Agenda item

1.  Consultations on traffic reduction proposals

a) Andy Cunningham, Hackney Council’s Head of Streetscene (AC) gave a presentation updating residents on a series of different schemes to reduce the dominance of traffic in the ward.  He added that one of the most difficult issues to resolve was the traffic volumes using Richmond Road and that this would also involve residents from streets to the north of Richmond Road (in Dalston and Hackney Central Wards). His aim was to engage residents in developing a solution and asked for views on how best to involve all residents so that a further meeting (or series of meetings) might be arranged after the Christmas break in order to work on the next steps.

 

Action 1: Interested residents to contact AC with suggestions of how best to engage the local community regarding Richmond Road (AC). 

 

  b) A number of residents complained that the Sustrans engagement exercise was flawed and that residents had not been consulted. Some of those present stated that when they approached the field workers doing this survey they were informed that only cyclists were being interviewed.  All the residents who reported this said they then insisted that their views be taken into account and that they be allowed to complete the survey.  Residents asked if they could have sight of this data. 

 

The Deputy Mayor sought reassurances from the Head of Streetscene that these ‘soft conversations’ or pre consultation engagement discussions would not just involve cyclists but also the widest range of residents and lobbying groups.  AC replied that they would and he invited residents to email him if they had concerns suggestions about who should also be talked to.  He confirmed that no firm proposals had emerged from the Sustrans work and the Council would be proceeding with a separate second level of engagement on Broadway Market.

Post Meeting Note: The Broadway Market Engagement Report is available at the following link - http://news.hackney.gov.uk/results-of-broadway-market-transport-study/

 

c) In response to a resident, the Deputy Mayor stated that it was not customary for these informal meetings to have full minutes but notes and action points would be produced for circulation and published on the website.

 

Action 2: Notes/action points to be put on website (Tracey Anderson)

 

  d) A resident complained that the leafleting to publicise this meeting had been insufficient and residents did not have enough time to study the new framework for traffic changes which was being discussed.

 

Action 3: Website to be updated more frequently regarding future traffic related proposals in the London Fields area (AC)

 

  e) Deputy Mayor asked if anyone present had not received consultation documentation to please contact AC and his team.

 

2.  Comments from Residents

The meeting was then opened to the floor and the following points from residents were noted in relation to the schemes outlined in the paper: 

School Street - London Fields School (and Bus Gate)

(a)  Residents supportive of School Streets.  Lansdowne Road is very dangerous and, in the absence of a zebra crossing at Shrubland Road, these proposals are welcomed.  People need to be discouraged to drive.  Ridiculous that people admit the reason they drive down certain streets is because they are more scenic.

(b)  Resident strongly supports this but thinks it will lead to build up of traffic on Middleton Road.  That has changed from being a quiet residential street to a thoroughfare. 

(c)  Residents concerned that they only received a letter that morning.  There needs to be earlier and more efficient engagement with residents.

School Street - Queensbridge Road School

(a)  Main entrance to Queensbridge School is on Albion Drive not Queensbridge Road and what is being done about that?

Post Meeting Note:When schools were invited to express an interest in School Streets in September 2016, the Council did not receive a response from Queensbridge School. With regard to the increase of parents dropping children to school, the Council would consider a school street on Albion Drive and possibly increased enforcement of the existing loading restrictions on Queensbridge Road to discourage school drop offs right next to the school.

 

 

Queensbridge Road junction with Middleton Road

(a)  It’s a speed way, does not have enough speed cameras and the proposal for narrowing it is a good one.  Moving the bus stop to the north side will be a mistake as children from the school will now have to cross over a very busy road. 

(b)  If the bus stop is moved to the proposed new position it will be far too close to the next stop and too far from the previous one; what would be the distances between the remaining stops if this one was moved?

(c)  Possible traffic lights on Queensbridge/Middleton would lead to build up of traffic on Kingsland Road and congestion on Queensbridge Road.  This is the fourth time the Council has consulted on such a traffic light junction and it has been refused each time because of potential traffic build up.  A lot of children used Middleton because of schools. 

