Cycle Islington campaigners David Lincoln, Stev Knattress, Eilidh Murray and Nick Kocharhook, close to the Holloway Road cycle lane that could be lost

CYCLING and pedestrian campaigners have been enraged by Transport for London (TfL) plans to remove bus and cycle lanes along Holloway Road.

TfL launched a consultation into a scheme that will bring in more crossings in Holloway Road after years of campaigning by pedestrian groups.

But at the same time, TfL plan to remove cycle and bus lanes along the road – a move campaigners say will cause new dangers.

Nick Kocharhook, a spokesman for Cycle Islington, said: “We believe all streets in Islington should be safe for walking and cycling and welcome the new pedestrian crossings. However, we can’t ignore that the scheme makes Holloway Road worse for cycling by removing bus lanes and the existing cycle lane. TfL should be protecting all vulnerable road users, not pitting modes [of transport] against each other.”

He added: “Why would they make it hard- er, less pleasant and potentially more dangerous?”

TfL’s scheme will introduce new green man crossings at the Drayton Park/Palmer Place junctions and replace a zebra crossing at the junction of Liverpool Road with a signal-controlled crossing.

The staggered crossings at the Hornsey Road/Hornsey Street junction will be changed to straight-through crossings.

But the bus lane north and south of Drayton Park is going to be wiped out, as well as a cycle lane south of Palmer Place.

David Harrison, of Islington Living Streets, said: “It will remain a busy, unpleasant series of junctions because the scheme seeks to maintain motor traffic levels. In fact, the scheme might even encourage rat-running by making the right turn from Holloway into St George’s Road easier. “Amazingly, bus lanes will also be lost.”

Pedestrian Kenan Araz, 36, was killed in an accident involving a car at the junction of Parkhurst Road and Holloway Road on January 23.

In the last three weeks three motorbikes have been involved in collisions on Holloway Road. Motorcyclist Simon Palmer, 47, died on June 20 after a road traffic collision in Holloway Road.

Islington environment chief Councillor Claudia Webbe said: “I have written directly to the Mayor of London several times making clear we want to see major improvements along Holloway Road to protect pedestrians and cyclists. “We will continue to campaign on this issue. We have argued strongly for these changes, particularly given recent road injuries and fatalities.

“In the meantime, whilst we await the necessary long-term solution, the significant junction improvements and changes being proposed are a step in the right direction – providing greater safety overall for all vulnerable road users.”

Penny Rees, Head of Network Sponsorship at TfL, said: “We welcome feedback from everybody on our plans.

“TfL believes that the scheme provides much-improved pedestrian crossings, including at the Drayton Park junction which has historically lacked them, and addresses identified safety concerns in line with Mayoral priorities.”