Agenda and minutes

Venue: Bromley Civic Centre

Contact: Keith Pringle  020 8313 4508

Items
No. Item

41.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ian Dunn and Samaris Huntington-Thresher. Councillors Angela Wilkins and Angela Page attended as substitutes.

42.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

43.

ORPINGTON: CROFTON ROAD CYCLE ROUTE: CALL-IN pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Farnborough and Crofton ward

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report CSD18184

 

At its previous meeting on 20th November 2018 the Committee had considered a report on the proposed Crofton Road Cycle Route in Orpington. The Committee had supported the proposals and the Environment and Community Services Portfolio Holder had subsequently decided on 26th November 2018 to approve the scheme. On 3rd December 2018 notice of a call-in had been received from Councillors Tony Owen, Simon Fawthrop, Russell Mellor, Keith Onslow and Harry Stranger. The reasons for the call-in were that -

 

1. The expenditure proposed was not a good use of taxpayers’ money;

2. The demand for the works proposed was not proven;

3. The works would make travel times worse for buses and other vehicles;

4. The works would lengthen emergency vehicle response times on a critical major route from the Princess Royal University Hospital. 

 

The two options before a PDS Committee when considering a call-in were –

(i) to take no further action on the call-in; or

(ii) to refer the decision back to the Executive giving reasons why it should be re-considered.

A message from the Crofton residents Association objecting to the scheme had been tabled; Committee Members had also received messages from Bromley cyclists, the local borough group of the London Cycle Campaign. 

The Chairman invited Cllr Tony Owen to explain the reasons for the call-in. Councillor Owen took the Committee through the report to the meeting on 20th November, highlighting that the scheme was not a good use of taxpayers’ money and there was no evidence to support the decision to proceed, such as accident statistics or demand from pedestrians or cyclists (who would probably use other routes to get to the Station.) He did not consider the figure quoted of 21,000 journeys per day diverted to cycle trips was credible, and questioned whether there was actually any public support for the scheme given the low response to consultation. The additional refuges and crossings would slow traffic, adding to congestion and pollution, delaying emergency vehicles and causing difficulty with bus schedules. He had spoken recently with two of the ward councillors, neither of whom were very happy with the scheme. In conclusion, he considered that the scheme was unnecessary and costly, and that some carefully placed lines and signs at modest cost were all that were needed.

The Chairman read out messages received from Councillor Robert Evans, one of the ward councillors, and from the Orpington BID.

The Chairman invited the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Services to address the Committee in support of his decision to approve the scheme. He set the proposals, which were in accordance with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy promoted by TfL, in the context of the Council’s policy of encouraging active travel and a range of transport options, and the importance of Orpington Station as a cycling hub. Take up of cycling was low in the borough, and this could be related to the level of provision of cycle facilities. As the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.