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Agenda item

Crystal Palace and South Norwood Low Traffic Neighbourhood

Minutes:

The Chair of Scrutiny & Overview Committee (SOC) (Councillor Sean Fitzsimons) introduced the call-in referral report at agenda item 11a of the agenda. It was noted that the report set out the original reason for the call-in. Members were informed that the Committee had reviewed all of the information presented to the Cabinet Member when the original decision had been made and had raised a number of concerns in relation to the proposal, but had not objected to the proposal.

 

The Chair of SOC stressed that Members of both political parties had raised concerns during the meeting which had enabled robust discussion of the decision made by the Cabinet Member. It was felt that the Committee had weighed up the evidence, listed to the concerns and evidence of residents who were both for and against the scheme, and considered evidence from councillors and an officer from Bromley Council when reaching its conclusion in referring the concerns to Cabinet.

 

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon (Councillor Muhammad Ali) introduced the report at agenda item 11b and noted that it was complicated and sensitive scheme. Members were informed that the original key decision had been taken in February 20201 following consultation with the Traffic Management Advisory Committee (TMAC) and was then considered by SOC in March 2021 when the decision was called-in. The Cabinet Member reported that the decision of SOC was to refer the matter to Cabinet to decide whether to amend the decision before the final decision was made.

 

Members were advised that all the documentation required to make a final decision was included within the agenda pack, however the Cabinet Member drew Members attention in particular to the report at 11b of the agenda and paragraph 2 which contained additional information which was provided to TMAC in February 2021; which the original decision was based on. It was noted that since then both the Department for Transport and Transport for London (TfL) had updated their guidance, as at paragraph 2.1 and 2.5. Additionally, the Cabinet Member highlighted that research had been published by NHS Digital in May 2021 and University College London on air pollution, which was set out at paragraphs 2.3 and 2.4.

 

The report at 11b of the agenda it was noted contained the concerns raised by SOC and the department’s detailed responses to those concerns which the Cabinet Member felt allayed the concerns raised. It was further stressed by the Cabinet Member that the decision before Cabinet related to an Experimental Traffic Order and not a permanent one which would be a future decision.

 

It was emphasised that the decision before Cabinet was a very contentious matter which was finely balanced. The Cabinet Member noted that there were individuals were in support of the proposals and others who were against. It was stressed that it was important that all views were listened to and Members recognised the far reaching implications for many people. Members were advised that a public consultation had taken place in 2019; the results of which were presented to TMAC. Furthermore, there were opportunities for members of the public to present their views, both for and against, at TMAC and SOC meetings.

 

It was noted that no additional submissions had been received as a result of the publication of reports in the Cabinet agenda, however an email had been received by the Cabinet Member from Ellie Reeves MP. In response, the Cabinet Member advised that prior to the meeting of TMAC in January 2021 letters had been received from both Steve Reid MP and Ellie Reeves MP calling for the Temporary Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) to be removed and for the council to not proceed with the recommended Experimental LTN. Members were informed that the content of the letters had been outlined with officer verbal introduction to the report at the meeting and that both letters were considered as part of the Cabinet Member’s decision and were appended to the key decision notice in February 2021. These letters were available at appendix 3 of item 11a of the agenda. Members were advised that Ellie Reed MP had written to the Cabinet Member, Chief Executive and Leader of the Council the prior week to reiterate her points made in January 2021 and to call for the removal of the Temporary LTN.

 

Additionally, the Cabinet Member advised Members that he had received a further submission from Open Our Roads. This submission, it was stated, provided a snap shot analysis of bus journey times on the Route 75 in one direction. In response, the Cabinet Member suggested Cabinet should rely on the fully analysis of the iBus data undertaken by TfL which was appended to the January 2021 TMAC report.

 

The Cabinet Member concluded by stated the proposed Experimental LTN was a trial implementation of the Mayor of London’s Healthy Streets Approach was being implemented across the Capital which was an approach to making quieter, calmer space in which people could choose to travel actively for their own health, that of their community and that of the planet.

 

The Cabinet Member for Homes (Councillor Patricia Hay-Justice) noted that it was a sensitive and contentious issue which balanced environmental benefits and grievances with some parts of the community. To that end, the Cabinet Member queried whether it was felt that consultation had been adequate.  In response, the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon stated that had the council been permitted to continue the process of developing health school streets, as outlined within the Local Implementation Plan, a similar experiment may have been proposed following a long period of consultation. However, Covid-19 had impacted that work. It was highlighted that in May 2020, the Secretary of State for Transport had called on local authorities to create spaces which allowed social distancing exercise and enable people to avoid public transport and reduce car usage but utilising Temporary Traffic Orders which did not require consultation. The Cabinet Member highlighted that the proposed scheme responded to many of the concerns raised by residents; including improved access for residents of the area and to Auckland surgery. It was stated that the recommended proposal would enable the council to undertake focused research. As such, the Cabinet Member felt that an Experimental Traffic Order would enable greater engagement with the local population.

 

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Hamida Ali) queried how the council would learn from the experience of taking the scheme from a Temporary to Experimental LTN which would inform other schemes within the borough. The Cabinet Member confirmed the council were learning from the implementation of the schemes. It was stressed that the scheme considered had been implemented during a pandemic based on legal advice at the time, but that the council had learnt from that and the need to engage with people. It was stressed that schemes were developed in accordance with legal advice and legislative requirements, but anything above those requirements which would support building trust within communities would be implemented in future schemes.

