Havering Council Ranked Third WORST In London For Healthy Streets As Borough’s Score Falls Again.

8th September 20268th September 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Havering Third Worst, Healthy Streets, Healthy Streets Scorecard, London min read

Havering Council has been ranked the third worst council in London for healthy streets, with the borough scoring just 1.63 out of 10 in the latest 2026 Healthy Streets Scorecard.

The new figures make uncomfortable reading for Havering, which has fallen further down the scale despite having adopted an ambitious Active Travel Strategy designed to make walking, cycling and public transport more attractive across the borough.

Havering is ranked 31st out of 33 London boroughs, leaving only two councils below it in the overall ranking. Its score has fallen from 1.69 last year to just 1.63 this year.

The Healthy Streets Scorecard looks at ten different indicators, including walking, cycling, public transport, road safety, car ownership and the measures councils are putting in place to make streets safer and healthier.

The latest results show that Havering continues to perform particularly poorly on several of those measures.

Only 9.9 per cent of borough roads have a 20mph speed limit, while Low Traffic Neighbourhood coverage has remained unchanged at 14.7 per cent.

Perhaps most strikingly, protected cycle tracks account for just 0.5 per cent of road length, described by the Scorecard as among the lowest levels in London.

Bus priority provision has also failed to improve.

The figures also suggest that Havering remains heavily dependent on the car.

The borough has the lowest proportion of car-free households in London, according to the Scorecard, while its sustainable transport share has fallen to 48.2 per cent, one of the lowest figures in the capital.

The proportion of adults walking regularly has also fallen to 25.3 per cent, while cycling participation remains the lowest recorded in the Scorecard, although there is no new cycling data available for this year’s assessment.

There are some positive developments.

Havering has added five new School Streets, increasing coverage from 19.1 per cent to 24.2 per cent of schools.

Travel for Life participation has also remained relatively strong at 57.1 per cent.

The Scorecard also records an improvement in its polluting-vehicle measure, while the council has reported its Controlled Parking Zone coverage for the first time in several years.

But campaigners say the overall picture remains deeply concerning.

The Healthy Streets Scorecard says the six key measures it wants London boroughs to implement include borough-wide Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, 20mph speed limits, Controlled Parking Zones, protected cycle lanes, traffic-free streets around schools and bus priority.

It says these measures can help improve air quality, reduce road danger and encourage more walking, cycling and public transport use.

And this is where the latest figures create an uncomfortable question for Havering.

Earlier this year, the council adopted its Active Travel Strategy for 2026 to 2041.

The strategy sets out a 15-year plan intended to make walking, cycling and public transport preferred options for everyday journeys where residents choose them.

It specifically identifies traffic congestion, air pollution and health as issues that active travel can help address.

The council’s strategy includes proposals for an active travel network, mobility hubs, improved travel information, traffic management measures, better infrastructure and initiatives intended to encourage people to change how they travel.

The council has also secured a £1 million Thames Freeport Active Travel grant, alongside £100,000 in match funding, for the Marsh Way Active Travel Route Scheme.

But the Healthy Streets Scorecard suggests that, at present, there remains a considerable gap between the ambition contained within strategies and what residents can see on the ground.

The Scorecard itself acknowledges that councils face financial constraints and that not every aspect of transport is under their control.

However, London boroughs control around 95 per cent of London’s roads, meaning the decisions councils make about their own roads and streets can have a significant influence on how safe and accessible they are.

For Havering, the issue is particularly important because of the borough’s geography.

Havering is one of London’s largest boroughs by area, with substantial distances between communities and major transport hubs.

For many residents, particularly those living away from Romford and Upminster, the car can feel like the easiest or only realistic option for getting around.

That makes providing genuine alternatives especially important.

If residents are expected to walk or cycle, they need routes that feel safe.

If children are expected to walk or cycle to school, parents need to have confidence that they can do so safely.

And if people are expected to leave the car at home, public transport needs to provide a realistic alternative.

The latest figures suggest Havering still has considerable work to do.

The campaign behind the Healthy Streets Scorecard says the purpose of the annual assessment is to allow residents to compare their borough with others and identify where improvements are needed.

For Havering, the verdict is stark.

31st out of 33 boroughs.

1.63 out of 10.

0.5 per cent protected cycle track coverage.

9.9 per cent of borough roads with 20mph limits.

48.2 per cent sustainable transport mode share.

And the lowest proportion of car-free households in London.

The borough has now adopted a strategy that promises to change the way people move around Havering over the next 15 years.

The challenge for the new administration will be turning that strategy into visible improvements on the streets.

Residents do not simply need another document.

They need safer routes to school.

They need streets where children can walk and cycle safely.