Issue - meetings

The Panel received and considered an update report presented by the Head of Highways and Transport (Head of H&T) about changes to the Lewisham and Lee Green Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN), and the overarching measures to support safer walking and cycling in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.  The Panel asked questions about applications of the measures, and noted responses by officers.

1.            Cycling Incentives

In response to questions raised, the Head of H&T advised the Panel that the Council could not deliver its highways and transport programme in the current financial year as it had intended because funding stipulations issued by the Government required councils to focus on delivering measures in response to the pandemic.  In spite of that, the Council remained supportive of active and sustainable modes of transport, and was implementing a bicycle-loan scheme to support key workers.

The Panel was further advised that following recent negotiations between Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport, the Government announced that additional funds could be available to London councils.  The Head of H&T stated that the extra funds could present an opportunity for the Council to re-prioritise its earlier commitments to deliver a balanced highways and transport programme, including further incentives to support cycling initiatives in Lewisham in addition to the loan scheme.

2.                   Air Quality & Traffic: Monitoring Implementation

In light of a concern, the Head of H&T informed the Panel that the Council was undertaking traffic counts, and had installed air quality monitors at specific locations across the wider LTN system.  Furthermore, the Council was utilising Global Positioning System (GPS) data and other highways performance reliable information provided by TfL to monitor and compare its performance with other London councils.  The Panel noted that officers were also engaging with residents on matters relating to the Council’s climate change initiatives.

The Head of H&T stated that key success to monitoring was to gauge how the measures were improving living conditions for residents.  Therefore, although preliminary evidence suggested that air quality in areas where the measures had been implemented was not getting significantly worse, the Council would continue to monitor more closely, with a view to undertake an impact assessment to inform proposals in the final decision report.

3.            Community Engagement & Monitoring

The Panel noted arrangements to support current initiatives relating to low traffic neighbourhoods, pop-up cycling facilities, school streets programmes, and the creation of additional pedestrianised public spaces for people to move about in conveniently.  The Panel expressed a concern that residents’ living arrangements were significantly distorted because of inadequate notice prior to implementing the measures in their neighbourhoods.

Speaking in his capacity as Cabinet Member for Democracy, Refugees and Accountability, Councillor Kevin Bonavia stated that the Government required that councils should spend the money in a very short space of time in the middle of a pandemic, in spite of earlier concerns that it could impact adversely on community engagement timeline.  Councillor Bonavia stated that the Government would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4

RESOLVED the update report on temporary measures to support safer walking and cycling in response to the COVID-19 pandemic be considered at the next meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED: That this report be deferred for consideration at the next meeting.