(d)  11 incidents in five years does not justify the changes proposed if you consider the huge number of cars which safely used Queensbridge and Middleton each day over those 5 years. 

(e)  The number of accidents has gone down and traffic lights would not help and would lead to just further pollution. 

(f)  Elderly resident of Middleton road complained her husband, who is deaf, has been nearly run over by cyclists on a number of occasions.  Safety of pedestrians not given enough priority.  She is worried she is more likely to be put out of action by a cyclist than by a car.  There is no justification for parents living near schools to drive their children there.  Suggest a pelican crossing at entrance to infants’ school.  There needs to be more planting of trees and use of lichens to help reduce air pollution. 

(g)  Resident asked if the 5 Jan deadline for responses to this consultation could be extended as it was very close to the Christmas holidays when people are away.

Post Meeting Note:  the consultation deadline has already been extended from 15^th December to 5^th January.

 

Action 4: All comments above will be taken into account in the consultation analysis (AC).

 

Queensbridge Road

(a)  Council encouraged to use its existing powers of enforcement.  Current location of bus stops a problem particularly with revellers at weekends. Are traffic cameras operational?  If the buses are not electric they themselves are causing pollution. 

(b)  There is a need overall for an integrated traffic plan as blocking one area just causes displacement.  This needs to address why people use their cars in the first place.  There would be less traffic if this road had a proper bus service.  Stationary traffic causes pollution.  There is a need to sort out the parking spaces on the road.

(c)  Resident supportive of the proposal as it would improve air quality and pleased with the width reductions. 

(d)  Residents suggests what is needed is a more steady flow of traffic and not stop-start. 

(e)  The Mayor of London’s data on how air quality reduces life expectancy needs to be challenged.  Does it reduce it merely by just one day? If this impact was actually significant it would have been highlighted more in the report.  This is not a serious argument to put forward.  Traffic lights in Middleton Road would just displace the problem. This issue is the overall amount of traffic going through the borough.  Many neighbours in Albion Square have not been leafleted about these proposals. 

(f)  Resident nearly knocked down by cyclists on two occasions.  Now some road users are also on e-bikes which are motorised. 

Action 5: The location of the bus stops will be looked at again (AC).

Post Meeting Note: The Council will develop a web page to explain reasons for developing proposals in more depth. This will also include, for example, links to the department for Transport’s website which sets out the criteria for speed cameras, which is a function for the Metropolitan Police and not the Council.

 

Richmond Road

(a)  It’s a busy artery and if you bring in these measures where will the traffic go.

AC replied that it has been very busy for many years and there is a need to use public policy to nudge people away from car use. Traffic also needs to be encouraged to move to Graham Rd and Mare St.  The proposals for achieving this, London-wide, by the Mayor of London are welcome but will take a long time and in the interim Hackney cannot just do nothing about its traffic hotspots.

(b)   Resident from Gayhurst Rd complain about not being leafleted.  The traffic in the Ward is coming from Essex Rd/central London.  If it is displaced won’t it just end up in Graham Rd and make that worse?  AC replied that they cannot deal with cross London traffic but there is a need in the short term to engage residents with these issues. 

(c)  Resident of Graham Road complained that they are not consulted on the traffic schemes in London Fields yet they are impacted by them. 

Action 6: As for Point 1 - Interested residents to contact AC with suggestions of how best to engage the local community regarding Richmond Road (AC).

 

London Fields Park

(a)  Is it possible to have zebra crossings in the park as the paths are very dangerous? Old people now reluctant to use the park.  “Men in lycra in £5k bikes think they can do what they want”.  The park does not belong to cyclists.

(b)  Has the Council considered its liability for advertising the London Fields Quiet Way as quiet when there are 5000 vehicle movements per day and the TfL definition of a Quiet Way is a road of less than 2000 per day? 

AC replied that the Quiet Way scheme is now in the past and part of the changes arising from it was to reduce the number of HGVs in the area.  No need to look back on past arguments but instead must focus is on prioritising safety and air pollution in the current schemes.

