns to prevent cyclists and vehicles from clashing, and new crossings to “decrease the risk of vehicle collisions with pedestrians”.

“We are also proposing advanced stop lines for cyclists to be able to wait ahead of other traffic, as well as an early green light for cyclists on the Dalston Lane (south) and Pembury Road arms of the junction,” the mayor said.

Pat and Mike Webb, whose son Harry was killed last year while cycling in the borough, said pushing ahead with the plans would see a “once-in-a-generation opportunity being squandered”, and threw their support behind the alternative proposals.