Camden High Street will become a permanently traffic-free zone after an 18-month trial period, following in the footsteps of Oxford Street, which was pedestrianised earlier this week.
Camden Council first introduced the changes in May 2025, closing part of the busy shopping street to vehicles in a bid to make it safer, healthier and more enjoyable for visitors.
Trial made permanent after public consultation
Following a public consultation this summer, the traffic ban has been made permanent, with 57% of respondents backing the move.
The pedestrianised stretch runs between Britannia Junction and the junction with Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent.
Councillor James Slater, Camden Council's cabinet member for planning, said in a statement: 'Camden Town is an important shopping and transport hub for residents as well as being an internationally recognised destination that draws people in from across London, the rest of the UK, and the world.'
Positive results reported during trial
'Since May last year, we have been trialling a traffic-free section of Camden High Street, in response to feedback that the dominance of motor vehicles on this stretch of road was creating a negative experience for residents and visitors,' he added.
'Pedestrians overspilling from the pavement, as well as poor air quality, meant we needed to act, so we launched a pedestrianisation trial.'
The council says the trial has already delivered positive results, with spending at local businesses remaining in line with levels recorded before the changes.
Air quality and safety improvements
Harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were also down by 14.4% across monitoring sites, while no collisions were reported on Camden High Street in the nine months after the trial began.
The temporary barriers currently blocking traffic will be replaced with permanent ones in early 2027.
A trial bus lane on nearby Kentish Town Road is also intended to speed up northbound journeys and reduce disruption to bus services.
The move comes just days after another famous London shopping destination, Oxford Street, was pedestrianised. Around half of the 1.2-mile stretch of Oxford Street is now closed to vehicles, with buses, taxis and bikes diverted to surrounding roads. The traffic ban covers the section between Selfridges and Ikea, taking in John Lewis and other major shops, and Oxford Street is set to be closed to traffic between 7am and midnight every day of the week.
