Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus transformation

We are transforming Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus as part of our plan for a greener, safer and healthier Hackney Central. The transformation funded by the government includes a:

• new linear park on Amhurst Road with spaces for relaxation, play and socialising
• complete redesign of Pembury Circus junction to improve safety for all road users

 

Why we are making changes

Over the past five years, we’ve listened to thousands of local residents and businesses to understand what matters most to the people who live, work, and spend time in Hackney Central.

The main concerns raised were:

• a lack of green spaces
• unsafe junction at Pembury Circus
• rising levels of pollution

These changes aim to create a more sustainable, inclusive, safer, accessible, greener and attractive Hackney Central, where people want to spend time.

We have worked with stakeholders, including emergency services to make sure:

• access is maintained in the impacted area at all times
• businesses based in the area will be able to load and unload during construction

Changes for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport

Amhurst Road

Changes we’re making on Amhurst Road include:

• opening up 1,000 square meters of private space for the public to enjoy, with new plants, seating, and a ‘play on the way’ space for children, informed by the council’s child-friendly places policy
• installing rain gardens to help absorb rain water and prevent flooding
• replacing all existing pelican crossings with 8 new zebra crossings
• moving the Hackney Downs bus stop (lettered ‘L’ outside Aspland and Macron Estate Community Hall) further west
• merging the Hackney Central Station bus stop (lettered ‘H’ outside New York Nails shop) with the bus stop lettered ‘T’ opposite TK Maxx

Pembury Circus

We are completely redesigning Pembury Circus to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists. The changes include:

• a direct crossing for pedestrians, improving access for those with wheelchairs and buggies
• ‘early green lights’ for cyclists at the junction of Pembury Road and Dalston Lane – and Amhurst Road (west) and Dalston Lane (east) – allowing cyclists through traffic lights earlier than other vehicles
• motor vehicles will no longer be able to turn left from Pembury Road into Dalston Lane or right from Pembury Road into Amhurst Road to help make the junction safer

Graham Road/Mare Street Junction

Pedestrians will benefit from a direct crossing. They will no longer have to wait in the ‘refuge island’ in the middle of the road at this junction.

We will carry this work out in stages, and maintain access to the pavement at all times.

Changes for vehicle access and parking

Once construction work outside Iceland and under the railway bridge is done motor vehicles will not be allowed on Amhurst Road and Mare Street between the junctions of Graham Road and Brett Road between 7am and 7pm. Exceptions include:

• buses
• cyclists
• emergency vehicles
• HAC01 permit holders for people dependent on cars
• council refuse vehicles
• vehicles loading and unloading

In Amhurst Road’s car park we are:

• removing 20 spaces
• adding 2 car club bays, 2 electric vehicle bays, 6 pay and display bays and a cycle hire bay

We are also removing parking spaces between Kenmure Road and Macron Place.

Statutory consultation

As part of the statutory consultation for the transformation of Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus, details of the changes were advertised in the Hackney Citizen and London Gazette on 29 November 2024. This was to give residents an opportunity to formally object to the proposals.

We received objections during the 21 day statutory consultation period. View our objection report with details of the statutory consultation around the decision (PDF 728kb).

View our decision report on the Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus transformation (PDF 9.1mb).

View detailed drawings of the project (google drive).

Wider improvements in Hackney Central

The project to improve Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus is part of larger changes in the town centre, including:

• upgrading Hackney Town Hall Square
• creating a new pocket park
• investing in cultural facilities

These changes are delivered through £19 million of government funding.

At the same time, Transport for London is also making major improvements to Hackney Downs Station.

Sign up to the Hackney Central newsletter to keep up to date with the changes.

Designing a new Pembury Circus

We are transforming Pembury Circus to make it safer and greener. This means there will include:

• shorter, more direct crossings
• early green lights for cyclists
• banned turns to prevent collisions
• seating and greenery to make it more pleasant

As part of the work to design a new junction, transport consultancy Steer assessed the preferred design against different tools, including:

• TfL’s Healthy Streets check
• The Junction Assessment Tool
• Pedestrian Comfort Level assessment

View Hackney Central designer checks (PDF 1.2mb).