MINUTES Meeting: London Assembly - Plenary Date: Wednesday 14 June 2006 Time: 10.00am Place: Chamber, City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Copies of the minutes may be found at: http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/assemmtgs/index.jsp Present: Brian Coleman (Chairman) Elizabeth Howlett Sally Hamwee (Deputy Chair) Peter Hulme Cross Tony Arbour Darren Johnson Jennette Arnold Jenny Jones Richard Barnes Joanne McCartney John Biggs Bob Neill Bob Blackman Andrew Pelling Angie Bray Geoff Pope Dee Doocey Murad Qureshi Len Duvall Valerie Shawcross Roger Evans Graham Tope Nicky Gavron Mike Tuffrey Damian Hockney City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Enquiries: 020 7983 4100 minicom: 020 7983 4458 www.london.gov.uk Greater London Authority London Assembly - Plenary 14 June 2006 1. Apologies and Announcements (Item 1) 1.1 There were no apologies for absence. 1.2 The Assembly noted the death of the Rt Hon. Eric Forth, Member of Parliament for the Bromley and Chislehurst constituency in Greater London. The Chairman informed the Assembly that he had written to Mr Forth’s widow to convey the Assembly’s condolences. 1.3 The Assembly also noted the deaths of Maurice Stephenson, former Alderman of the Greater London Council who served from 1969 until 1973, and Alex MacKay, who represented the constituency of Deptford on the Greater London Council from 1981 to 1986. 1.4 The Chairman further advised that he had asked Richard Barnes AM, the Chairman of the 7 July Review Committee, and the Director of the Secretariat to convey the Assembly’s thanks for the excellent work carried out by all Members and officers involved in producing the report into the 7 July bombings. 2. Declarations of Interests (Item 2) 2.1 Resolved: (a) That the relevant Assembly Members’ membership of Functional Bodies and London Borough Councils, as set out in the table at Item 2 on the agenda for the meeting, be noted; (b) To note that John Biggs AM declared a personal interest in Item 6 on the agenda (Olympic Delivery Authority Question Time) insofar as the discussions under this item related to the London Development Agency or the Thames Gateway, arising from his position as a Board Member and Deputy Chairman of the London Development Agency and as a Board Member of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. 3. Minutes (Item 3) 3.1 Resolved: That the minutes of the London Assembly Annual Meeting held on 10 May 2006 and the London Assembly (Mayor’s Question Time) meeting held on 17 May 2006 be confirmed as accurate records and be signed by the Chairman. 4. Petitions (Item 4) 4.1 In accordance with Standing Orders 3.18 and 3.19, Angie Bray AM presented two petitions with the following prayers: “We, the undersigned, all residents of Chepstow Road and its neighbouring streets, demand urgent action to resolve the intolerable vibration and noise problem caused by First’s Volvo double-decker buses. These vibrations are shaking our houses on Chepstow Road and the streets behind. Many of us, including elderly people and young children, cannot sleep properly and suffer stress as a result. 2 Greater London Authority London Assembly - Plenary 14 June 2006 We believe that it is also a potential health hazard. We call upon the Mayor and Transport for London to put pressure on First to ensure the repairs of these buses in weeks rather than months.” “We the undersigned call upon the Mayor and Transport for London to abandon the proposal to re- route the C1 Bus Route through the Blythe Road Area, W14. The details of our reasons for opposing this route are attached to this document but primarily include: 1. The safety of the many local pedestrian residents and school children would be put at risk in this 20mph residential home zone area which has over 10 schools; 2. This area is already very well serviced with buses and tubes (over 10 bus routes and 5 tube stations already border the area); and 3. The Olympia Exhibition area is already congested for many days a year and running a bus through this area is totally impractical and even dangerous.” 4.2 Resolved: To refer both petitions to the Mayor and Transport for London for response. 