Brent Scrutiny request key information on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

 

 Cllr Roxanne Mashari's Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee did a pretty thorough job on the Healthy Neighbourhoods (Healthy Neighbourhoods and School Streets) issue considering it came up under Topical Issues at their recent meeting without a report from officers.

The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods issue which has aroused controversy was inevitably the main focus and there was close questionning of Cllr Shama Tatler with minimal contributions from Cllr Krupa Sheth. Cllr Tatler admitted to problems with implementation and blamed these on government/TfL requirements and a rushed timeline. Left to itself Brent Council would not have approached it in this way, it was claimed.

Cllr Mashari quoted the detailed critique submitted by thye Brent Cycling Campaign.

You can hear the full meeting above and make up your own minds.  The main outcome was that Scrutiny requested a full breakdown of money spent on the schemes and the amount left to spend. In addition Scrutiny wanted a full account of the lessons learnt.The aim was that the objective, supported by the majority of residents for clean air and a healtheir neighbourhood, would be fulfilled by better planning, engagement and consultation.

Healthy Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes to be discussed at Brent Scrutiny on Tuesday

 I understand that Healthy Neighbourhood schemes (LTN - Low Traffic Neighbourhoods) are to be discussed at the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday (6pm) under the standing agenda item 'Topical Issues'.

The Brent Cabinet has the officers' report recommending the removal of four of the schemes on its agenda. Cabinet takes place tomorrow at 10am.

Brent Labour Group submit amendment to today's Healthy Neighbourhoods motion to be debated at 3.30pm this afternoon

 An amendment has been submitted in the name of the Labour Group on Brent Council to the original motion submitted by the 7 members who called for the Extraordinary Council Meeting on Healthy Neighbourhoods. You can watch the debate HERE

Extraordinary Council Meeting – 16 October 2020

Amendment submitted by the Labour Group to the motion for the Extraordinary Council meeting

Healthy Neighbourhoods Scheme (add) and their part in addressing air quality and climate change

TO ADD AT THE START:

That this Council:

•   embraces its obligations to ensure that every possible intervention against climate change is considered and explored;

•   recognises that air quality in this borough falls well below the standards that should be expected, not least in relation its impact on the physical health and wellbeing of its residents;

•   endorses the intention underpinning Brent’s experimental ‘Healthy Neighbourhoods’;

•   acknowledges the unorthodox conditions attached to conditional government funding necessitating public consultation and engagement within the six-month period of these low traffic trials and not prior to them as might more commonly be expected;

•   welcomes the many lessons that have been, are being, and will continue to be learned throughout this programme with regards to the initiative itself and the manner in which the organisation interacts with the communities it serves;

•   highlights the progress already made through planned and promoted public meetings, thanks each and every participant for their invaluable contributions thus far;

•   thanks those responsible within the organisation for their efforts to date, and commits itself – in light of the importance of these measures as a first tangible foray against climate change set in the context of the new behaviours and habits that they are designed to encourage – to continue providing comprehensive updates to the appropriate forums and committees, this one included, at the earliest opportunity, covering, but not limited to, the following:

  TO THEN AMEND THE WORDING OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS FOLLOWS:  

  Replace:

  To instruct the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property & Planning to provide a comprehensive rational for the introduction of the temporary Heathy Neighbourhoods in the various areas.

With:

- Clarity of the rationale for the introduction of these temporary measures in the various areas;

Breakdown and replace the remaining list as follows:

This to provide details about how these areas have been chosen;

- Details about how these areas are chosen;
how it impact targets; mitigations, if any; viability of the monitoring of the scheme;

- How we anticipate that they will impact on the council’s active travel, clean air, and climate change targets;

what prior public and stakeholder engagement has taken plac;

- What stakeholder engagement is involved;
the equity of the trade-off between loser residential streets and gainers;

- Comment on how the relative real or perceived pros and cons of these schemes will be weighted and proposed mitigations for addressing concerns of those residents that might feel that others’ ‘gains’ are their ‘losses’;

the risk of increased congestion on certain residential roads and implications on emissions;

- Consideration of the risk that some measures may increase congestion elsewhere and the implications that may have on emissions;

the methodology to be used to evaluate the outcome, notably the goal of lower overall traffic volumes; and the measurements in place to secure adequate baseline data for ALL streets affected (including the connector roads).

- An explanation of overall methodology – including ensuring an adequate baseline for evaluating outcomes, including the goal of lower overall traffic how these schemes will be monitored, and how their viability will be assessed

Councillor Fleur Donnelly Jackson Willesden Green Ward 

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL MOTION

Motion submitted by members who have requisitioned the Extraordinary Council meeting

Healthy Neighbourhood Scheme

To instruct the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property & Planning to provide a comprehensive rational for the introduction of the temporary Healthy Neighbourhoods in the various areas.

This to provide details about how these areas have been chosen; how it impact targets; mitigations, if any; viability of the monitoring of the scheme; what prior public and stakeholder engagement has taken place; the equity of the trade-off between loser  residential streets and gainers; the risk of increased congestion on certain residential roads and implications on emissions; the methodology to be used to evaluate the outcome, notably the goal of lower overall traffic volumes; and the measurements in place to secure adequate baseline data for ALL streets affected (including the connector roads).

Queens Park Residents: “Brent Council – please press the pause button on plans to block our streets now!”