 

It was noted by the Cabinet Member for Families, Health & Social Care (Councillor Janet Campbell) that the first concern of SOC related to the baseline information; however the technical responses suggested that the ending of Covid-19 restrictions would enable monitoring to be undertaken prior to the implementation of an Experimental LTN, which would provide a new baseline. Given the potential delay for the end of restrictions, the Cabinet Member queried the delay would be problematic for the development of the baseline data.

 

In response, the Cabinet Member stated that should the decision be taken to proceed to an Experimental LTN then there was substantial work to be undertaken; not least with Bromley Council. It remained the hope of the council that Bromley would work with Croydon and TfL to monitor the implementation of the scheme and mitigate any impact of their residents. Furthermore, it was noted that it would take time for people’s behaviours to settle down once more post lifting of restrictions. As such, the Cabinet Member did not feel that an extension of restrictions would impact the scheme and development of baseline data.

 

The Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal (Councillor Stuart King) noted that it was intended there would be an exemption of licensed taxis and queried whether this would be for black cabs only, or all licensed vehicles. Furthermore, he queried how the valid exemption permit would be reviewed and assessed to ensure the right vehicles were given exemptions. It was noted that at paragraph 2.24 that further equalities analysis was required, and the Cabinet Member queried with who and how the focused engagement would take place. The Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal further stated that an area that he had reflected on had been in terms of displacement and noted that mitigations were to be put in place.

 

The Head of Strategic Transport (Ian Plowright) confirmed the matter of exemptions for taxis had been picked up at the TMAC meeting in February 2021. Members were advised that exemptions for black cabs were fairly straightforward but that private hire vehicles were more difficult. Officers would look to work with TfL and across London to identify those vehicles. In terms of the equality analysis, the Head of Strategic Transport advised that it was an iterative piece of work and that it was hoped that with the lifting of restrictions further analysis could be undertaken to truly understand the issues in relation to air quality and equality.

 

Councillor Leila Ben-Hassel noted at the SOC meeting the matter of liaising with companies such as Google Maps was raised as it was noted that it was important that software was updated to reflect temporary road closures. Furthermore, the importance of signage was raised. In response, the Head of Strategic Transport advised that the local authority informed owners of the underlying master maps of any changes which was then reflected in apps. The issue it was noted was that apps may redirect drivers down inappropriate roads, which was one officers alone could not tackle but would require work across London to find solutions.

 

In terms of signage, Members were advised that the council was required to follow regulations in the implementation of signage to warn drivers of restrictions ahead but that it was kept under review and the council listed to public feedback. However, the Head of Strategic Transport advised that for the scheme to be truly effective that signage would also be implemented in roads in Bromley also.

 

In response to queries in relation to exemptions for blue badge holders, the Head of Strategic Transport advised that the report to February 2021 TMAC meeting had included the proposal for a scheme which mirrored the Congestion Charge scheme which enabled an application for up to two exemption permits.

 

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon (Councillor Scott Roche) raised concerns in terms of the data used within the report as the car traffic survey data had been collected between May and August 2020; during the pandemic when car usage, it was stated, irregular due to national restrictions which were in place. Furthermore, it was queried where the evidence and baseline data was which showed improve air quality rather than traffic dispersal only. Queries were further asked by the Shadow Cabinet Member in terms of how the concerns of dispersal was being mitigated.

 

Concerns were raised by the Shadow Cabinet Member that the business responses were low as only 47 of 330 businesses had responded to the consultation and some responses had been rejected due to an incorrect code. Additionally, it was queried how many of the businesses were truly open to respond due to the lockdown restrictions. It was highlighted that businesses needed the support of the council, especially at that time, when the country remained under restrictions and was recovering from the pandemic.

 

It was felt by the Shadow Cabinet Member that the report was disingenuous to suggest that a 25% response rate was not representative enough of the community when often that was the rate that local councillor were elected on. It was further noted that the local MP had raised a similar point. It was felt that there was clear opposition to the scheme and a lack of evidence of sustainability; as such the Shadow Cabinet Member queried why the Cabinet was pursuing the implementation of an Experimental LTN.

 

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon noted that that Shadow Cabinet Member had recently being appointed to his post and urged him to read all of the papers and watch the webcasts of the TMAC and SOC meetings to answer the questions posed. It was felt by the Cabinet Member that all of the questions had previously been answered in detail and had been given full consideration.

 

It was stressed by the Cabinet Member that the Department for Transport had encouraged the implementation of schemes. Additionally it was stated that it was important to hear from all in the community, including those who had not engaged with the consultation process; as such it was not referendum but a consultation.

 

The Leader of the Opposition (Councillor Jason Perry) expressed concern that it felt that the Cabinet Member was patronising Members who had read all of the papers. Concerns were raised that it appeared the council’s approach was that residents must understand an approach rather than encourage engagement with the community. It was stated that there was balance to be made between the socio-economic impacts and the environmental benefits of schemes, and the Leader of the Opposition queried how the council was assuring residents and businesses that the balance between the two was being assessed.

 

In response, the Cabinet Member stressed that it was the council’s commitment to work with residents to ensure schemes were implemented in consultation and full cooperation of the residents of the borough. The Cabinet Member noted that the scheme had been considered by TMAC twice, SOC and was being considered by Cabinet; which it was felt was evidence that the council was ensuring that every element was being considered before a final decision was made.

 

The Leader of the Council endorsed the Cabinet Member’s comments in terms of the level of deliberation that had taken place in relation to the scheme.

 

Cabinet confirmed that it did not wish to amend the decision that had been taken by the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon in February 2021, and that the final decision remained unchanged from the decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon in February 2021.