Lambeth looks to make car parking spaces into bus lanes and cafés

Car parking spaces in a South London borough will be turned into outdoor seating for cafés and bus lanes if council plans are approved.

Lambeth Council wants a quarter of the borough's kerbside – the side of the road where vehicles usually park – to be used for other purposes in the coming years.

Car parking spaces will also be converted into bike racks and loading bays for businesses under the proposals. Extra trees to provide shade on the hottest days of the year and green spaces to help soak up water in the event of flooding will also replace existing car parking spaces, as part of the council's efforts to deal with the effects of climate change. 

Currently, 94 per cent of kerbside in Lambeth is reserved for car parking, with the other 6pc turned over to other uses like disabled bays, trees and bike storage. 

The proposals are set to be approved at a Lambeth Council cabinet meeting yesterday (Monday, January 16). Council documents read: "The council's Transport Strategy sets out a vision for the borough that prioritises walking and cycling and a high-quality street environment with a focus on people, rather than traffic. Lambeth has a relatively low level of car ownership and evidence shows there is great potential to further promote active and healthy modes of travel.

"Several protected groups, including disabled people, are less likely to drive or be driven than the general population and are therefore expected to benefit particularly from a re-allocation of kerbside space away from car parking. For those people that do continue to rely on cars, access will be maintained, and for disabled people parking will continue to be prioritised through provision of dedicated bays."

Officials are also intending to get rid of free parking areas in the borough and consult residents on Controlled Parking Zones in the near future. 

Cabinet documents dated Monday, January 16 read: "Where there are limited kerbside controls, motor vehicles dominate by default. Without such controls, it will be difficult to balance the different demands for space, or to influence improvements to the vehicle fleet, through variable charges for example. 

"The council, therefore, plans to consult on the introduction of new CPZs [Controlled Parking Zones] across remaining areas without these in Lambeth."

The Labour-led council's Climate Action Plan requires traffic in the borough to fall by 27pc by 2030 in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible. Under the council's new plans, all residents in Lambeth would live within 50 metres of free cycle storage.

Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for sustainable Lambeth and clean air, said: "This is a landmark strategy and one of the first of its kind in both ambition and scope, which will ensure the shared kerbside is used for everyone's benefit and not just for those wanting to park their cars.

"It commits the council to reclaiming public space to be enjoyed by everyone in Lambeth, while also addressing the very real challenge of the climate crisis.

"Kerbside space is at a premium with large swathes taken up by parked vehicles, while our pavements can be cluttered and difficult to navigate for everyone else. We need this to change so people have more equal access to this important shared space."