Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy John Barker, Gregory Jones QC, Deputy Alastair Moss and Tom Sleigh.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 21 June 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2016 were agreed as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

Agenda Item 3 – Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 May 2016

Cycle Super Highway – Tudor Street

The inclusion of the following:

‘Marianne Fredericks proposed a motion proposing that immediate steps be taken -  including the possible temporary closure of Tudor Street -  to make the highway safe. This was not supported although the Sub-Committee felt there was a need for quick and immediate action’.

Agenda Item 6 – Questions Relating to the Work of the Sub-Committee

Newgate Street Closure

The inclusion of ‘Ludgate Circus’ to describe the location of the yellow box junction.

Matters Arising

The Sub-Committee agreed that the independent consultant’s safety reports in relation to Tudor Street should be on the agenda for the next meeting.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the list of outstanding references be noted and updated as appropriate.

20mph Speed Limit

As requested at the previous meeting the Sub-Committee asked for the update to be circulated as part of the agenda. In addition the City of London Police were, in future, requested to provide a written report to each committee meeting including historic trend data and analysis.

Mayor’s Vision for Cycling

An update in relation to the safety of cyclists using the proposed Quietways along Primrose Street was provided and the Sub-Committee was advised that Bishopsgate was part of the Transport for London Road Network and TfL were proposing to improve the junction as part of the wider Cycle Grid proposals. The proposal included Advance Stop Lines on all approaches and early green start for cyclists. These would provide a better and safer use of the junction. However, as there were no further improvements for cyclists along Bishopsgate or Norton Folgate, eastbound cyclists would be encouraged (with the use of signage or road markings) to proceed straight across the junction and use Spital Square. Spital Square was much quieter and also part of a possible future Quietways route. 

Local Byelaws

The Sub-Committee asked for a report back to the next meeting on the steps that needed to be taken to amend the existing byelaws in relation to the use of wheeled modes of transport on the City walkways.

To consider Orders of the Court of the Common Council of 23 June 2016 referring to the Committee resolutions of the Grand Court of Wardmote.

RESOLVED – That the resolutions arising from the Annual Wardmotes of Bishopsgate, Broad Street, Farringdon Without and Portsoken be noted and the responses agreed.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment which provided the outcomes of the Holborn Circus Area Enhancement Project.

Members commented that this had been an excellent project, brought in below budget and which had made the junction significantly safer, and complimented the risk sharing, information provision, engagement work and accident reduction delivered.

RESOLVED – That the final cost of the project and lessons learnt are noted and the project closed.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment which presented the proposed design for Phase 2 of the Mitre Square project. This would provide an enhanced public space in Mitre Square, additional seating and improved lighting, while retaining vehicle access to the Sir John Cass Foundation Primary School.

In response to a question concerning the water fountains project, and whether any consideration had been given to installing a fountain at this site, the Sub-Committee was advised that funding for ongoing maintenance was an issue although the possibility of incorporating this into the design plan would be explored.

RESOLVED – That the Sub-Committee:

a)     approves the design for Phase 2, as shown in appendix 2 of the report; and

b)     approves the implementation budget for Phase 2 of the works to Mitre Square (£728,998), as set out in section 5 and appendix 3 of this report, fully funded from the Section 106 agreement.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment detailing the options available to mitigate the noise disturbance in Cloth Fair, following two resolutions for which had been received from the Grand Court of Wardmote in May 2015 and again in 2016. The Chairman advised that the consideration of bollard removal would not be considered as part of this report but would be reviewed separately.

The Committee was advised that officers had made progress to resolve the noise complaints as quickly as possible and a range of highway proposals had been investigated and consulted on and approval was now being sought to proceed with an experimental scheme to reduce or mitigate the noise disturbance.

The Committee was further advised that officers considered that the overnight point road closure (and associated extension of the two-way traffic operation) was the best option to discourage overnight parking or idling, as the closure would make the street a less convenient place to stop.

In response to a question the Director of the Built Environment advised that the overnight point road closure would be enforced by retractable bollards or a gate to physically prevent through access. However as the street was still open, there was no guarantee that this proposal would be fully successful. It was therefore proposed to introduce these measures on an experimental basis and if this was found to be successful, it could then be made permanent.

A Member commented that lawful users of the road would be punished by restricted late access because others were causing a nuisance by idling their engines and legitimate businesses should not suffer as the result of the actions of others.

Members raised a number of questions in relation to enforcement options, the consultation results, traffic flow and survey data, exactly what constituted

To receive any update.

The Chairman reported that a proposal to alleviate the problems at Tudor Street was currently being explored with the Temples following which there would be an opportunity for all parties to meet again to discuss the issue. The Chairman also stated that TfL are due to commence their experimental Traffic Order to legitimise the existing arrangements at the New Bridge Street junctions with Tudor Street and Bridewell Place from 5^th August 2016.

As noted under matters arising at the start of the meeting the safety reports would be brought to the next Sub-Committee meeting in September.

Officers were asked to provide responses to the following questions to be added to the list of Outstanding References.

‘A ward resident has raised the issue of inconsistent marking of parking on raised carriageways at the last two Castle Baynard ward meetings. On some raised areas the marking is single yellow lines on others it is double. In fact parking on these areas is an offence irrespective of the marking. The resident believes that this amounts to entrapment and I agree. This has been raised at previous S&W meetings and despite assurances that this will be addressed nothing has happened. While recognising that this has been delayed because of staff shortages can officers provide an update and also commit to a time table for addressing this please?’

‘Last week a bus broke down on Fleet St in the section containing the long police island. This caused gridlock as traffic behind the bus was unable to proceed by bypassing the vehicle. Can officers investigate and determine by consultation with the CoLP what exactly do these islands accomplish? And more importantly can they be removed or at least shortened so that disruption of this nature does not occur (or is minimised) in the future?’

There were no items of urgent business.