Haringey Council has unveiled plans for new cycle lanes on two of the borough’s busiest roads, as it begins a major push to make cycling safer in the area.
The proposals centre on Green Lanes and St Ann’s Road and form the first phase of a wider ambition to build a borough-wide network of segregated cycle routes over the next two to three years.
Public engagement on the Green Lanes scheme will start with an open public meeting before Christmas, covering a proposed extended bus lane, a segregated cycle lane and other potential changes, with formal consultation to follow. Engagement on the St Ann’s Road cycle lane is due to begin in early 2027.
“Green Lanes is one of the most dangerous roads in London”
Council leader Mark Blake said the authority was keeping an election promise to start building proper cycle lanes in the borough.
“We have to deal with how unsafe it is to cycle in the borough,” he said. “We’re in a climate crisis and we need to do everything we can to improve the alternatives to cars. Building cycle lanes is one of the best things we can do locally.”
Gio Iozzi, the cabinet member for climate action and transport, said safety was the single biggest barrier to getting more people on bikes.
“Our roads are too dangerous. The number one reason why more people don’t cycle is safety,” he said. “So we’re prioritising roads where the most road collisions and injuries happen for new cycle lanes. Green Lanes is one of the most dangerous roads in London — and that has to change.”
Iozzi also pointed to the strong community of businesses on Green Lanes, arguing that a joined-up transport plan could make the high street stronger still.
What the plans include
On streets where there isn’t room for dedicated cycle lanes, the council plans to improve bus lanes so they work better for cyclists, alongside other measures to prioritise sustainable travel and cut conflict with general traffic.
The schemes are also expected to bring wider street improvements, including new zebra crossings, upgraded bus stops, urban greening and general improvements to the public realm.
Delivery on Green Lanes will happen in phases, as part of a long-term plan covering a cycle lane, bus lane, zebra crossings, junction changes, urban greening and improvements to pavements and public spaces.
The council says dozens of people are injured on Haringey’s roads every year, some fatally, and the new administration has made the borough’s busiest and most dangerous roads its priority for improvement.
The announcement follows the council’s recent commitment to invest £10 million in new bus routes across the borough.
The Haringey plans add to a wave of street-level change across the capital, from the final roadworks for Oxford Street’s traffic-free zone to the regeneration of Kingston’s Cambridge Road estate.
