Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Alderman Alison Gowman declared an interest in agenda item 15 – Beech Street Property Usage by virtue of being a resident of Beech Street.

Deputy Clare James declared an interest in agenda item 15 – Beech Street Property Usage as she was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Girls School.

Graham Packham declared an interest in agenda item 8a) – Tudor Street Area Mitigation Measures and advised that he would remain in the meeting but would not vote on the decision.

Jeremy Simons declared an interest in agenda Item 8(c) - New Street Square Section 106) by virtue of being a resident of Pemberton Row.

To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year in accordance with Standing Order 29.

RESOLVED – That Christopher Hayward be elected Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 29 for the ensuing year.

On being elected, the Chairman expressed thanks to the Committee for its support. 

To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year in accordance with Standing Order 30.

RESOLVED – That Oliver Sells be elected Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 30 for the ensuing year.

On being elected the Deputy Chairman expressed thanks to the Committee for its support.

The Chairman thanked the immediate past Deputy Chairman for his contribution to the work of the Committee.

To note the Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED – That the Sub-Committee terms of reference be noted.

A Member suggested that it would be helpful if consultation comments could be included in all future reports.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 14 February 2017.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February be agreed subject to the inclusion of the following:

5.2 – 11-19 Monument Street

The proposed screen in option 2 displaying the view from the Monument would be vulnerable to vandalism. The inside of the proposed new Visitor Centre was a more sensible location and officers were asked to postpone the installation until the new building was available to house this.

Officers were asked to delay or re-plan phase 3 works on Monument Yard where the new Visitor Centre would be located to minimise unnecessary rework.

Report of the Town Clerk.

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

Parking for Motorcyclists

Members expressed concern regarding the period of time this issue was taking to address and asked that a clear and robust policy, including environmental issues, be brought to the Sub-Committee as soon as possible.

The Director of the Built Environment reported that the issue remained a priority however further staff resources were required to undertake what would be a very challenging programme and these were proving very difficult to recruit.

It was agreed that officers bring proposals for the programme to the Sub-Committee to enable priorities to be set, and to determine exactly what resources would be required to deliver it.

Swan Pier

The Chairman expressed frustration that there was no representative from the City Surveyor’s department at the meeting and asked that Alderman Gowman, who had initially raised the issue, be written to directly and the rest of the Sub-Committee be copied into the response.

The Sub-Committee received a report concerning the outcomes of the consultation on measures to improve the circulation of traffic within the Tudor Street area undertaken in February 2007.

Members were advised that there were five responses received during the consultation objecting to the relocation of a length of motor cycle parking from Carmelite Street to Tallis Street.  The report identified an alternative location for the motor cycle parking while the remainder of the proposed measures that drew no comment would be implemented to avoid delaying the benefits the measures will deliver to the traffic flow in the Tudor Street area.

Members raised a number of questions in relation to the numbers and types of people using the spaces, the availability and location of alternative free parking and how this could be highlighted to users, the likely displacement effect relocating would have, and whether or not further consultation on other options should be undertaken.

Arising from the discussion a vote was taken:

6 FOR

2 AGAINST

1 ABSTENTION

And the Sub-Committee RESOLVED to:

1)        Agree not to relocate the motor cycle parking to the western section of Tallis Street as agreed previously by the Court of Common Council on 12 January 2017.

2)        Agree that the objectors be informed of the decision accordingly.

The Sub-Committee received a report relating to the redevelopment of 60-70 St Mary Axe, and the associated changes that would be required as set out in the accompanying  Section 106 agreement.

The Sub-Committee was advised that once options had been drafted a wider public consultation would be arranged to ensure that stakeholders in the wider area were given an opportunity to consider and comment on the proposals.

In response to a question concerning assurance that there would be built in resilience arrangements, officers advised that this would be a key focus of the traffic assessments and would also be funded by the Section 106 funding. A further paper on an electrical charging policy would also be coming to the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – To approve the Scheme Objectives as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report and authorise the progression of the project and the release of funds as set out in Table 2 – subject to the receipt of funds.

The Sub-Committee received a Gateway 7 outcome report consolidating three major city transportation projects  - Winchester House Security, Monument Subway and New Street Square – all of which had delivered many enhancements across the City.  

The Sub-Committee was advised that there was a budget underspend on the Monument Subway project and a proposal to ask the developer if the unspent funds could be put towards the Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm Improvement project was suggested.

The Sub-Committee noted that the Winchester House Security Project was not completed at the request of Deutsche Bank.  A balance of £424,513.95 was currently being held by the City of London and a recommendation was proposed regarding these funds.

In response to a suggestion that the Monument Street Subway should not be closed and the roundells on the highway replaced, officers advised that they could look to working with TfLto achieve this and it was agreed that a report on costs be brought back to the next meeting.

