Cyclists are lobbying for a new design at a notorious junction to be changed, claiming it would “put lives at risk”.

In December, Hackney Council announced plans for a “green corridor” running through Hackney Central, aiming to reduce vehicle pollution and make “one of the borough’s most dangerous junctions” safer.

New crossings would be installed at Pembury Circus, with the aim of minimising the risk of conflict between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, according to a council spokesperson.

But the local branch of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) has attacked the “weak” plans, which it said would still force cyclists to share space with fast-moving and heavy motor vehicles.

A Hackney Cycling Campaign (HCC)  spokesperson claimed that the plans throw into doubt the Town Hall’s commitment to road safety and Vision Zero—the goal to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads by 2041.

They added: “We have presented [the council] with a design from a leading traffic engineer who has a track record of successfully delivering safer junctions.

“Our design guarantees that people cycling won’t mix at all with motor vehicles, significantly improving safety while also enhancing bus flow at the junction.

“Hackney Council’s refusal to implement this safer option is nothing short of negligent.”

In March this year, the Town Hall said there had been 229 road traffic collisions between Mare Street and Pembury Circus, including 25 serious incidents and two fatalities, since 2017.

Cllr Guy Nicholson, deputy mayor and cabinet member for regeneration, delivery and inclusive economy, said the council was committed to delivering safe cycling infrastructure.

He said: “We are making Pembury Circus junction safer, for both pedestrians and cyclists, with a design that supports pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.

“As with all of our designs, we commission an independent road safety audit of the designs and of the scheme after it’s been built.”

Vincent Stops, ex-councillor and former chair of the Town Hall planning committee, criticised HCC's alternative designs, calling them “extraordinary”.

“Their plans essentially take bicycles and run them round on the pavement, two ways, which is an extraordinary proposal,” he said.

“It takes no account of pedestrians, particularly disabled and older pedestrians.”

Mr Stops added that he though the council’s plans were sensible.

He said: “What they’re doing is closing the junction down, making everything slower, with shorter crossing distances, taking out those traffic islands. It’s certainly [heading] in the right direction.”

The HCC spokesperson dismissed Stops’ approach as “widely outdated and discredited”.

They said: “It is not the approach advocated by cycling organisations such as London Cycling Campaign and Cycling UK, and is not the type of infrastructure that funding bodies (Active Travel England and TfL) build.”