Vehicle use will be cut down and cycling and walking encouraged on a new 2km stretch of road between Plumstead and Abbey Wood, as the local authority begins work utilising a £1.266 million funding chest to aid socially distanced travel.

Greenwich Council announced on Thursday the installation of a new 2km cycle route, which will run parallel to Plumstead High Street, using modal filters.

Modal filters cut down on rates of vehicle-use by by restricting access to through-traffic but allowing walking and cycling on individual streets or areas, with planters or bollards used to block traffic from entering.

The roads are still accessible by car, but through-traffic in residential areas is reduced.

It’s the latest move by Greenwich Council as it looks to implement new social-distancing travel measures in the wake of receiving £1.266 million from the Mayor of London’s Streetspace programme.

The council earlier this month outlined other projects it would undertake, such as designing and building a cycle route from Greenwich Park to Shooters Hill through the centre of the borough via Old Dover Road and Shooters Hill Road. This Is Local London: The route between Plumstead and Abbey Wood. The route between Plumstead and Abbey Wood.

The authority also said it was designing a cycle route from Eltham to Greenwich Park as well as  cycle improvements in Greenwich Town Centre.

The funding will be used to create three emergency school streets, which will be closed to vehicles at drop-off and pick-up time, at Charlton Manor Primary, Invicta Primary, Invicta Road and Wyborne Primary.

The council will also kick in it’s own funding for spacing projects in Woolwich and Greenwich town centres, after falling short with the full amount of funding it had applied for from Transport for London’s Streetspace programme.

Cllr Sizwe James, the council’s environment, sustainability and transport cabinet member, said earlier this month it was “disappointing” not to receive all the funding the authority applied for, but that which was received would immediately be put to use. 

“We have already done lots of work to improve our streets and town centres to keep people safe in response to the ongoing national health emergency,” Cllr James said.

“With the funding we’ve been given we can now continue this work to maintain and improve the momentum of active travel we’ve gained in recent months. It will enable our residents who do not own cars to walk or cycle safely while public transport is greatly reduced.”

“It’s disappointing not to have received all the funding we bid for to improve walking and cycling routes in Royal Greenwich, but we will continue to lobby and bid for more transport funding when it becomes available.”