 From Queens Park Area Residents' Association

Queen's Park Area Residents' Association (QPARA) learnt a few days ago of Brent draft plans to block certain streets in its area, without prior public consultation, in a scheme under TfL's Healthy Streets initiative. We expect this to be implemented before 30 September.

QPARA supports initiatives which improve air quality and promote healthy lifestyles, including benefits to pedestrians and cyclists. But these new proposals, which would change the flow of much road traffic inside and through its area, are rushed and opposed by the majority of those who have heard about them. QPARA has long advocated a traffic management plan for the area, following proper consultation, but does not see these plans as the answer. While some rush hour rat runs may be diverted, concentration of traffic on key roads like Salusbury and Chamberlayne with schools, shopping, cafes, community facilities and many homes risks more jams, standing traffic and pollution there. These and residential roads like Harvist Road by the park already have long traffic queues towards junctions at busy times. Other streets west of the park, the green heart of the area with its open spaces and children's playground, could become even worse 'rat runs'.

QPARA's Chair Virginia Brand says:

In recent years QPARA has worked closely with Brent on improvements for key roads in our area, looking carefully at ideas in a joint approach. This model works well. This time it's the opposite, a sudden shift from consultation, with predictable confusion and opposition. Councils are suddenly under pressure from the centre to deliver such schemes quickly, but there is everything to be gained by holding fire and find joint solutions. We should take these issues forward with prior discussion and time to involve residents' associations and their communities properly, like so many good projects before.

QPARA has contacted Councillor Shama Tatler, the lead Brent councillor for this scheme, asking for an urgent meeting or at least an assurance of enough time for proper consultation. On 22 September she is proposing a Zoom with all residents’ associations affected in the Queen’s Park and Kilburn areas when minor changes may be tabled but this is NOT a substitute for evidence or proper assessment by those affected.

Brent environmental groups launch petition: We Need Brent to Build Back Better Now!

Brent associations campaigning for active travel and environmental health have launched a petition outlining how the Council Leader and his Cabinet can ensure Brent Builds Back Better as lockdown eases:

We Need Brent to Build Back Better Now

Having declared a Climate Emergency last July, we have to move with a greater sense of urgency to promote active travel, a healthy environment and clean air in our Borough. We have the largest number of Covid-19 cases in London, reflecting health inequalities across income, ethnicity and race directly related to air pollution and passive travel, as well as poor employment conditions and overcrowded housing. Government-enforced austerity and legacies of racial and economic injustice are largely responsible for this situation, but Brent Council has the opportunity Build Back Better by:

·         Immediately implementing the Borough’s Cycle and Walking Strategies via pop-up cycle lanes and cycle-friendly modal filters.

·         Accelerating the implementation of the ‘Healthy Streets’ initiative between Wembley and Willesden Junction, and pro-actively implement low-traffic neighbourhoods.

·          A faster roll-out of more School Streets across the Borough to improve air quality around schools, make them safer and encourage cycling and walking to and from schools as these re-open.

·          Developing a plan to decarbonise the Borough by creating new, well-paid, secure, unionised jobs; divesting the Council’s pension fund from fossil fuel companies; creating a policy of public procurement; enforcing a rapid transition of the Council’s own fleet of vehicles to electric; and requiring Council deliveries to be by electric vehicles or cycles, including cargo-bikes.

·         Putting in place Clean Air Zones, charging where necessary.

·         Multiplying the provision of cycle hoops and bike hangers, at the same pace, if not faster, as on-street electric charging points.

·         Reallocating parking space to people, particularly around commercial streets, since cyclist and pedestrians have been shown to spend more on local High Streets.

Many of these measures can be delivered immediately and most rapidly if the Leader and Cabinet show the political will, and match best practice across London.

We need to Build Back Better now.

Brent Cycling Campaign, Brent Friends of the Earth, Divest Brent, Willesden Green Residents' Association, Brent XR

SIGN HERE

Brent Cycling Campaign calls for Council action as the health of Brent streets falls behind other London boroughs

From Brent Cycling Campaign

London Cycling Campaign has been collaborating over the last year with several other active travel campaigning groups on the first ever “London Boroughs Healthy Streets Scorecard”. 

The health of Brent’s streets is falling behind other London Boroughs. A recent report by a coalition of transport organisations gave Brent a score of 3.7 out of 10 measured against the Mayor of London’s Healthy Streets approach. Brent falls well below the London average on a range of measures including: road safety; and number of people choosing to walk or cycle.

 
Brent Cycling Campaign welcomes this publication, and hopes that it will spur Brent Council into action. Brent urgently needs to act to prevent the inactivity crisis hitting the borough, Brent is 26th out of 33 in number of people choosing to walk regularly, and 3rd worst in number of people choosing to cycle. Of Brent’s 500 km of roads only 10 km have safe space for cycling (with a further 13 km away from roads, mostly in parks). In contrast London’s best performing boroughs have over 50 km of protected bike lanes, and more in the pipeline. Brent consistently fails to remove rat-running traffic from residential roads, coming 24th out of 33 for this easy to implement and highly effective measure.

We encourage Brent to look at the best ideas from within and beyond London. For example the 20 mph speed limit zones in neighbouring Camden and Hammersmith & Fulham, and the success in active travel of the recent Waltham Forest Liveable Neighbourhood. As a campaign for people who cycle or support cycling in Brent we know what the barriers to active lifestyles are. Brent is the borough Will Norman, the Mayor’s transport commissioner, described as one of the worst places [for cycling] he had ever cycled

-->