A London council hopes to fight traffic on a residential road by installing a ‘wavy kerb’ aimed at putting off drivers.
Charlton Place in Islington, north London, is being completely repaved and resurfaced to create a winding S-shaped section that will force vehicles to repeatedly turn at low speed to avoid coming off the asphalt.
The one-way road was previously a popular cut-through for drivers getting on and off the A1 at busy times, irritating residents of its Georgian townhouses.
The changes are part of plans underway across many of the capital’s boroughs to create ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhoods’ aimed at lowering pollution and congestion.
Motor vehicles will be banned from the road from 8.15am to 9.15am every morning and 3pm to 3.45pm every afternoon, with exemptions for residents and key services such as ambulances.
A cycle route will also allow bikes to travel with or against the direction of road traffic.
Consultations on the project, which will also revamp the iconic antiquers’ haven Camden Passage, proved controversial.
Of 187 locals who commented, just 28% fully supported it, while 23% were staunchly against it.
Large numbers of users fear the traffic filter will force drivers to attempt dangerous three-point turns when they realise they can’t get through.
Trevor Turner, a 74-year-old doctor who lives on the road, accused the council of pushing through a ‘woke vanity project’ which will fail to reduce traffic ‘at all’.
He told MailOnline: ‘They have actually reduced the residents’ parking spots, so we feel a bit f***ed off.
‘They wanted to make it more accessible for cyclists, who come hammering down.
‘The traffic on nearby roads is monstrous, and we still have to go through all these roads to get here. I have no idea what the curve is about. I guess it’s to slow people down, but it won’t slow down the cyclists.’
Barbara Sims, 84, who owns a store in the antiques market, said the new wavy kerbs means the historic road now ‘looks like Disneyland’.
Islington Council have been approached for comment.
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