Agenda, decisions and minutes

that the minutes of the meeting on 12 September be agreed as an accurate record.

1.1    Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting on 12 September be agreed as an accurate record.

2.1    There were none.

3.1    There were none.

that the report be noted. It was also agreed that:

·         The draft integrated active travel strategy should come to the Committee for pre-decision scrutiny. It was noted that this would include the type and distance of cycle lanes being planned (specifically, highlighting new protected cycling routes)

·         Further information would be provided on the key performance indicators for dockless bike hire schemes in the borough.

·         Additional information would be provided on the delivery and uptake of cycle training in schools.

·         Officers should seek to integrate additional sources of data (including from the London Cycle Campaign on dangerous junctions) into the development of the integrated active travel strategy.

4.1    Seamus Adams (Head of Commercial Operations and Development) and Paul Boulton (Director of Public Realm) introduced the report. Seamus highlighted some of the key successes and challenges in delivering the Council’s priorities for active travel (including ongoing funding constraints) Seamus noted the plans for the development of an integrated active travel strategy to inform the Council’s approach to active travel in the coming decade.

4.2    Seamus Adams and Paul Boulton responded to questions from the Committee – the following key points were noted:

·         There were different types of bike hangars which were subsidised to varying amounts by the Council. The charges for residents were kept to a minimum.

·         A list of upcoming new cycle hangars had been added to the Council’s website. Further communication would take place with people on the waiting list.

·         Residents on streets due to have cycle hangars were formally consulted about their proposed locations.

·         Officers recognised the concerns about dockless hire bikes and a system was being put in place to manage their distribution (and parking) across the borough.

·         Abandoned bikes could be reported to the Council on the Love Clean Streets app/website.

·         A programme was being developed across London for the management of dockless bikes. The delivery of dockless cycling was in a transitional phase, with many improvements anticipated in the coming months.

·         Further consideration would be given to improving the crossing of the Waterlink Way at South End Lane (near Bell Green) when the availability of funding (from Transport for London and the active travel fund) was confirmed.

·         Additional information (including the recently published information from the London Cycling Campaign) would be welcome.

·         There was a programme for schools to encourage active travel.

·         It was recognised that additional work needed to take place on school streets where there were issues.

·         Funding was sought from a variety of sources to support active travel in schools.

·         Work to deliver school active travel plans took into account the range of factors relating to obstacles to active travel.

·         There were a number of benefits to the implementation of school streets. Further consideration would be given to the data that could be collected on the impact of school streets.

·         There were limited options to prevent people from cycling dangerously. There were best practice guidelines from the Department for Transport (which could be publicised on the Council’s website) The Council focused on education and quality design for public space.

·         A heavy goods vehicle (HGV) strategy for the borough had recently been completed – in order to integrate with the Council’s broader strategies and plans. This would also enable the delivery of future HGV reduction schemes.

·         Further information on the quantity of new cycle lanes (and other metrics) would be available as part of the integrated active travel strategy.

·         Officers would return to the Committee with additional information on the prioritisation and delivery of cycling infrastructure once the level of funding for the local implementation plan for the coming year was known.

4.3    In Committee discussions the following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Late item

that the report be noted. It was also agreed that:

·         There should be purposeful and broad consultation on the manual (including with the RNIB)

·         There should be a formal review every four or five years (each Council administration)

·         That the manual should be proactively shared with councillors on planning committees as a matter of course.

5.1    Charlotte Harrison (Head of Strategic Housing and Regeneration) introduced the report. Charlotte provided the background to the development of the technical manual. Madhur Gurjar (Project Manager, Strategic Regeneration) provided an overview of the content of the report, highlighting the principles that had informed its development.

5.2    Charlotte Harrison, Madhur Gurjar and Patrick Dubeck (Director of Inclusive Regeneration) responded to questions from the Committee – the following key points were noted:

·         Work had taken place with officers across the Council to develop the manual. Upcoming projects (including those being delivered through TfL funding) would take the proposals in the manual into account.

·         Engagement would take place with developers as part of the consultation process.

·         There was a lot of flood risk information available in the borough – which could be incorporated into the delivery of future schemes.

·         Nature based solutions could be incorporated in future schemes. Officers were collaborating with boroughs that were more advanced in terms of their delivery of improvements to the streetscape to learn from good practice.

·         The manual would not provide a list of places for action – but it would provide tools for delivery.

·         It was recognised that not all streets had the maximum amount of pavement space available – but where there was space – the manual would seek to safeguard it, whilst also recognising the other uses of the streetscape (such as for businesses and street trading)

·         Consideration was being given to the best ways to share the manual with residents.

·         There had been some missed opportunities for the delivery of improvements to the streetscape. It was intended that as future improvements were made (including highway and footway renewals) the guidance in the manual would be picked up. Funding was an ongoing constraint and it was important to manage expectations.

·         The document would not have statutory planning weight – but it was already being consulted as part of the development of future schemes and was welcomed by developers and project managers.

5.3    Councillor Krupski was invited to address the Committee – the following key points were noted:

·         The development of the manual was welcome and it was being linked to the Council’s other areas of development (including the sustainable streets programme and the development of the integrated active travel strategy)

·         She encouraged officers from across the Council to deliver coordinated improvements.

5.4    In Committee discussions the following key points were also noted:

·         Members would welcome the wider publication of the manual to residents and interested community groups in the borough.

·         The Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB) had created its own guide to the streetscape – which officers should consider to improve streets for all users (and consult with the organisation).

·         A regular review of the manual would be welcomed (at least once during each Council administration).

5.5    Resolved: that the report be noted. It was also agreed that:

·         There should be purposeful and broad consultation on the manual (including with the RNIB)

·         There should be a formal review  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

that the work programme for the meeting on 9 January be agreed.

6.1    The Committee discussed the work programme – agreeing that items on active travel (including the KPIs on Lime Bikes); the Climate Emergency Action Plan and the Catford programme be on the agenda for the meeting on 9 January 2024. It was also requested that an update be circulated on the current progress with the sustainable streets programme.

6.2    Resolved: that the work programme for the meeting on 9 January be agreed.