Stonebridge and Harlesden Healthy Neighbourhood

Why are we proposing this?

Stonebridge and Harlesden's streets carry a significant amount of cut-through traffic — vehicles using residential roads as shortcuts rather than travelling to or from the area. Traffic surveys found 737 vehicles a day exiting Nicoll Road onto Craven Park Road having cut through the neighbourhood, and 42.9% of journeys along Lawrence Avenue were cut-throughs.

This creates real problems for residents: faster, heavier traffic makes streets feel unsafe, particularly for children and older people, and contributes to poorer air quality.

Resident feedback from 2025 backed the case for change: 54% of respondents wanted to see changes to the Healthy Neighbourhood, and 60% supported camera enforcement of modal filters. These proposals are a direct response to what you told us.

You have helped to shape these proposals

As part of earlier engagement in Spring and September 2025, we asked for your views on street design options at two key locations:

1. Lawrence Avenue / Emerald Road junction
2. Nicoll Road / Greenhill Park junction

Your feedback has guided the updated proposals we are now consulting on. All engagement and data analysis can be found in the reports linked here: https://www.brent.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/travel-and-transport/brent-healthy-neighbourhoods/stonebridge-harlesden-healthy-neighbourhood

The council will consider all responses before making a decision on whether to progress these changes later this year.

Have your say on the following proposals:

1. Eastern Area: Relocating and enforcing the modal filter on Nicoll Road
2. Western Area: Retaining and enforcing the modal filter on Lawrence Avenue

Exemptions

Residents and blue-badge holders who live within the ‘exemption zone’ shown in blue (for each area’s improvement) and emergency vehicles will be exempt from these restrictions. The road also remains open to pedestrians and cyclists. The main principle is to make the neighbourhood safer and a more pleasant place to be by reducing the volume of cars, reducing air pollution, and enabling more walking and cycling. The full list of exemptions are as follows:

• Residents that live within the zone
• Blue badge holders that live within the zone
• Emergency services
• Licensed taxis
• School transport & taxi card transport services
• Council operational vehicles (statutory services)
• Dial-a-ride
• Royal Mail
• Medical practitioner
• Medical appointment transport

We also intend to work closely with St Margaret's & St George's United Reformed and Moravian Church to offer appropriate exemptions — including for funeral corteges — in response to concerns raised by the congregation.

If the proposals are approved, we will publish clear guidance on how to apply for an exemption.

For those not exempt

If modal filters are introduced, all streets within the Healthy Neighborhood will remain accessible by car. However, people who would not be exempt from the proposed filters would need to enter the street from the non-filtered end, which may add a small amount of time to their trip.

A healthy, safer and greener Brent

The modal filters we are consulting with you on are part of our wider ambition to make Brent a healthier, safer and greener borough for everyone to enjoy.

We are looking forward to hearing from as many of you as possible, as you help shape the place where you live.