LB Hounslow Streetspace Programme Isleworth & Brentford Update

ISLEWORTH AND BRENTFORD AREA FORUM – 12/11/2020 LB Hounslow Streetspace programme – Why?

Central Government Statutory Guidance (Secretary of State 9 May 2020)

 The government expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians.

 We recognise this moment for what it is: a once in a generation opportunity to deliver a lasting transformative change in how we make short journeys in our towns and cities. According to the National Travel Survey, in 2017-18 over 40% of urban journeys were under 2 miles – perfectly suited to walking and cycling.

 Guidance makes clear measures should be taken as swiftly as possible, and in any event within weeks.

 Further letter from DfT on 28 May: Anything that does not meaningfully alter the status quo on the road will not be funded. LB Hounslow Streetspace programme – Why

Mayor of London Streetspace programme developed in tandem with Government guidance. Objectives are stated as:

 Make it easier and safer for people to keep up social distancing

 Help people walk and cycle more often

 Avoid a sharp increase in car use. If people switch even a fraction of their previous journeys to cars, essential deliveries and emergency services will be gridlocked (estimated to mean up to 100,000 new car trips from Hounslow residents alone)

 Keep London's air as clean as possible to protect everyone's health and to reduce carbon emissions LB Hounslow Streetspace programme – Why

 The council must pay due regard to statutory guidance from Government and also must respond to Mayoral transport directives under GLA Act 1999.

 Some schemes will contribute to wider policy objectives around reducing car use, reducing carbon and improving air quality

 No final decisions have been taken on any of the trials, and the council retains an open mind as to whether any of these measures should be made permanent LB Hounslow Streetspace programme- summary

 Council is currently implementing Phase 1 and Phase 2 phases of our local Streetspace programme. This includes:

 14 Bus lane hour extensions

 Restarted 5 sustainable transport schemes

 30 school street schemes

 29 low traffic neighbourhood schemes/interventions

 4 Town centre footway widening or closure schemes

 c10 ‘Pop up cycle lane’ schemes/other cycle improvements

 About two thirds of the way through this programme, with all schemes to be implemented by end 2020/21 LB Hounslow Streetspace programme to date

 Phase 1 and phase 2 were informed by

 ‘Shovel ready’ schemes (restart)

 Schemes which comply with DfT/Mayoral guidance where we have had prior engagement on an issue.

 Schemes which contributed to objectives and could be implemented at pace (e.g. bus lanes)

 Schemes requested directly by key stakeholders such as schools

 Schemes picked up through borough wide consultation in May – June. Total funding for Streetspace

The Streetspace programme has been funded via grants successfully bid for from Transport for London and Department for Transport. As of September the following funding has been secured:

 £1,062,000 for school streets, low traffic neighbourhoods, pop up cycle lanes and footway widening

 £275,000 for permanent cycle lane improvements on Bath Road

 £250,000 for Chiswick High Road/C9 (now being taken forward as part of TfL’s scheme)

 £100,000 full Tranche 1 DfT allocation to London boroughs. (bus lanes and implementing the first phase of the schemes to provide space for social distancing in town centres).

 £200,000 towards enforcement costs including cameras. Total: £1,887,000.

 It is expected that the removal (or realignment) of streetspace measures that are determined not to be made permanent will be met through future TfL funding, however existing council budgets could be used to cover this if required How was funding allocated?

The following information is found in TfL’s ‘London Streetspace Plan – Interim Guidance to Boroughs’ (p.12):

Decisions to award projects funding will be made by TfL on the following basis:

 Deliverability - Considers the complexity of the proposed project, whether there is political support for the project, the level of community support and engagement in and any dependencies that could inhibit the delivery of the project. Past delivery record will also be taken into consideration

 Location and Borough – Considers the needs and issues of the location and borough mode share targets to get a high-level understanding of the challenges and opportunities to deliver the outcomes. Metrics that will be considered will include assessment of locations where social distancing is an issue, overcrowding is likely and will pose safety concerns, and where transport, economic and social datasets show a need to intervene

 Value – Considers the outcomes and benefit that the proposed intervention will deliver in return for the investment focusing on the immediate public health imperatives and the longer-term ambitions about sustainable movement by walking, cycling and public transport. This will also allow TfL to prioritise funding as the programme is expected to be oversubscribed. Streetspace schemes in Isleworth & Brentford

