Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Alastair Moss, William Upton QC, and Paul Martinelli.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 08 July 2021.

A Member made a correction to the list of Apologies received in respect of the meeting of 08 July 2021.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 08 July 2021 be agreed as a correct record, subject to a single correction to the list of Apologies.

The Sub Committee heard a presentation on the ‘All Change at Bank’ project covering an outline of the proposals as consulted; the consultation survey data; the overall consultation themes with Officer comments and responses; and the recommendations.

Members noted that the written comments of local businesses and organisations submitted independently of the survey were shown in Appendix 8.

A Member expressed the view that safety had not come through strongly in the presentation and asked for further clarification on the project’s safety implications, particularly in respect of pedestrians and cyclists sharing the road with buses.

Members heard that traffic tended to slow down when travelling along narrower carriageways, and that the widening of pavements and removal of excess carriageway was likely to result in improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists, with cyclist traffic light sequences set to enhance the safety of cyclists.

It was pointed out that some licensed premises in the Bank junction area had been denied an outdoor seating licence for safety reasons.  

A Member asked what had happened to previous proposals for a taxi (black cab) rank outside or opposite The Ned (to be funded by The Ned) and whether those plans had been taken forward. The Member expressed support for a taxi rank at The Ned for safety reasons. 

Members heard that those proposals were still on the table and had been costed out. Those proposals had been sent to The Ned and no response had yet been received from The Ned on those specific proposals, though the taxi rank issue had been raised via the current proposed project. The pandemic was likely to have affected any response.

A Member sought clarification on whether, given Bank junction’s importance on the Lord Mayor’s Show ceremonial route, the Pageantmaster for the Lord Mayor’s Show had been consulted on

Members considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment on an improvement project within the immediate perimeter and streets in the wider vicinity of the approved Millennium Bridge House development at 2 Lambeth Hill.

Members heard that the area attracts a lot of skateboarders and learned that further skateboarding would not be facilitated - to include installing high seating, which also benefits the elderly.

Members heard that the City of London School would be kept informed of the project.

RESOLVED – That the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee approve the initiation of the project:

·         Approve the budget of £50,000, that forms the legally agreed Section 106, Design and Evaluation Fee Payment for the project to reach the next Gateway;

·         Note the total estimated cost of the project at £150K-300K (excluding risk);

·         Note that at the next reporting stage, any proposed Cost Risk Provision is to be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Streets & Walkways sub-Committee and Projects sub-Committee.

·         Authorise officers to negotiate and enter into a Section 278 agreement, in accordance with the requirements of the Section 106 agreement.

To consider a resolution of the Projects Sub-Committee from 23 July ‘21

Members received the report of the Projects Sub Committee of 23 July 2021: ‘City Streets Transportation Response to support Covid-19 Recover Phase 3’. 

Members agreed that the points raised in the report were common to the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee.

Members agreed that updates and developments on the matter would be added to the Sub Committee’s Outstanding References.

RESOLVED – That the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee note the contents of the report from the Projects sub-committee of 23 July 2021.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub Committee received a list of outstanding references and the following points were made:

Dockless vehicles: HumanForest (the second operator) began operating in early September 2021 on a trial basis.

A Member commented that a Lime bike has been seen at the staircase at Breton House (Barbican) for several weeks and queried the effectiveness of the company’s bike tracking process. Members heard that the matter would be raised and the findings reported back.

A Member commented that e-scooters were often used on pavements especially in the evening, and raised concerns around the inappropriate use of bikes and e-scooters, and around the level of education in respect of the appropriate use and parking of hired bikes and e-scooters. Members heard that the geo-fencing capability may not be sufficiently precise to prevent pavement use.       

Beech Street: the outcome of the judicial review challenging the legality of the experiment (delivered on 10 August 2021) found in favour of the City of London, meaning that the 18-month experiment was considered meaningful and that it could continue. The experiment is to expire on 18 September 2021, and street notices have been posted to explain that. A safety audit on the central reservations for accessing car parks from either direction has resulted in those staying in place. Data is being collected via cameras for traffic modelling purposes to inform future decisions on a permanent scheme at Beech St. That information is being shared with the Barbican Association, and discussions are being held with the Association on a fortnightly basis as part of the Healthy Streets plans. A Gateway 1 - 2 report is expected to be presented to the Sub Committee in October 2021 for the Barbican – Golden Lane Healthy Streets Plan. Subject to the Sub Committee’s approval, a permanent scheme to address air

Report of the Town Clerk

The Sub Committee received a report of action taken between meetings: approval by delegated authority from the Town Clerk of a Gateway 2 report in respect of highway and public realm works in the vicinity of 40 Leadenhall Street.

RESOLVED  - that the Sub Committee note the report.

A Member commented that signage needed to be improved in respect of some of the roads that had been closed off during the pandemic, including at Old Jewry Poultry junction, given that some minicabs were struggling to navigate the area appropriately. Members heard that a review is currently under way.

No other business was raised.

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:-

No matters were raised.

No other business was raised.