Issue - meetings

Report ES15008

Report ES15008 presented a draft Cycling Strategy for Bromley setting out a delivery plan for improving cycling facilities, promotion, and training over the next three years to increase cycling in the borough. The Strategy highlights opportunities ranging from large scale infrastructure works e.g. major junction improvements on the A21, to ‘softer’ measures such as cycle training and secure cycle parking. By setting out local priorities and ambitions, the Strategy enables the Council to lobby for further funding through the Mayor’s ten year £913m cycling vision programme. Approval was sought for public consultation on the strategy before finalising during summer 2015.

The Strategy had been developed in partnership with a number of stakeholders including the Safer Transport Team, Bromley Cyclists (the local group of London Cycling Campaign), Transport for London, Southeastern, Orpington 1st Business Improvement District and the Parks, Road Safety, Traffic and Transport Strategy teams within the Council.

The Strategy included measures in partnership with the Metropolitan Police to promote safer cycle use and to deter cycle theft. Bromley’s Safer Transport Team (Metropolitan Police) offered Shed Audits to review the security of bicycle storage facilities (e.g. sheds, garages etc). The Strategy also referred to a continued promotion of improved locking practices for cycles. Officers worked closely with the Safer Transport Team on further measures. These included multiple Cycle Marking sessions at key locations to security mark cycles and have them registered.

To help keep cycle lanes free of parked cars, action could be taken against repeated parking on mandatory cycle lanes. L B Bromley had also proposed to the Cycling Commissioner that segregated cycle lanes be introduced along the A21.

In acknowledging that some highway locations/junctions in the borough could be challenging for vulnerable road users, reference was made to the Mayor’s Quietways Programme for directing cyclists toward quieter routes. Through the Mayor of London’s ten year cycling vision programme, £913m was available for cycling improvement across London; it was necessary to secure as much of the funding as possible for Quietway routes in the borough away from dangerous junctions. Should any Quietway route need to proceed via a junction, engineering solutions might be necessary to make the route safe.

For cycle safety and to provide further risk awareness for both cyclists and large vehicle drivers, the Metropolitan Police ran a programme of ‘Exchanging Places’ events at various London wide locations. The events allowed cyclists to sit in the driver's seat of a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) or bus to obtain a better understanding of what a driver can and cannot see, particularly in respect of cyclists on the nearside and directly in front of the vehicle. Similarly, HGV drivers were encouraged to undertake cycle training to experience a cyclist’s journey. A left turning HGV posed a particular concern for cyclists.

TfL had also introduced a Safer Lorry Scheme, coming into force on

1st September 2015, to ensure that most vehicles currently exempt under national legislation for basic safety equipment would have to be retrofitted with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50