Driving in Hackney

Hackney is one of London's most cycling-friendly boroughs, which creates a distinctive driving environment. Understanding how to safely share the road with cyclists is essential here.

Major routes

Mare Street (A107)

• Main shopping street with heavy pedestrian traffic
• Bus lanes operational at peak times
• Pedestrian crossings every few hundred metres
• Market stalls create visual obstructions

Kingsland Road (A10)

• Busy dual carriageway
• Multiple lane changes for junctions
• Late-night activity around restaurants and clubs

Victoria Park area

• Residential streets good for practice
• Event days bring extra traffic and closures
• Popular with cyclists and runners

Cycling infrastructure

Hackney has extensive cycle lanes:

• Segregated cycle lanes on major routes
• Bike boxes at traffic lights. don't stop in these
• Contraflow cycling on some one-way streets
• Cycle parking often blocks visibility at junctions

Driving safely around cyclists

1. Always check mirrors and blind spots for cyclists
2. Give cyclists at least 1.5 metres when passing
3. Be patient. cyclists have the right to use the full lane
4. Watch for cyclists filtering through traffic