Happy new year folks. Hope that 2016 is going to be a good one. I'm not posting nearly as regularly as in past, life pressures have forced me to reallocate a lot of my time.
As you may be aware, Transport for London are funding the Quietways programme which is being delivered in partnership with Sustrans and local councils.
Wandsworth Council recently adopted the new London Cycle Design Standards (LCDS) as part of their updated Cycling Strategy document. The LCDS includes reference to a Cycling Level of Service (CLoS) matrix that can be used to evaluate proposed changes to the street environment.
With the consultations live for the Quietway interventions in Wandsworth (TFL website), I thought that I'd ask both Wandsworth Council and TfL for the CLoS details that were used in arriving at the proposals in the consultations. Wandsworth Council consultations going live from the 8th Jan here.
To date, Wandsworth Council (the main Highways Authority for where most of the changes are due to happen) has confirmed that they haven't seen any CLoS details and that I should check with TfL.
TfL have also got back to me suggesting that Wandsworth Council as the relevant Highways Authority would have the details.
Something seems a little fishy here.
If neither TfL or Wandsworth Council have seen a CLoS evaluation, then has one actually been done?
Given that TfL are leading on this project and these interventions are supposed to meet the new LCDS might it not be useful for the evaluations to be put into the public domain?
More questions I'm afraid. Something to keep digging into as 2016 unfolds.
As you may well know Wandsworth Borough Council are looking to make savings in every which way they can and in whatever cuts they candy, regardless of how important schemes or services they fund are. I think this is a case of kicking any traffic calming projects into the long grass until such time as they see fit to find further money from central Government or private sector, including companies who serve cyclists and benefit from the cycling industry. Perhaps some sort of PPP could be engaged to spur on this project?
ReplyDeleteYou are right Martin with regards to the funding situation. In this case the money is there from TfL. It is the process that I have an issue with. Given that TfL have come up with the new LCDS, and Wandsworth Council have adopted it, why aren't they using the tools included within? Lots of money poorly spent doesn't resolve any issue other than putting money into the pockets of the people being paid.
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