Agenda item

Verbal Update.

The Sub-Committee received a verbal update on the Tudor Street mitigation measures.

The Deputy Chairman stated that it all relevant parties had taken on board that a solution needed to be found as soon as possible, however officer time spent in relation to this was disproportionate to the size of the area.

Members raised a number of questions in relation to the installation of the parking restrictions in Bridewell Place, consultation with various stakeholders including bus-stop users and the study of the traffic flow.

Officers agreed to look into the parking restrictions at Bridewell Place as there had been some issues with the yellow lines. They further advised that the study of traffic flow was a major pieces of work likely to take up to a year, and that TfL were responsible for consultation with bus-stop users.

It was further agreed that a written copy of the update should be provided in addition to the minute and this is detailed below:

Tudor Street Briefing note

(1)Chairman, the last meeting of this committee was on 16^th May.  Since that time a considerable amount of officer time has been spent on preparation of background papers and briefings to ensure all key stakeholders were fully briefed. This includes Carolyn Dwyer and myself meeting representatives from the Middle and Inner Temples.

(2)The Director of the Built Environment and I have also met with Leon Daniels ( TfL’s Surface Transport Director) who has confirmed that there is no material change to the position reported to Court earlier this year, in other words Tfl are continuing work to develop a scheme that fully meets the City’s principle objectives and which both Tfl and the City consider to be workable and effective. Just to remind Members of the agreed principle objectives, these are

A signalising the Tudor St / New Bridge St junction to enable vehicles to turn left and right out of Tudor Street

B a formal pedestrian crossing

C limiting access to Bridewell Place making it one way from New bridge street

D A range of mitigation measures linked to improving lorry movements in the area

(3)On the 7th June 2017.  Officers had a very positive meeting with TfL Senior Management and their Tudor Street Junction project officer.  In that meeting TfL agreed the following:

                                                             i.      Their continued commitment to working with the Temples and the City to deliver a signalised junction at Tudor Street/New Bridge Street that delivers the principles of what Court of Common Council agreed on 12^th January 2017.

                                                           ii.       At the meeting TfL raised with us a new option that had been brought forward by representatives of the Temples. This option included closing Bridewell Place at the junction with new bridge street and taking the related signalised junction and moving it to Tudor Street. This scheme would also see the current bus stop moved to Blackfriars Bridge and a new bus stop introduced near Bridewell Place to overcome concerns regarding minimum distances between stops. 

                                                        iii.      They formally agreed to work with City Officers to conduct a review of the operation of the streets in the area bounded by the Temples, the Embankment, New Bridge Street and Fleet Street.

                                                         iv.      TfL have agreed to include within the proposed review particular consideration of whether access and egress at Temple Avenue and Carmelite Streets junctions could be improved. It was considered however that a review of the decision to close John Carpenter Street should not be included given that JP Morgan had made significant investment in improving the public realm outside their building which resulted from the road closure.

(4)In relation to the Tudor Street Junction, TfL have now made preliminary assessments of some 9 options, all of which are variations on a theme to meet the agreed objective of signalising Tudor Street junction. This could be taken to indicate both TfLs commitment to resolving the problem but also the complexity of the challenge. They are now left with 3 potentially viable schemes and this includes the scheme recently put forward by the Temples.

(5)A meeting is now scheduled with the temples Traffic consultant on the 29^th June (two previously agreed meetings having been cancelled by the Temples). Officers have stressed the importance of this meeting as it is to agree which of the remaining 3 options should be progressed to detailed modelling, impact assessment and costing. The meeting will also seek to agree the scope of the Temple area streets function review and establish the Temples objectives and desired review outcomes.  A meeting, hosted by the Chairman, is scheduled for the same evening to bring ward members up to date on progress on these matters.  

(6)In relation to the Tudor Street junction, we have pushed Tfl on their timeframes for modelling once the preferred  scheme is agreed but this is still expected to take around 8 weeks. Assuming the timescales I have set out are met I would expect to be able to report to the September meeting of this committee on the findings. However meeting committee deadlines will be very tight and this may necessitate an oral update in September followed by the written report in October.

(7)If all goes smoothly TfL have advised they would look for an ambitious target of build commencement in Summer 2018. Once the final scheme is agreed a detailed delivery plan will be prepared and presented to this committee.

(8)Finally I can advise that in relation to delivering the agreed mitigation measures in the area to facilitate improved movement, resurfacing works are scheduled to complete this weekend.