4.3 In accordance with Standing Orders 3.18 and 3.19, Geoff Pope AM presented a petition with the following prayer: “We are the residents of Roshni House at 74 Longley Road, London, SW17 9XL. This is a sheltered Housing Scheme of ASRA – Greater London Housing Association, which was built in 1993. We are 31 elderly residents of Asia Origin living in this scheme. Soon after we moved here in 1993, we found out that it was a long way from the bus stops and the underground stations. We have in the past requested the Mayor and the MP of Tooting for the same whenever they have come to Roshni House to attend some functions but unfortunately nothing has happened. Now after 13 years due to our progressing age and health related problems, we find it even more difficult to walk such a long distance which is resulting in most of us getting housebound. We like to bring to your attention that there are 2 more mainstream sheltered homes and 1 for learning disability people on Longley Road. W are therefore humbly requesting a bus stop in Longley Road at a convenient place, which will be a benefit not only to us but to other elderly and disabled people and the community on the whole, who live around this area. Awaiting a favourable reply and hoping our request will be given a due consideration.” 4.4 Resolved: To refer the petition to the Mayor and Transport for London for response. 4.5 In accordance with Standing Orders 3.18 and 3.19, Darren Johnson AM presented a petition with the following prayer: “We, the undersigned, as users of Crystal Palace Park and as residents, traders, those working in the locality, shoppers, cyclists, motorists, school attendees, users of public buses, Crystal Palace railway station and the Park, and otherwise frequenters of the area in the proximity of Crystal Palace Park, London SE19, its neighbouring roads and environs, petition the London Mayor to stop the sell-off of 3 Greater London Authority London Assembly - Plenary 14 June 2006 land within Crystal Palace Park for private housing, commercial and retail development which would set a precedent for public parks and open spaces throughout the country.” 4.6 Resolved: To refer the petition to the Mayor for response. 4.7 In accordance with Standing Orders 3.18 and 3.19, Jenny Jones AM presented two petitions with the following prayers: “RE: the public notice 'restricted access to Stanley Road onto and off of the A406 at Bowes Road’ I disagree with the restrictions on Stanley Road for the following reasons. • The requirement to turn right onto the A406 will not go away. If there is an accident black spot at the Stanley Road/A406 intersection, it will just move to the adjacent Highworth Road intersection, which will in turn become the black spot. • It will create several additional potential accident prone junctions, as drivers for Stanley Road coming off the A406 will have to drive up Highworth Road, turn right into Shrewsbury Road (there is very poor visibility at this junction), and then turn right again to enter Stanley Road. • Highworth Road is even narrower than Stanley Road, it has cars parked almost continuously along both sides, thus making two way traffic very difficult, with vehicles searching for passing places when they meet, usually with one having to reverse to make this happen. • There is an infants school at the intersection of Highworth and Stanley Roads at the A406 which generates considerable traffic, especially at opening and closing times. This would put Highworth Road under severe pressure, as some traffic which would normally use Stanley Road would transfer to Highworth, Particularly the two way traffic which the road is unable to sustain. I am therefore opposed to this proposal.” “Large 4 Wheel Drive "Sport Utility Vehicles" are becoming very fashionable. We object to the use of these vehicles in urban areas because they: generate emissions at a rate that puts our climate and health at risk; pose a physical danger to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers of smaller cars; present a unique problem because of their combination of weight, power and pollution. We call on you to: - Reform road tax so that big 4x4s pay more - Create exclusion zones for 4x4s in urban areas - Ban 4x4 adverts in the mainstream media on the grounds of public health - Increase the Congestion Charge in London to £20 for the most polluting cars.” It was noted that, further to the information reported on the agenda, the latter petition now had 5,504 signatories. 4 Greater London Authority London Assembly - Plenary 14 June 2006 4.8 Resolved: To refer both petitions to the Mayor for response. 5. Petitions – Update (Item 5) 5.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat. 5.2 Resolved: To note the responses received during the period 9 May 2006 until and including 6 June 2006 to petitions presented at Assembly meetings. 6. Olympic Delivery Authority – Question Time (Item 6) 6.1 The Assembly put questions to David Higgins, Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, who had been invited to attend the meeting to answer questions on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (as agreed by the Assembly on 15 March 2006). 6.2 The Assembly noted that Jack Lemley, Chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, who had also been due to attend this session, had given his apologies.