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London lights up

14th Nov 2005

The Regent’s Canal through Camden has been the subject of a £250,000 community safety project, funded by the London Borough of Camden and British Waterways, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, Thames 21, Camden Town Street Warden Service, Camden Lock Market and other local businesses.

The safety measures follow feed-back and consultation with regular canal users, crime prevention advisors, local residents and the Metropolitan Police. They include specially designed lighting for a quarter-mile stretch of towpath and eight bridges, as well as graffiti cleaning, CCTV cameras, street wardens, increased patrolling of the canal by police, planting schemes, new signs at access points, fencing-off hidden corners and replacing walls with railings at access points.

The new bridge lighting has been designed and installed by lighting specialists BPA Limited, with help for the centrepiece bridge at Hampstead Road from students at the Central St Martin’s School of Art. The lights use subtle programmes of gradual movement and are strong enough to light the area safely and provide a clear image for the new CCTV cameras, without a harsh glare.

Each of the eight canal bridges, which stretch from Camden Street in the east to Gloucester Avenue in the west, have an individually tailored design. Light boxes installed earlier this year by London Borough of Camden with designs by young people from Transition Youth Club, light up the next two bridges to the east, at Camden Road and Royal College Street.

The towpath lighting has been designed by Equation Design and includes both wall-mounted and column fittings, as well as uplights for trees.

Mark Bensted, British Waterways’ London director, explains: "Inspired by successful canalside lighting schemes in Birmingham, our canal lighting is part of a raft of measures we’re undertaking with our partners to reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime around the popular Camden Lock area.

"By working together we have created something really special which I’m certain will help make Camden a safer place to live, work and visit, encouraging more people to use the canal for walking, cycling, fishing and boating."

For more information about visiting London’s canals click here or call 020 7985 7200.

Last updated: 22/10/2008