Winchester House Security

RESOLVED - That

1)            The final cost of the project be noted (Appendix 1);

2)            The Chamberlain be authorised to return unspent Section 278 Payment of £293,530.75 to Deutsche Bank (plus interest);

3)           The unspent Mitigation Payment of £120,000 (plus interest) be used to fund the Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm Improvement Project, subject to the agreement of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee; 

4)            The project is closed

Monument Subway

RESOLVED - That

1)            The final cost of the project be noted and the project is closed;

2)            The developer be asked if the unspent funds of £58,334 could be put towards providing further signage.   (Members noted that authority was previously delegated to the Director of the Department of the Built Environment at Gateway 5 to seek additional sources of funding, provided there

The Sub-Committee considered a report on detailing the findings of the zebra crossing review in order to identify which crossings caused significant traffic delay and assess the potential for reducing localised congestion. Members were advised that three of the four locations identified were either outside of the City’s direct control or within other active plans to modify streets.

Members expressed support for the proposals concerning New Fetter Lane which was considered to be heavily congested, and it was further suggested that the installation of refuges all along the road were a low cost option to ease congestion without slowing traffic, although these might encourage jay-walkers.

Members also discussed the need to install a signal crossing suitable for people with disabilities, and parents with young children in push-chairs.

In response to a question concerning likely costs and timescales, officers advised that it was likely to be approximately two years, and more detailed costs would be refined at the next gateway. Consultation needed to be undertaken with TfL as well as the London Borough of Islington. Officers furthers advised that it would be sensible to undertake trials before committing large sums of money.

RESOLVED that a feasibility review of how to mitigate congestion at the New Fetter Lane pedestrian crossing, which will need to follow the corporate gateway process, be undertaken.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Department of the Built Environment and the Commissioner of the City of London Police in respect of the Road Danger Reduction Programme 2017/18.

The report advised that officers would be conducting a number of fact finding visits over the next few months including a number of visits to TfL and the highest performing Boroughs to see what lessons might be learnt to try and improve road safety.

Members noted that officers were proposing a wide range of measures aimed at reducing casualties further, including

·      Physical Engineering Measures

·      Closer working with City businesses to target messages to City workers

·      A broad range of Education Training and Promotion (ETP) including schools but particularly focused towards City workers

·      Targeted enforcement by the City of London Police (CoLP)

In response to questions the Director of the Built Environment advised that it was expected that all of these measures would contribute to reducing casualties on City Streets, however analysis of casualties over the last year had made it clear that one of the biggest issues to address was ‘inattention’ and it was proposed that 17/18 would see a particular focus on addressing inattention by all road users.

A Member made reference to the ‘Active City Network’ and whether or not commercial vehicle enforcement was part of this, and another Member suggested that it would be helpful to know how the Police would work with DBE staff to ensure consistent compliance data. Members also suggested that more could be done to reduce the number of ‘visitor’ incidents, perhaps by including more obvious signage and reminders to look left and right, as well as warning regarding ‘danger zones’.

RESOLVED – to note the decisions taken by the Planning and Transportation Committee as follows:

1)            The

Report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Sub-Committee received a report detailing recent and forthcoming planned criminal enforcement and educational activity carried out by the City of London Police Transport and Highways Operations Group (THOG) in support of the City of London Road Danger Reduction Plan, National Police enforcement campaigns, and public safety.

In relation to the Enforcement Activity data in the table of page 125 of the report, a Member commented that the CoL Police would need to prioritise these as there wasn’t enough officers to undertake all of the activities all of the time.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Tudor Street

A Member reported that he was aware that TfL had recently undertaken a survey outside Blackfrars station and asked for an update on the traffic re-organisation agreed with TfL in the Tudor Street area of the City as it was evident that some actions had delayed the traffic flow resulting in the opposite effect to the desired one.

Officers responded that they were aware that the system was not working efficiently and that TfL were compiling data to try and improve the traffic flow, however they had not shared this with the City of London Corporation and officers were currently seeking clarity on the issue and an urgent meeting with TfL.

The Chairman expressed concern that he had not been made aware of this, especially as he had given assurance to the Court of Common Council back in January that work was ongoing to develop a deliverable scheme.

Officers advised that they were continuing to work through the detailed technical aspects of the agreed option and there had been no material change to the situation.  As expected the scheme was a complex one to deliver and work was ongoing with TfL to find a solution that both sides could both be confident would  work. 

The Chairman asked that an urgent meeting with TfL be arranged to include both the Deputy Chairman and himself.

Two-Way Cycle Routes – Consultation

A member asked whether any consultation had been undertaken with local residents prior to introducing two-way cycle routes in the Trinity Square area, and also suggested that railings were needed on Byward Street as people were spilling out of pubs & railings onto the road.

Officers advised that a vigorous design process had been undertaken and they would ensure that the public were consulted in the traffic order

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act as follows:-

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public Minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2017.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 14 February be agreed.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Sub-Committee received a report concerning the impact of the London Borough of Islington’s changes to its controlled parking zone.

Report of the Town Clerk, City Surveyor & Managing Director, Barbican.

The Sub-Committee received a report in relation to Beech Street.

There were no non-public questions.

There was one item of non-public urgent business noted by the Sub-Committee.