Agenda item

To consider a report proposing an alternative layout for the Tudor Street junction as well as a number of mitigation measures.

PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

(Christopher Michael Hayward)

13 December 2016

Tudor Street – Alternative Design & Mitigation Measures

On 28 April 2016, Transport for London (TfL) opened their North-South cycle superhighway from Blackfriars to Stonecutter Street. However, concerns about the impact of the superhighway on the area around Tudor Street were expressed at the time by the Temples and other residents and, following debate, proposals put forward to help mitigate the position were not supported by the Court of Common Council. Officers had consequently been instructed to work with TfL, the Temples and their transport consultants to establish if a more effective scheme could be developed.

An alternative design for the Tudor Street junction had now been agreed in principle by all parties and was presented to Members for consideration at Appendix 2 to the report.

It had also been recognised that there was a need to implement mitigation measures ahead of the revised scheme, as it had been observed that the introduction of TfL’s cycle superhighway schemes had resulted in an increase in traffic on other City streets which was causing circulation implications for lorry movements within the area.

The Court was consequently recommended to:-

·         agree and instruct officers to continue to work with TfL to progress the alternative layout as shown in Appendix 2;

·         approve a total estimated cost of £195,000, of which £175,000 is a contribution towards TfL’s costs in delivering the alternative layout; and

·         approve and agree to the delivery of the mitigation measures (subject to the resolution of any objections arising from the statutory public consultation) as shown in Appendix 3.

Introducing the report, the Chairman thanked the consultants representing the Temples, relevant Ward Members, TfL staff and officers involved for their hard work and dedication in developing a sensible and pragmatic solution which was acceptable to all parties.

A number of Members spoke to express their very real gratitude to the Chairman for his exemplary work in ensuring a mutually satisfactory outcome to this issue. The Chairman thanked Honourable Members for their kind words and reiterated his own gratitude to the various parties who had worked extremely hard and collaboratively to find a solution. He also expressed particular thanks to TfL for agreeing to fund a significant proportion of the implementation costs for the new layout.

In response to a query concerning the cost of developing the alternative proposal and any compensatory savings that would be required from the Department of the Built Environment’s local risk budget, the Chairman undertook to provide the information to the interested Member in due course.

Resolved – That approval be given to:-

·         the alternative layout set out at Appendix 2 to the report, with officers instructed to continue to work with TfL to progress this;

·         a total estimated cost of £195,000, of which £175,000 would be a contribution towards TfL’s costs in delivering the alternative layout; and

the delivery of the mitigation measures (subject to the resolution of any objections arising from the statutory public consultation) as shown in Appendix 3 to the report.