Agenda item

Rosamund Kissi-Debra, Founder, Ella Roberta Foundation, Cllr Louise Krupski, Cabinet Member, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Action

Presentations followed by Q&A with panel

1. The speakers were Cllr Louise Krupski, Cabinet member for Environment and Climate Action; Rosamund Kissi-Debra, Ella Roberta Foundation; Robert McIntosh, Forest Hill Society.
   
   Cllr Krupski spoke about the Sustainable Streets proposals on which Lewisham is consulting on a phased basis, and the level of interest in this by residents. The council has a firm commitment to improve Air quality and increase the opportunities for active travel. We want to make streets beautiful for our residents and allow them to park near their own homes.  The challenges we face include that Southwark are introducing Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) on all their streets, we have many drivers commuting through the borough to reach tube stations nearer to Central London, and we lack sufficient funds to introduce all the improvements needed to make active travel safer, easier and more pleasant e.g. pedestrian crossings, bike hangars, trees, electric vehicle charging stations.
   
   The average cost of a resident parking space is equivalent to the cost of one bus journey a week.  Charging for a parking space will help the borough fund mandatory bus passes.  Less than half of residents own a car.  Pavement parking is a significant deterrent to walking around residential streets. We have recognised the challenges for some residents who need to use their cars to travel around the borough, for example all disabled badge holders will have FREE residential parking.
   
   Following feedback and experience from Phase 1 of the consultation, which affected Catford, Crofton Park and parts of Perry Vale, we expect to carry out consultation covering Forest Hill ward in June or July 2024.  This will begin on the online platform “Commonplace,” with a further phase of community consultation.
   
   Issues specific to Forest Hill
   We are working on a “Safe Street” for Fairlawn School.
   We are in the process of delivering improvements around Bampton Road, Kingsdale Road, Taymount Rise and Valentine Court.
   Our Air Quality Action Plan is due to be considered at Sustainable Development Committee on 19^th September.
   
   Rosamund Kissi-Debra:
   Rosamund introduced herself as founder of Ella Roberta Foundation, a qualified teacher and WHO (World Health Organization) Breathe-Life Ambassador.  Rosamnd campaigns tirelessly to raise awareness of the effects of air pollution on lung health and for the authorities to take action to reduce air pollution.  Lewisham has one of the highest rates of asthma in London, with the main concern being pollution on the South Circular. Going forward, Rosamund also aims to focus on indoor pollution as the air quality inside buildings is also very poor.  There will be a statue of Ella raised in Mountsfield Park as a memorial.
   
   
   Robert McIntosh – Forest Hill Society
   Robert introduced the Society which aims to represent all residents in the Forest Hill area and improve the experience of living in Forest Hill.  The group had been keen to respond to the Sustainable Streets consultation covering Crofton Park, as it appeared to them that there were omissions.  There is concern that the transport effects of intervention in one area, can be felt in neighbouring areas.  Residents are concerned regarding rat-running which affects Devonshire Road and other local roads which feed onto it. Forest Hill Soc would like to bring the idea of Livable Neighbourhoods and Sustainable Streets together.
   
   Attendees were then invited to pose their questions to any member of the panel (or all 3)
   
   Q: Has the South Circular as it travels through Lewisham been monitored for air quality, and if so, what were the results?
   A: Cllr Krupski responded: This information is available on our website by searching Air Quality.  There is a great deal of data there, including live reporting from Imperial College Air Quality Monitoring programme, and you can also look at the Breathe Site with 50 monitoring sites across Lewisham.  See below for links to the relevant sites.
   Lewisham Air Quality
   Breathe
   Imperial College Air Quality Monitoring
   
   Q: Is Lewisham cooperating with neighbouring boroughs on provision of free parking for disabled blue badge holders?
   A: Free disability parking is rare in other boroughs, so this is not very feasible at present.  We will be happy to raise it with them.
   Q: What are the council plans on control and reduction of rat-running?
   A: Cllr Krupski: The sense of the proposals put forward by Forest Hill Society is recognised.  However, we prioritise the most deprived parts of the borough, as road accidents and deaths are higher in these areas. 
   Rosamund K-D: statistics show more deprived areas usually have worse air quality.  Most people living on the South Circular are not car owners/drivers.
   Q: How can we get the council to engage with us on reducing rat running and commuter parking on our street? We have taken our own community actions by paying for street trees and planters; however these get damaged, and trees even die due to continued inconsiderate parking. We have funds to be able to contribute to the costs, we also pay high council tax.
   A: Cllr invited questioner to speak with them outside the meeting. Agreed the underlying problem is too many cars and how to change this.
   Q: Regarding cycling provision, local branch of London cycling Campaign with 120 members in Perry Vale and Forest Hill. Cyclists suffer from too much close passing, speed of cars and rat running. More healthy streets are needed. How much of parking revenue goes towards improving cycling infrastructure?
   A: The costs of statutory consultations needed to make healthy/active travel improvements, take up most of the funding made through parking charges.  It will take a long time to introduce all the improvements that ae needed.
   Q: We would like measures to control rat running on Canonbie Road e.g. signage
   A: Cllr K: Minor changes like these are still costly in terms of having to do consultations and studies to understand their wider effects.  
   ForestHillSoc: Agree with councillor, there can be unintended consequences, such measures may in fact increase traffic speeds.  We would advocate for combining the best aspects of Sustainable Streets and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.