The Committee received a report which
considered comments and objections received during a consultation
on Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) to introduce permanent cycle
lanes and other changes to the London Road between Brigstock Road
and Bensham lane. The recommended measures would make permanent the
current temporary cycle lanes (plus associated temporary
restrictions and measures) and bringing about further improvements,
including pedestrian crossing facilities and public realm
improvements.
Ian Plowright (Head of Strategic Transport)
provided the Committee with an introduction which
set out:
- In May 2020 the
Secretary of State for Transport released guidance on Network
Management to Support Recovery from COVID-19. Croydon had responded
swiftly to the call to enhance walking and cycling in the borough
and the London Road Corridor was one of the original measures
implemented;
- The government had
subsequently announced that the measures implement should remain in
place and local authorities were encouraged to introduce more
measures;
- The scheme had
been a implemented under a Temporary Traffic Management Order and
the recommendation was to make the scheme permanent with
improvement including increased pedestrian crossings;
- Objections had
been received which were included in the report and covered the
scheme not being necessary, loss of loading bays and slow traffic;
and
- Members were
informed that the Equalities Officer had suggested two further
areas for more focus within the Equalities Analysis (EA) since
publication relating to the affordability of electric bikes and to
the provision of seating/rest areas. The EA covered the whole
programme and would be revised and published with the next papers
which covered cycle schemes.
Angus Hewlett (speaking on behalf of Croydon
Cyclists) addressed the Committee in support of the scheme and set
out the following:
- Croydon Cyclists
welcomed the scheme but felt additional steps could be taken, such
as ensuring the southern end of the scheme joined up with the Broad
Green scheme;
- Safety concerns
remained in relation to the side roads and it was suggested that
level crossings could be introduced; and
- Measures should be
put in place to reduce the risk of hook roads.
A statement was read out on behalf of John
Hopper and set out that Qualityfix Ltd had been trading on London
Road for over 50 years and he had written to the council over the
previous two years to raise the following concerns:
- There was an
accident waiting to happen as the cycle lane gave cyclists and
scooter drivers too much confidence that they were protected and
travelled too fast;
- Ambulances were
regularly held up in traffic and could no longer pass due to the
cycle lane;
- He was a cyclist
and often cycled to work. He found that where there were no cycle
lanes there were no issues and that cycle lanes caused more concern
as pedestrians walked out and cars pulled out with looking;
- Shop keepers
needed to trade and cycle lanes made it impossible to receive goods
as they could not be transported to neighbouring roads;
- He had counted the
number of cyclists who used the cycle lane over the previous two
years at different points of the day and had found it was, on
average 1-2 per hour; and
- He had heard that
a 20mph speed limit may be introduced on London Road which he felt
would create greater harmony.
Charlie King (Croydon Mobility Forum) informed
the Committee that concerns had been raised by the Mobility Forum
in relation to ensuring provision for people to gain access to the
kerb. In response, the Head of Strategic Transport advised that
provision had been put in place to allow vehicles to move out of
the way of ambulances which would also assist those requiring
access to the kerb.
In response to questions raised by the
Committee, officers provided the following information:
- The scheme was on
the Strategic Road Network for which Transport for London (TfL) has
the Traffic Management Duty. It is also
responsible for Bus Services.
Officers had worked closely with TfL, which was also keen to see
people walk, cycle and use public transport;
- Analysis of
cycling potential had been undertaken by TfL which had identified
London Road as having high levels of potential / as a priority
cycle corridor. TfL’s
‘Attitudes to Cycle’ surveys repeatedly show concern
about road danger being one of the main factors stopping people
cycling and this scheme sought to respond to those concerns;
- The scheme
responded to climate commission recommendations as any increase in
cycling reduced the emissions. It was noted that there were an
estimated 400,000 motorised trips (mostly car) made each weekday in
Croydon that could be readily cycled if conditions were
right. Tapping just a part of this
potential would significantly reduce CO2 emissions from
Croydon’s road network;
- Suggestions for a
bus route which took residents from the north of the borough to
Croydon University Hospital were noted and would continue be raised
with TfL via the Public Transport Liaison Panel;
- Parking and
loading bays had been moved to side roads in the vicinity. 11 short
term parking bays had been added to local roads and two loading
bays had been introduced. It was hoped that the introduction of
those bays would alleviate some of the concerns raised by
businesses; and
- The intention was
to implement public realm uplift in two areas with tree planting,
however it was highlighted that works in 2022/23 were largely
subject to TfL funding which was still to be approved.
RESOLVED: to recommend to the
Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon to
- Consider the
comments and objections received in response to Notice published in
respect of making permanent the temporary mandatory cycle lanes on
London Road, and the implementation of associated permanent changes
including pedestrian crossing facilities.
- Consider the
officer’s response to the objections in Section 2 and
Appendix C of the report.
- Authorise the
Highways Traffic Manager, Sustainable Communities Division to make
the necessary Traffic Management Orders under the Road Traffic
Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) the effect of which would be to
introduce the following measures as part of making permanent the
temporary cycle lanes in London Road (between Brigstock Road and
Bensham Lane) to:
a.
make permanent the existing temporary
waiting and loading restrictions operating “at any
time” in London Road between its junctions with Brigstock
Road and Bensham Lane.
b.
permanently remove all parking and
loading bays from the above section of London Road.
c.
provide short-term parking bays in
side-streets as described at Section 2.5 ii of the report.
d.
provide short-term loading bays in side
streets as described at Section 2.5 iii of the report.
e.
make permanent the existing temporary
20mph speed limit in London Road between its junctions with
Brigstock Road and St James’s Road.
- Authorise the Head
of Highways and Parking to exercise powers under the Highways 1980
to:
a.
make permanent the existing temporary
cycle lanes in London Road with permanent lightly segregated
facilities and permanent sections of advisory cycle lanes on the
carriageway between Brigstock Road and Bensham Lane.
b.
install raised Zebra Crossings in London
Road as described at Section 2.6 i of the report.
c.
install raised side road entry
treatments as described at Section 2.6 ii of the report.
- The general effect
of Recommendations 3 and 4 being to permanently install the
measures in the scheme drawing at Appendix B of the report, in that
part of London Road Croydon Council is Highway Authority.