(c)  Not enough is being done to slow down the cyclists going through the park despite a child having been knocked down.

(d)  Concern about bad behaviour of cyclists in the park. Could they be separated from pedestrians?  AC replied that the Parks Team put measures in place but segregating the two groups ends up giving more priority to cyclists.

(e)  Cycle lanes through the park were brought in in 1986 but now more than 4000 cyclists use it per day.  Most do not show enough consideration to others.  The Council has powers here to fine people but do they? There needs to be greater enforcement in Parks.  Some of the paths not wide enough for pedestrians and cyclists.  There needs to be a re-think of the whole policy of allowing cycling in parks.  Parks are not cycle routes and should not be used as such. 

(f)  Much concern from many at the meeting about the ongoing problem of barbecues in the park.  Many calls to have them banned and only allow picnics.  Those living near the park cannot open their windows on the hottest days of the year. The anti-social behaviour by those holding barbecues has led to confrontations with Park staff. 

Action 7: Ward Members to raise with the Cabinet Member the ongoing concerns about barbecues in London Fields Park (Ward Cllrs)

 

Future proposals - Scriven Street

(a)  Resident complained that she had opposed the previous proposals because the level of consultation had been poor.  There were problems with the junction of Queensbridge and Scriven which was being ignored in the latest consultation.  It was a rat-run and the number of HGVs using it was a problem.

Action 8: Scriven Street to be further investigated next year (AC).

 

Future proposals - Broadway Market

(a)  The cyclists are very aggressive and they often cycle on the pavements.  The proposals generally are to be welcomed but the Council is not doing enough here to look after the interests of pedestrians or the elderly. Corner of Albion and Shrubland is very dangerous for pedestrians.

(b)  Cycling in Broadway Market is very dangerous.  Impossible for cyclists to cross Westgate St.

(c)  The more you restrict traffic the more you create queues.  The more traffic calming measures you put in place the more you increase air pollution as cars are ticking over or near stationary for most of the time.  Council only listens to cyclists and is not listening to TRAs.  AC replied that the evidence points to air pollution causing earlier deaths and therefore car usage needs to be reduced.

(d)  It is both the speed and volume of cycle traffic that needs attending to.  The recent fatality was involving two cyclists not a cyclist and a car.

(e)  Concern that this will also impact on Haggerston Ward and that they needed to be included in any consultation.  Concern that planners must talk to local residents not just lobbying groups. 

Action 9: the second stage of the engagement process will take place in spring 2018 and the Council will update this link:  http://news.hackney.gov.uk/results-of-broadway-market-transport-study/(AC)

Future proposals - Triangle Road

(a)  Resident welcomes Council prioritising air quality around school and reiterates that the situation in Triangle Rd needs to be attended to.

3.  Additional Actions for Streetscene

Action 10 - AC asked for feedback on the findings from the Middleton Road width restrictions scheme. Noted that this would be signed off in c. 2 weeks and it will be available on the website.  Residents asked for time to digest this analysis before responding formally to the consultation. 

 

Action 11 - The vehicle weight restriction sign on the Cat & Mutton Bridge is currently obscured and so ignored. AC requested to ensure this is corrected.

 

Action 12 - AC asked to produce a local publicity campaign encouraging Considerate Cycling and to examine how it might best be disseminated.

 

Action 13 - Sewage issue in London Fields School has implications on Broadway Market. AC to investigate.

 

Action 14 - Residents called for more trees to be planted in the area. AC to pursue.

 

Action 15 – Residents who wish to become involved in the Community Roadwatch scheme run by Transport for London, should contact CommunityRoadwatch@tfl.gov.uk or visit www.tfl.gov.uk/CommunityRoadwatch.

 

4.  Next steps

  Residents concerned that other items which had been on the agenda of the previous cancelled Ward Forum meeting had not been taken forward and they asked that a new meeting be arranged to cover these.  Deputy Mayor replied that she was going to task the consultation teams to take forward these issues outside of the Ward Forum and until there were other updates a further meeting would not be convened.  Residents asked for a further meeting about plans for Broadway Market.