£25m Elephant and Castle transformation reaches key milestone

From Sunday 6 December road users will see a drastic improvement to the notorious Elephant and Castle junction when it returns to two-way traffic for the first time in 50 years.

The roundabout, which has seen more than 80 collisions since 2012, will be removed, marking the first key milestone in plans to make the area safer for all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, by next year.

Space created by removing the roundabout will be converted into a new high-quality, attractive public space, which will be accessible and enhance the area.

Work will continue to deliver further benefits in the area, which have been supported by over 80% of respondents to a 2014 consultation, and include:

• Subways replaced with new pedestrian crossings allowing people to cross directly, easily and safely between Tube, bus and local amenities at all times of the day
• New dedicated cycle routes created through and around the junction to improve safety for cyclists
• Increasing passenger space, improving access from street level and providing step-free access to the Northern line platforms at the Northern line Tube station at Elephant & Castle

A new 20mph speed limit will also be introduced to Elephant and Castle in spring 2016 as part of Transport for London's (TfL's) work to make central London safer, pleasant and more attractive for all.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said: `This major improvement of Elephant and Castle is clearly progressing and everyone, from cyclists to pedestrians, is already beginning to see a massive difference. When the work is complete in spring next year this area will be transformed and its true potential will be realised with more homes and jobs being created.'

Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer of Surface Transport, at TfL said: `Our work to improve the Elephant and Castle area will soon reach a key milestone, the removal of the roundabout. The return of two-way traffic to Elephant and Castle will help rejuvenate the area. An attractive peninsula and safer roads for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians will help transform this area into a place people want to be.'

From 6 December, in addition to the roads being two-way traffic, left turns from Newington Causeway towards New Kent Road and right turns from New Kent Road to Newington Causeway will be banned.

Road users have been advised of the change of traffic through hoardings in front of the future peninsula showing the countdown until the removal of the roundabout. The route 100 bus will be re-routed between Newington Causeway and London Road but all bus stops will continue to be served as usual.

The project is part-funded by TfL's £360m growth fund, which is creating more than 50,000 homes and 30,000 jobs by supporting 14 transport projects across London that are directly unlocking development.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• Between 2012 - 2014 there have been 84 collisions at Elephant and Castle roundabout, resulting in 90 people being injured.
• The improvements to Elephant and Castle form part of TfL's Road Modernisation Plan, the £4bn investment in London's streets ensuring the roads support the needs of a growing population of Londoners and commuters.
• TfL is ensuring that it keeps London moving while the unprecedented programme of improvements to the Capital's roads is delivered. The use of technology such as SCOOT, proven to reduce delays by up to 12% , is being expanded across London to keep traffic moving. Up-to-the-minute traffic information is provided via digital road signs, TfL's traffic status page and TfL's Twitter feeds. TfL also has the ability to control temporary traffic lights from its central traffic control centre, to help further ease traffic and minimise disruption and a new team of enforcement officers will be out at key roads and congestion areas to keep traffic moving.
• For the latest information on how London's roads are operating, check before you travel at tfl.gov.uk/trafficnews and follow @TfLTrafficNews on Twitter.