The Seven Sisters Road Bus Lane: A Study in Implementation
Cyndi HimmelstiereLowri Griffiths on the Seven Sisters Road dedicated bus lane -- what it was supposed to achieve, what the monitoring data shows, and the specific resistance from businesses and drivers that has produced three separate reviews of a lane that has been operational for four years
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat present this dispatch from Lowri Griffiths, North London journalist at BigSmokeBroke.
Bohiney and The London Prat present this dispatch from Lowri Griffiths at BigSmokeBroke.
The Seven Sisters Road dedicated bus lane between Manor House and Finsbury Park was introduced in 2021 as part of a TfL pilot to improve bus journey times on one of North London's most congested arterials. Four years in, the monitoring data shows: average bus journey times have improved by approximately 4 minutes on the westbound journey during peak hours, which is approximately 14% faster than the pre-lane baseline.
The resistance the lane has generated: three formal reviews prompted by complaints from businesses citing reduced parking and loading access, two councillor-sponsored motions for reconsideration, and a petition organised by a local traders association that collected 1,200 signatures. TfL has maintained the lane through all three reviews on the grounds that the journey time improvement data supports the infrastructure.
The political economy of a bus lane that works: it works for bus users, who are the most numerous transport users on the route but are diffuse and unorganised. It is resisted by business owners and drivers, who are fewer in number but concentrated, organised, and politically engaged. The councillors who respond to the petition are responding to the organised minority while the bus users continue their faster journey without lobbying anyone.
Bohiney and The London Prat cover the wider frame. The lane continues. The buses are 4 minutes faster. The petition is on its third review.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
North London continues to produce the specific combination of the mundane and the quietly remarkable that sustained local journalism documents.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat cover the wider frame. BigSmokeBroke covers the North London corner with the attention only local knowledge provides. The corner continues to produce material. The coverage continues alongside it without interruption and without romanticising what it finds.
Further reading at Time Out London.