CG mockup of the ‘Electric Streets’ project. pic Transport for London

Parking spaces for traditional fuel-powered cars are to be removed in parts of Shoreditch in an attempt to encourage greener transport. The bold new measure is part of a scheme aimed at cleaning up London’s toxic air.

A number of Shoreditch streets, yet to be identified, will have parking for traditional cars removed and replaced with spaces reserved solely for electric cars. The changes, which were confirmed by the Mayor of London and TfL earlier this week, are designed to nudge Londoners towards using electric vehicles and other ‘green’ methods of transport.

The £1.2 million pound cross-borough ‘electric streets’ scheme will also see more charging points for electric cars installed in the area. A City Hall spokesperson said:”We hope the investment will help to break down the barriers preventing people from buying ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) and ease the transition for communities wanting to move to greener lifestyles.”

The successful proposal makes Shoreditch one of six ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’. As a result, Hackney Council has been awarded a slice of a wider £13 million investment from the government which is aimed at fostering a greener city and cleaning up London’s air.

CG mockup of the ‘Electric Streets’ project. pic Transport for London

The changes will take effect in an area of East London called the ‘City Fringe’ that focuses on parts of Shoreditch spanning Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Islington.

The six neighborhoods will serve as trials for changes that could be rolled out across the rest of the country. Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, said she hopes the innovative scheme will contribute to making the UK “a world leader in tackling the air pollution crisis”.

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said he was confident the scheme would encourage local residents to invest in more environmentally friendly modes of transport and help Londoners to ‘do their bit’ to clean up the city’s air quality.

He said: “Improving air quality is a key priority of mine and I am delighted that the City Fringe has been awarded funding as a Neighbourhood of the Future. It’s yet another highlight of the successful partnership we are undertaking with Islington and Hackney.”

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Parks also welcomed confirmation of the proposal. She said it was a key step in “transform[ing] the area into an example of everything that London should be striving for, with people friendly streets, prioritizing low emissions transport and most importantly, clean air.”

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