 “General Election, Polling Stations” by Catholic Church England and Wales, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 This Thursday 7th May, Hackney goes to the polls to elect ward councillors across the borough. Unlike most boroughs, Hackney will also choose an elected mayor – an important post with responsibility for appointing cabinet members, and setting a leadership agenda for the next four years.
To date, three of the parties that are standing candidates have published manifestos: Labour, the Green Party, and the Hackney Independent Socialist Collective (HISC). We've trawled through them to see what they're offering voters on sustainable transport and traffic reduction. We’ve also met with all three parties privately to discuss their plans and Labour and the Green Party attended our joint Mayoral Hustings with Hackney Cycling Campaign and Living Streets. Following the summary, there’s a detailed breakdown on what the manifestos tell us on each area. Summary Labour Labour's manifesto gives us very little on transport. Cycle hangars and school streets get a supportive mention, but references to cycling and public transport are fleeting, and several key topics – LTNs, parking, main roads and traffic reduction in general – aren't mentioned at all. On the basis of the manifesto, we are left looking elsewhere for clues to Labour's intentions if elected. They have told us that we should look to their record and that detailed plans will be contained in an upcoming transport strategy. They have said two other LTNs that were due to be delivered last year (Dalston and Hoxton) will go ahead after the election. Greens The Green Party manifesto has the fullest set of transport policy proposals, many of which align with low-traffic campaigners' asks. Weight-based charges for parking, freeing up bus lanes, and improving the pedestrian crossing experience are all welcome and achievable. Other policies such as a workplace parking levy and 'Road Safety Premium' show a high level of ambition, although it's not clear if they could be implemented. We are concerned that expanding exemptions for LTNs has the potential to dilute schemes' effectiveness, and there is nothing on the future LTN rollout, but the commitment not to remove existing LTNs is reassuring. HISC Of the three manifestos, this one is the most hostile to the LTN programme, with the clearest commitment to pausing future schemes, reviewing current ones, and widening the net of exemptions. The pledge to remove the bus gate on Chatsworth Road is explicit. When we met HISC, candidates had differing views on traffic reduction policies, with some more supportive than others. While manifesto policies on cycling and public transport show a desire to improve residents' experience of moving around the borough, there is no realistic mitigation on offer for the increase of traffic that removing LTNs would bring to currently quiet roads. Other parties Although they haven't published manifestos, the Conservative and Reform mayoral candidates have both stated their intention to scrap LTNs. Hackney Lib Dems also nod to reviewing some 'badly performing' LTNs. You can read what the Labour, Green and Conservative mayoral candidates committed to at the Hackney Cycling Campaign hustings here. Overall coverage Labour There is no dedicated section on transport in the Labour Manifesto. Instead, transport policies mostly appear in the section on environment, with a few mentions under 'Tackling the climate crisis'. Greens The Greens' manifesto has a chapter on transport titled 'Moving Around Hackney'. HISC The HISC manifesto has a section on transport. An introductory note states that it was amended on 26 April 2026 following 'consultation with residents and within the party'. General principles Labour The top line in Labour's manifesto is a pledge to continue to make streets safe and accessible for residents, support walking and wheeling, and reduce mobility challenges. Labour have told us their transport policy will largely be a continuation of their actions in Office. Greens Greens spell out their transport goals as prioritising safe, reliable, affordable options that enable people to move around Hackney without needing to own a car. HISC HISC underline the need for Hackney residents to be able to travel affordably, safely, quickly and without stress, and to breathe cleaner air. Networks Labour Labour commit to a review of cycling and walking networks. Greens Greens will prioritise protected and fully accessible cycle lanes, and a network of low traffic streets. They will also publish an implementation plan for a cycle network that puts all Hackney residents within 400m of a high-quality cycle route. HISC If elected, HISC will advocate for more cycle routes. School streets Labour Labour commit to increasing school streets enforcement. Greens A Green-lead council will create school streets for all eligible primary and secondary schools, as well as introduce them for colleges. HISC The HISC manifesto notes that school streets have been a positive step towards calmer areas for families to walk and cycle. Kerbside use Labour Labour will look at ways to use the kerbside more effectively, including Blue Badge and car club parking, bike hire and storage, EV charging, and pedestrian infrastructure. Greens The Green manifesto proposes a kerbside and