Agenda item

(a)      To consider the following Resolution from the Ward of Aldersgate – 14 March 2023.

“The Aldersgate Wardmote deplores the dangerous use of pavements and walkways by bicycles and scooters and electric versions thereof and urges the Grand Court of Wardmote to take action to prevent such abuse of the pavements and walkways”

(b)      To consider the following Resolutions from the Ward of Candlewick – 20 March 2023.

(i)       “The Ward of Candlewick commented that they were keen to continue working closely and collaboratively with officers at the City Corporation to get the maximum impact for the Ward of Candlewick from a public realm perspective, and to develop and deliver a plan that would work well long term and provide accessible and user-friendly streets across the City.”

(ii)       “With regard to progress of the building development on Abchurch Lane, the Ward of Candlewick asked that this matter be raised with the City Corporation’s officers and an update provided in a future Candlewick Ward Newsletter. In the event that the project was unlikely to be completed in the near future, scope to have the hoardings updated would also be explored with officers from the Planning and Transportation Department.”

(a)        To consider the following resolution from the Ward of Aldersgate – 14 March 2023:

“The Aldersgate Wardmote deplores the dangerous use of pavements and walkways by bicycles and scooters and electric versions thereof and urges the Grand Court of Wardmote to take action to prevent such abuse of the pavements and walkways”

An Officer stated that this related to enforcement and activities to tackle the unsafe and illegal riding of cycles and e-scooters on the pavement. The Officer stated that enforcement was a policing matter, but Officers were working closely with the police, including through regular meetings of the Road Danger Reduction Partnership. In addition, the Vision Zero Plan was due to be considered by the Committee in October 2023 and would contain details of work with the police around safer behaviours. Enforcement figures were also contained in the Annual Report on the Transport Strategy included in the information pack.

Members discussed sharing the resolution with the Police Authority Board and the Chairman requested that an Officer take ownership of the matter to ensure action was taken. An Officer confirmed this would be the case and stated that the Vision Zero Plan would be submitted to both the Planning and Transportation Committee and the Police Authority Board and had been developed jointly with the Police.

A Member raised the issue of dockless cycles, in particular Lime bikes, being left in non-designated parking areas. An Officer stated that the progress made with Lime and Human Forest had been considered by the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee recently. Both operators fined those who left bikes in non-designated areas and issued bans for repeated offences. The Officer stated that the reports considered by the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee could be shared with Members. He stated that Officers worked closely with operators to address and improve their compliance and London Councils were also working on this. The Chairman stated that he and the Deputy Chairman had met with Lime in-person and discussed concerns. Lime was working to address these. He also stated that London Councils were trying to formulate a unified approach across all London boroughs. A Member stated the importance of signage that stated the rules, so users were fully informed.

A Member asked how members of the public should report a bike parked in a non-designated parking area and raised concern that if they reported it to Lime, Officers would not know about it or be able to monitor progress. She also raised concern that performance may have improved prior to the contract being extended but it was important this continued afterwards. An Officer stated that the quickest way to have the bike removed would be to notify the operator. Officers received the figures of Lime’s response rate and the number of bikes they identified as having been left outside of parking bays and these would continue to be reported back to the Streets and Walkways Committee. Officers also reported bikes and monitored this against the figures provided by the operators. The Member requested that information on contact details for reporting bikes out of bays be provided on the website. She also stated the importance of cost recovery.

A Member suggested that penalty parking notices should be issued. An Officer stated that the recent reports to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee which would be circulated to Members, included the details of legal enforcement. Dockless cycles fell through a legislative gap so there was no way to regulate them without a change in national legislation. This would take some time. The City had always required dockless cycles to be left in designated parking bays, work was taking place with operators to improve compliance and pay for additional parking recovery. In addition to circulating the recent reports, Officers were willing to arrange briefings or meetings with Members if requested. A Member stated that she was supportive of a briefing for Members.

(b)        To consider the following resolutions from the Ward of Candlewick – 20 March 2023

(i)         “The Ward of Candlewick commented that they were keen to continue working closely and collaboratively with officers at the City Corporation to get the maximum impact for the Ward of Candlewick from a public realm perspective, and to develop and deliver a plan that would work well long term and provide accessible and user-friendly streets across the City.”

An Officer stated that there was a current project looking at King William Street as part of the Pedestrian Priority Programme which would deliver pavement widening and public realm improvements once the Bank Junction works were completed in spring 2024. There would then be further opportunities around Abchurch Lane as the development over the new underground entrance came forward in the Section 278 opportunities. The Officer stated that these opportunities would be submitted to the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee for approval and monitoring.

(ii)        “With regard to progress of the building development on Abchurch Lane, the Ward of Candlewick asked that this matter be raised with the City Corporation’s officers and an update provided in a future Candlewick Ward Newsletter. In the event that the project was unlikely to be completed in the near future, scope to have the hoardings updated would also be explored with officers from the Planning and Transportation Department.”

An Officer stated that this item related to the over station development at Bank Station and the existing blue hoardings on Abchurch Lane onto Cannon Street and King William Street. The Ward Members had requested that discussions be undertaken with TfL to improve the hoarding. Discussions were taking place and Officers were awaiting a TfL response and hoped for a positive resolution to improve the aesthetics. Officers would report back in due course.

RESOLVED – That Members note the wardmote resolutions and request Officers to report back to the next meeting on the progress made against the wardmote resolutions.