On the 18th of March, our University community was devastated by a tragic incident. A van exiting the Indian Embassy entered the pedestrianised area of the Strand, killing a KCL student and injuring three others. 

Our campaign views this as the outcome of an ultimately preventable failure in how the space is managed. The Strand is understood and used by students as a pedestrian area, yet vehicles with special access continue to enter through retractable bollards at speed. This contradiction puts pedestrian safety at risk, as the events of the 18th of March made so tragically clear. 

This campaign is a student-led initiative to commit King’s to ensuring that changes are made to access of what should be a pedestrian-first environment. The campaign meets with and is working constructively with King’s to push for changes to how access is managed and to secure their full backing for reforms. Our goal is clear: to guarantee that the Strand remains a safe, genuinely pedestrian-first place of safety for the King’s community. 

We have an opportunity —and a responsibility— to act decisively. By addressing this issue now, we can prevent future tragedies and ensure that pedestrian safety in an area at the heart of the King’s community is always put first.