 10 low traffic neighbourhoods/access restrictions, including: Green Dragon Lane, Occupation lane & chestnut Avenue, Amhurst & Teesdale, Whitestile and Challis. Schemes to come at Swyncombe, Hounslow South and Isleworth North (Osterley Road and Northumblerland Road areas)  7 School streets including Marlborough, Smallberry Green, Nishkam, Green Dragon Primary, Ivybridge completed, and Isleworth Town, Lionel, Isleworth & Syon  4 Pop up cycle lanes – route of C9 + Twickenham Road.  1 footway widening on Windmill Road. The money pays for all intervention on the road, and also officer time involved in the project which can be recharged. There is also a contribution towards monitoring and assessment, and also enforcement (cameras) IBAF schemes - summary

Bus Lane schemes  The purpose of these schemes is to secure road space for buses and cycles 24/7 or at least Mon- Sunday 7-7. This helps supports attempts to encourage people to use buses and bicycles rather than private vehicles.  There are 5 bus lane hour extension schemes in the IBAF area, including High Street Brentford, London Road and sections on Twickenham Road IBAF schemes - summary

School streets  School streets are intended to create safe spaces for pupils and carers near school entrances at pick up and dispersal times. They restrict car access into a designated area near the school for a period of time. Staff, local residents, visitors and deliveries are exempted.  In the IBAF area there are 7 School streets including Marlborough, Smallberry Green, Nishkam, Green Dragon Primary, Ivybridge completed, and Isleworth Town, Lionel, Isleworth & Syon Objectives for IBAF schemes

Pop up cycle lanes  These schemes are intended to provide greater support of cyclists using major roads. They are typically implemented using ‘wands’.  In the IBAF area there are 4 pop up cycle lane schemes – various sections along the route of C9 (A315) + Twickenham Road.

Footway widening  The purpose of these schemes is to widen footways to provide more space for social distancing to be observed.  A permanent footway widening scheme is to be implemented on Windmill Road, Brentford Objectives for IBAF schemes

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)  Access restrictions to residential neighbourhoods are intended to reduce the through traffic on residential roads, creating safer spaces for people to walk and cycle.  These are considered to be particularly necessary at the moment giving expected increased traffic levels in outer London following decline in public transport usage.  10 low traffic neighbourhoods/access restrictions in IBAF area including: Green Dragon Lane, Occupation lane & Chestnut Avenue, Amhurst & Teesdale Roads Area, Whitestile and Challis.  Schemes to come at Swyncombe, Hounslow South and Isleworth North (Osterley Road and Northumblerland Road areas) Reviewing Impact of Streetspace projects

 Determination of phase 1 and phase 2 temporary schemes will involve an interim (c3-4 months) and a final (c7-8 months) review.  Reviews to be undertaken by independent consultant and will consider following inputs:  Compliance with wider policy objectives  Traffic count data against baseline, where available. Includes sharing data with Ealing.  Assessment of INRIX GPS data (Feb 2020 vs September 2020)  Changes in walking and cycling observations where available, safety data where available  Feedback received from residents and businesses  Footfall and commercial transaction data from O2/Mastercard  Air quality data  Final decision taken by lead member in conversation with chief officer. Some schemes may be referred to cabinet. Reviewing Impact of Streetspace projects

 Resident engagement throughout trials is very important  Feedback can be provided through the citizenspace platform: https://haveyoursay.hounslow.gov.uk/traffic-and-transport/streetspace-feedback/  Council has received well over 3000 communications on these schemes, either directly via email or via Citizenspace feedback form.  Once the interim reviews are complete we will write to all residents to provide links to that work  We will be receiving feedback up to around 6 months after the scheme goes in. We will write again to all residents towards the end of this period to ask for final comments on the schemes.  For the main changes in Isleworth this will be in early January.  The consultation will then close, the independent team will review all comments received (alongside other data) and provide a summary report for decision maker consideration. Equalities impact assessment

 The council needs to take into account the impact of proposals on those with protected characteristics

 There is a draft equalities impact assessment for the streetspace programme, building on the one developed for the wider Transport Strategy and informed by other schemes of a similar nature done previously

 This has informed some scheme designs – e.g. provision of blue badge access and parking in some shopping areas

 Feedback received from those with protected characteristics will be used to refine this EqIA and the document made available at the point that the final determination on the schemes is made.

 We are also considering representations made by emergency services and other key workers Air quality

 Air quality is an important concern for many, particularly on roads which may be taking diverted traffic

 We have a comprehensive network of diffusion tubes and automatic monitoring in the area. Ealing also have data available

 These will be used to understand changes in air quality, augmented by dispersion modelling if required Traffic being displaced to other roads

 Concerns have been raised about displacement of traffic onto other roads  20 October Cabinet report sets out how the Streetspace approach could be rolled out across the borough  The following map has been produced No/little through traffic currently (brown & orange) illustrating a range of Through traffic with action planned in Phase 1 or 2 (salmon) further LTNs which could Through traffic with action planned as part of Phase 3 (blue) be trialled over the coming years.