Coalition commentary on 2021 Scorecard Results

The third annual Scorecard results – July 2021

The 2021 Healthy Streets Scorecard shows huge divergence in action among London boroughs on measures to improve streets during Covid crisis

The year up to March 2021 was a year of huge change on London’s streets, despite and because of the Covid crisis with many – but not all – boroughs urgently seeking to change streets to dramatically improve air quality, reduce road danger, boost active lifestyles, cut carbon emissions and enable social distancing.

But the latest Healthy Streets Scorecard results show that while some boroughs have implemented healthy streets measures at pace, others have failed to respond to London’s health, air pollution and climate crises.

Hackney and Camden follow closely behind Islington as the top-scoring London boroughs in the 2021 results with Waltham Forest the top Outer London borough.

This year we’ve published a new London Low Traffic Neighbourhoods by borough map showing all London’s LTNs by borough. We’ve compared the area covered by LTNs with the area which would be suitable for an LTN. In Hackney, 55% of suitable streets have an LTN. At the other end of the scale, this figure is under 5% in Croydon, Barking & Dagenham and Bexley. To see these and other scores visit the Results page. Additionally, cycle tracks have been mapped by London Cycling Campaign volunteer @SafeCycleLDN and can now be seen on the Safe Cycling in London map.

The Healthy Streets Scorecard 2021 also shows that overall progress for London is too slow if the Mayor is to hit his targets of Londoners being more active, London being carbon neutral by 2030, and serious and fatal road casualties in the capital being reduced to zero by 2041.

More action is needed across London, urgently.

The London Boroughs Healthy Streets Scorecard coalition hopes the Scorecard helps councils and residents compare how well their borough is doing in relation to others and identify areas for action.

A message from the Healthy Streets Scorecard coalition:

“Despite a few high-profile schemes collapsing, more has been done than ever before and in more boroughs. But the current pace of change will need to be maintained, and boroughs that have faltered need now to move forward rapidly. The Mayor also needs to act urgently to protect Londoners’ health and safety by tackling traffic congestion, pollution and road danger on main roads.

“While traffic reduction schemes can be controversial, the last year has shown that where councils are determined, they can make a big difference for their residents and London. And this can be done relatively fast and cheaply as last year’s rapid rollout of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and School Streets has shown.

“But while many London boroughs are forging ahead, some are still failing to take action, leaving their residents exposed to the dangers of rising congestion. London risks becoming a tale of two cities as a huge divergence in action emerges.”