Proposed changes to New Cross Road between Clifton Rise and Tanner’s Hill Consultation summary Ju ly 2016 [Type text] Contents 1. About the proposals ........................................................................................ 3 2. About the consultation .................................................................................... 3 3. Summary of responses ................................................................................... 4 4. Issues raised during consultation .................................................................... 5 5. Conclusion and next steps .............................................................................. 6 Appendix A: Our responses to issues raised ......................................................... 7 Appendix B: Stakeholder list ............................................................................... 12 2 1. About the proposals Buses play a vital role in our transport system, providing people with easy access to homes, workplaces, parks and town centres. We want to maintain a reliable bus network, which is why we regularly assess bus routes to see if there are opportunities to redesign the roads in a way that would make bus journeys more efficient. These changes help maintain and shorten journey times for passengers. The section of the A2 comprising Deptford Broadway and New Cross Road is an important bus corridor, with four daytime bus routes, one night service, and up to 30 buses per hour passing through. We proposed changes to parking and loading provision and restrictions, stop lines and centreline markings, and the footway near a bus stop. The proposals address known causes of congestion along a stretch of road where journey time delays are currently experienced by buses and general traffic. The proposed changes would result in a reduction in available locations for parking and loading due to changes to the existing loading bays and the conversion of single red lines to double red lines to ensure consistency with existing controls in the surrounding area. A full explanation of proposed changes, including maps, is available at: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a2-new-cross-road. 2. About the consultation We conducted surveys of the parking and loading bays in November 2015 to ascertain how often they were being used. We used this and other information about the area to inform our proposals, which also included measures to improve road safety. Once we were satisfied that we had a proposal, we consulted on the scheme to find out the view of local residents and – in particular – local businesses. We sent 4,648 letters notifying local residents and business owners of our consultation. We sent emails to relevant stakeholders in the London Borough of Lewisham. We also visited premises along the section of New Cross Road and Lewisham Way that would be affected to talk to business owners and ensure they were aware of the consultation. The consultation details were explained in the notification letters and also posted on our website at: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a2-new-cross-road. The consultation was open for six weeks from 21 January to 3 March 2016. 3 Online respondents were directed to the consultation survey, which comprised two questions. First, a closed question asked respondents whether they strongly agreed, agreed, were neutral about, disagreed, or strongly disagreed with our proposals. The second question was an open text field where respondents could leave comments. Respondents could also respond by post or email. We show the overall level of support on p3, and summarise the issues raised in the comments on p4. 3. Summary of responses We received 28 responses to this consultation: 8 strongly agreed with the proposal; 7 agreed; 1 was neutral; 5 disagreed; 5 strongly disagreed and 2 did not answer (see below). Total responses 28 Strongly agreed 8 Agreed 7 Neutral 1 Disagreed 5 Strongly disagreed 5 Not answered 2 Two responses were received by email, so did not answer the closed question and were recorded as ‘Not answered’. Comments from these responses were analysed in the normal way. Stakeholder responses We received 5 responses from stakeholders and 2 responses from local businesses. Stakeholders Confederation of Passenger Transport UK: Neutral. Supported principle of improving bus journey times and traffic flow. Called for loading bays to be made mixed-use, allowing coaches to stop in them. Called for confirmation that coaches can use bus stops for pick-up and set-down. CTC London: Agreed. Said reduced parking would improve cycling safety. Called for ASL on westbound approach to Amersham Road. Called for 7-metre deep ASLs throughout. 4 Friends of Capital Transport Campaign: Agreed. Supported measures to improve bus reliability and prevent buses curtailing their route due to delays in traffic. London TravelWatch: Agreed. Supported bus priority principle and new double red lines. Called for loading and parking to be moved to side roads. Objected to loading bay removing section of footway. Concerns about safety of cycle lane. Tenant Representative, Community Services, Royal Greenwich: Disagreed. Called for greater intervention to improve conditions for walking and cycling. Objected to proposed design for bus boarder, due to delays to eastbound general traffic. Called for extension of eastbound bus lane near Watson’s Street. Supported proposed double red lines at junction of New Cross Road and Lewisham Way, and called for removal of traffic signals at this junction with relocation of some loading bays from New Cross Road. Called for additional cycling facilities on A2 eastbound near Deptford High Street. Local businesses Courier & Print Services: Strongly disagreed. Opposed double red lines extended to outside shops on Lewisham Way. KarriTwist: Not answered. Objected to single red lines on New Cross Road outside premises being changed to double red because of a perceived impact on customers who drive there. Our responses to issues raised during consultation starts on p6. 4. Issues raised during consultation Issues raised Quantity General support for the proposals / reducing bus journey times 7 Supported installation of a bus boarder 2 Supported reduced parking where it improves cycling safety 1 Opposed increases in parking restrictions 4 Opposed bus boarder if it caused buses to block general traffic 1 Opposed removal of loading bays on Lewisham Way 1 Opposed reduction in footway 1 Opposed because said scheme would be bad for business 1 Opposed removal of anytime parking on Amersham Road 1 Opposed cycle lane putting cyclists in ‘door zone’ 1 5 Called for more to be done to benefit conditions for cycling 6 Called for one-way system to be made two-way 2 Called for movement of some loading/parking bays 2 Called for more to be done to help pedestrians 2 Called for changes to ASLs to improve cycle safety 1 Called for more measures to reduce speeding motor traffic 1 Called for speed limit to be reduced to 20mph 1 Called for safe cycling link from New Cross station to Brockley 1 Called for measures to address congestion at bus lane entrances 1 Called for bus lane between Mornington Road and Watson’s Street 1 Called for removal of traffic light control at junction where traffic turns right from Lewisham Way into New Cross Road 1 Called for enforcement to prevent illegal footway cycling on Lewisham Way 1 Called for existing loading bays to be made ‘mixed-use’ bays to allow coaches to wait in them 1 Called for non-local buses to retain existing access to bus lanes 1 Expressed concern about current level of congestion on this road 5 Expressed concern about current level of pollution on this road 1 Called for consultation to provide more information such as predicted bus journey time improvements and project costings 2 Our responses to issues raised during consultation starts on p6. 5. Conclusion and next steps Having considered all the responses to consultation, we have decided to go ahead with the scheme with one change. The design has been amended so that the advisory cycle lane will start after the inset loading bay. This will ensure cyclists are fully attentive to potential door opening in the inset loading bay, which they may not be if an advisory cycle lane is provided as it may give a false sense of safety. We aim to complete construction during Autumn/Winter 2016. We will work to minimise disruption during construction, and will write to all affected properties before starting works. 6 Appendix A: Our responses to issues raised Issue raised Our response Opposed increases in We are aware that this section of New Cross Road parking/loading becomes very busy during peak hours. Our scheme restrictions focuses on measures to improve bus and general traffic journey times, with changes to parking and loading expected to provide significant journey time benefits. We have consulted with residential and business properties along New Cross Road, including face-to-face meetings with many businesses, and are satisfied that the changes to double red lines will not have any significant impact on the operation of local businesses. We are allowing parking in Clifton Hill from 10am-7pm, which is an increase from the current restriction of 10am- 4pm. This is to provide more parking options to balance out the new parking restrictions on New Cross Road. We are introducing double red line parking restrictions on the corner of New Cross Road and Lewisham Way in order to improve traffic flow and safety. Parking on the corner of a busy main road