Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub-Committee received a list of outstanding actions.

Swan Pier

The City Surveyor advised the Sub-Committee that the contractor had been appointed and had started to set up the site and finalise licenses. The project was on programme with no current issues. The contractors were taking the old pier out so that works to the flood defence wall could be carried out, and would leave it so that the pier could be re-established following the work.

22 Bishopsgate

The Director of the Built Environment advised the Sub-Committee that 95% of the details of the legal agreement had been agreed. A proposal had been drafted to break the impasse on the remaining negotiations which had been circulated to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman for information. The Chairman advised that he was satisfied with the proposals and advised officers to proceed.

Dockless Cycles

The Director of the Built Environment advised that discussions with the cycle hire operators were continuing. There had been additional approaches from operators about electric cycle schemes, but officers had asked them not to move to set up any such scheme until the Transport Strategy had been adopted.

A Member advised that they had had seen an electric cycle scheme operator presentation and had been impressed. The scheme had better technology than some of the existing schemes and could be a promising route forward. The Chairman added that he would be meeting with an operator next week.

Beech Street

The Chairman advised the Sub-Committee that he was continuing to meet with his counterpart from the London Borough of Islington and had discussed a possible two-way closure. A report on that would be brought back to Committee.

The Director of the Built Environment added that officers were also meeting with Islington to discuss possible closure plans and the ramifications for the wider network. Islington were also looking at their own project to promote walking and cycling, and the authorities had agreed to promote and support each other’s aspirations. High-level discussions with TfL were also underway. Modelling for a one-way closure in either direction had been approved but approval was still sought for two-way closure. The road had been closed for a period last year in order for Thames Water to undertake work and this was an opportunity to look at two-way closure as an additional option. Members were pleased to hear about the co-operative approach of Islington and TfL.

Blackfriars Bridge Underpass

The Director of the Built Environment advised the Sub-Committee that repairs to the lighting and a deep clean had been done by TfL, and a meeting had been arranged for next week to any remaining minor issues.

A Member reported that the underpass looked better but there was some minor work outstanding such as repairs to the tiling and treads. The Chairman asked that the item be kept on the outstanding references list until further feedback had been received.