Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment A three-year programme implementing pedestrian priority and pavement widening schemes across the Square Mile to enhance the comfort and safety of people walking. The Chairman introduced the item, commenting that this was an important project which would hopefully lead to an evidence-based approach and avoid some of the problems reported in other London boroughs.

In response to questions from Members, the Director of the Built Environment advised that further assessment on interventions and network management would be undertaken, as well as traffic modelling to explore the interaction of the proposals with other schemes. It was further advised that the public consultation on All Change at Bank would be taken into account in progressing the scheme. The Director of the Built Environment then gave the Sub Committee further detail on the Air Quality data used and advised that more recent data would be included in the Year 2 proposals. Members suggested that a timetable capturing all the planned works be produced for ease of reference and to aid monitoring.

In response to a question from a Member, the Director of the Built Environment confirmed that all temporary measures could be reviewed and designs of existing and proposed measures would be looked at in detail. A Member commented that some schemes may be adversely impacted by the return of footfall and traffic to the City and stressed that network flexibility should be maintained. The Director of the Built Environment responded that further assessment and stakeholder engagement would be undertaken and confirmed that any measures could be modified, retained or rolled back as necessary.

RESOLVED – That the Streets & Walkways Sub Committee:

1. Agree that a budget of £199,000 is approved to reach the next Gateway for Year 1 interventions;

2. Note the total estimated cost of the programme at £6 - £8 million (excluding risk);

3. Note the total estimated cost of Year 1 of the programme at £2.5 - £3.2million;

4. Note the methodology set out in paragraphs 12.1 below to prioritise City streets for improvements;

5. Approve the streets to be included in Year 1 of the programme, set out in paragraph 5.7;

6. Approve the Programme reporting plan;

7. For Year 1 only, approve the submission of combined Gateway 3/4 reports as the next gateway (for the reasons set out in paragraph 5.9);

8. For Year 1 only, authorise the Director of Built Environment, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Streets and Walkways and Projects Sub, to approve the Gateway 5 report (for the reasons set out in paragraph 5.9; and

9. That delegated authority is given to the Director of the Built Environment, in consultation with the Chamberlain, to make any adjustments between elements of the project budget.