parking strategy, mentioning biodiversity, accessibility, seating and safer crossings as desired outcomes. HISC No mention in the manifesto. Road safety Labour The Labour manifesto says that streets will continue to be made safe for residents. Greens The Green Party notes that Hackney is not on track to meet mayoral Vision Zero target of zero road deaths by 2041, and calls for radical action to tackle road danger. HISC Responding to residents' safety concerns, HISC have campaigned to enact a ban on HGVs on Victoria Park Road. Pedestrian provision Labour Safer crossings are mentioned as an example of better use of the kerbside. Greens The Green manifesto pledges to work with TfL to ensure pedestrian crossings every 100 metres, prioritising routes to key destinations such as schools and hospitals. It also proposes reprogramming timings on standalone crossings to allow pedestrians an instant green light. HISC No mention in the manifesto. Main roads Labour No mention in the manifesto. Labour started ‘deliberative engagement sessions’ about improving main roads in 2025 and produced an initial report. Greens Green policy is to reduce bottlenecks by removing parking on main roads, and to fast-track delivery of the Main Roads Strategy which the current administration is currently working on. HISC HISC cite concerns that some traffic restrictions have exacerbated pollution and congestion on main roads. Cycle parking Labour Labour point to the installation of over 1000 cycle hangars during their last administration, and pledge to continue rolling out more. Cargo bike parking is given as an example of sustainable kerbside use that would be pursued. Greens The Greens commit to seek funding to 'significantly increase' cycle hangar provision. HISC HISC councillors would advocate for more cycle hangars if elected. Dockless and ebikes Labour Dockless bike hire is listed as an example of favoured kerbside use. Greens Green policy is to renegotiate deals with dockless bike hire providers, with the aim of improving affordability and reducing pavement clutter. They will also push for expanded adoption of e-cargo bikes. HISC HISC policy is to push for a consultation on the use of ebikes in Hackney's parks. Traffic reduction Labour No mention in the manifesto. Greens The manifesto aims to reduce miles driven on Hackney roads by 30% by by 2030. In order to achieve this, the party proposes a 'Road Safety Premium' – a scheme that would apparently target oversized private vehicles driven into Hackney from outside the borough with a charge. HISC HISC's manifesto notes that 40% of traffic in the borough is non-local, and pledges to reduce through traffic. Car clubs Labour Car-sharing is one of the sustainable kerbside uses mentioned in the Labour manifesto. Greens The Green manifesto pledges to work with TfL and neighbouring boroughs to develop a system of accessible car club vehicles. HISC No mention in the manifesto. Parking restrictions Labour No mention in the manifesto. Hackney currently has 100% controlled parking zones, and under Labour a new parking strategy with emissions-based permit prices was introduced. Greens Recognising the increased risk of serious injury and additional wear and tear caused by SUVs, the Green Party manifesto proposes a new parking permit price structure based on vehicle size as well as emissions. The manifesto also commits to investigate a workplace parking levy that would charge employers who provide staff parking places. HISC No mention in the manifesto. Public transport Labour Labour pledge to support TfL in keeping public transport functioning smoothly. Greens Greens will lobby for new bus lanes, with 24-hour operations and removed parking. The manifesto also commits to lobbying the Mayor of London for a pilot of free public transport. HISC HISC call for strategies to improve areas of poor public transport provision, and will campaign for free public transport. In aid of this, they pledge to support a 2024 proposal from the Mayor of London to create a publicly owned bus company. Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Labour No mention in the manifesto. At the hustings Labour told us they are supportive of LTNs, and plan to continue the programme. They have implemented several LTNs across the borough since 2020 and consulted on one in Dalston, with future plans for one in Hoxton. Greens Greens draw a distinction between measures that have worked well, and those that have not yet delivered fair outcomes everywhere. They commit not to scrap existing schemes, citing the risk of increased road danger, but promise decisions taken on a case-by-case basis. They propose an expanded system of exemptions from LTN restrictions for various groups of residents. The Chatsworth Road Liveable Neighbourhood scheme is singled out as requiring improvement, with options including expanded exemptions and amended filter locations/hours on the table. HISC HISC also target the Chatsworth Road Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, calling for the immediate suspension of the bus gate. They will pause the rollout any other LTNs currently under way, and carry out an 'Equality Impact Assessment' of existing LTNs. They will expand the system of exemptions, citing health conditions and livelihoods as grounds for exemption.
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