Timeline of changes made and proposed across the Holborn area,
December 2022 - Cabinet approves the proposed changes following the consultation in November. these include:
- Increasing cycle boxes from 5m to 7.5m at the junction of Theobalds Road and Drake Street
- Reducing Drake Street & Procter Street to one traffic lane and one bus lane permitting taxis and cycle, to allow space for a segregated cycle track. Bus stops and stands would be relocated and consolidated.
- Permitting two-way cycling in and out of Red Lion Square.
- Adding a “cycle gate” on Procter Street at the junction with High Holborn and a separate signalised cycle lane on High Holborn, approaching Procter Street, to provide further road safety benefits for people cycling.
- Adding a cycle early release and bigger cycle box at the junction of High Holborn and Southampton Row, with two-stage right turn facilities, and buff-coloured surfaces at pedestrian crossings.
- Extending the existing southbound bus lane (also permitting taxis and cycles) on Southampton Row from Catton Street through the junction to 20m south of High Holborn. The bus lane would operate 24 hours a day as far as Remnant Street.
- Changing the ahead & right turn lane on Kingsway north to a right turn only into Remnant Street.
- Relocating the existing loading bay on High Holborn by 50m, with loading permitted 24 hours a day. East of Procter Street allowing loading but banning parking on the north side of High Holborn between the hours of 7pm-7am, with a new cycle facility provided east of Procter Street outside of loading hours.
- Providing loading on Procter Street on the approach to High Holborn, permitted 7pm-7am.
- Improvements to public realm in the area by adding planting including rain gardens.
The report also proposes the following changes to the final scheme design following the consultation.
- Introduce contra flow cycling on Catton Street.
- On Fisher Street, introduce a westbound exit onto Southampton Row for cycles only, as well as improved wayfinding for eastbound cyclists to improve the connection to Red Lion Square and also to provide an alternative southbound route from Southampton Row to High Holborn that avoids the Theobalds Road/Drake Street junction.
More information can be found in the cabinet report.
October 2022 - Consultation launched on changes to High Holborn, Drake Street and Procter Street
High Holborn, Drake Street & Procter Street - closes 11th November 2022
With the latest tragic death of a cyclist in Holborn, in March 2022, it is imperative that we make more changes to reduce the risk of injury or death around High Holborn, Drake Street and Procter Street. This is also an opportunity to make other “Healthy Street” improvements in this area, including better pedestrian facilities, adding plants and trees, and giving bus journeys more priority.
May 2022 - Completion of works around Southampton Row. Read the press release on the completed works.
January 2022 - We started construction on the improvements including:
- New sections of segregated cycle track northbound and southbound on
Southampton Row
- A new “cycle gate” southbound on Southampton Row at the junction with Theobalds
Road. This is where cyclists are held at a red signal while motor traffic flows through
the junction first, and then cyclists get a green signal to enter into an enlarged cycle
box area so they can then move before the motor traffic
- New cycle boxes (Advanced Stop Lines) for cyclists in all directions providing safer
spaces for cyclists
- An “early start” at traffic lights for cyclists
- The ability for cyclists to turn right in two steps (stages) on all approaches. A two
stage right turn allows a cyclist to more forward from when signalled, before waiting
in a safe designated area before turning right
- A bus, cycle and taxi lane southbound between 150 Southampton Row and the
junction with Theobald’s Road running 24 hours per day with two loading bays
available (10am - 1pm and 8pm - midnight)
- A bus, cycle and taxi lane southbound between the junction of Southampton Row
and Catton Street running 24 hours per day with no loading provision
- An extended eastbound bus, cycle and taxi lane from Vernon Place to 124
Theobalds Road. The bus, cycle and taxi lane will be 24 hours per day between
Vernon Place and the junction with Lamb’s Conduit
- A relocated Bus Stop X on Theobalds Road to the south of the junction to provide
even spacing between stops and to allow cyclists easy access to the segregated
cycle track
- A newly realigned and widened pedestrian crossing on Vernon Place
- A new left turn for cyclists from Southampton Row into Vernon Place
- Removal of the pedestrian guardrail
November 2021 - We ran a public consultation on further proposed changes at Southampton Row and Theobald’s Road junction to help make it safer for cycling with segregated cycle tracks, bus lane improvements and improved traffic lights for cyclists.
We had 229 responses and following the consultation made the decision to implement the proposed changes. We made some changes to the proposal based on comments you made in the consultation. This includes increasing loading bay size by a further 10m outside 112 to 110 Southampton Row and extending the loading times along Southampton Row (from 10am - 12pm, 8pm - midnight to 10am - 1pm, 8pm - midnight).
October 2021 - Following a tragic fatality, we made immediate temporary changes to the junction to reduce the risk for cycles. Read the decision report.