Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment, to be received by the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee on 17 November 2014, the Health and Wellbeing Board on 28 November 2014, the Policy and Resources Committee on 11 December 2014, and considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee on 13 January 2015.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding the adoption of a policy to enable the safe management of footpaths and the street environment in a proportionate manner.

The Assistant Director of Street Scene and Strategy advised that comments received from Members following a recent report indicated the issues being experienced on the City’s streets were wider than just ‘A’ Boards, which was agreed with by Members of this Committee.

Members then discussed the following issues relating to items placed on streets and pavements:

·         Tables, chairs, pots and plants outside businesses often caused obstructions on walkways that prevented people, particularly the elderly, partially sighted and disabled, from walking past. The Assistant Director of Street Scene and Strategy advised that the Access Team and the Health and Wellbeing Board would be consulted regarding items on the highway causing difficulties for disabled people.

·         Small businesses required better signage in their area to advertise their location to customers, which would prevent the need for them to deploy ‘A’ Boards on the walkway at their entrance.

·         In relation to the City of London Footway Guidance, a Member noted that the requirement for a minimum of 2 metres of unobstructed width may still have been too narrow for busy City streets. The Assistant Director of Street Scene and Strategy advised that this distance was a requirement for the narrowest point but the Guidance note could be reviewed.

·         In relation to the walkway outside Barbican Station, a Member noted that obstructive items had been removed only to be replaced by a large bin. The Assistant Director of Street Scene and Strategy would meet with the Member to observe this particular bin.

·         A Member, also the Deputy Chairman of the Licensing Committee, noted that the issue of people obstructing walkways could be dealt with by entering into voluntary agreements with business owners to ensure that their customers only gathered on one side of the walkway. Staff would come outside regularly to collect glasses and at the same time ask customers to move to an area that would not obstruct the walkway.

·         Another Member added that he would approach owners of a business in the Ward of Cheap regarding a potential agreement to reduce obstructions outside their entrance.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    the report be noted; and

b)    Members’ comments be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board, Streets and Walkways Sub Committee, Policy and Resources Committee, and the Planning and Transportation Committee.