Tooley Street Healthy Streets Consultation Report & Response to Issues Raised July 2019 Contents Executive summary ..................................................................................................... 4 1. About the proposals ............................................................................................ 5 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Detailed description ........................................................................................ 5 2. About the consultation ........................................................................................ 8 2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Potential outcomes ......................................................................................... 8 2.3 Who we consulted .......................................................................................... 8 2.4 Dates and duration ......................................................................................... 8 2.5 What we asked ............................................................................................... 9 2.6 Methods of responding ................................................................................... 9 2.7 Consultation materials and publicity ............................................................... 9 2.8 Analysis of consultation responses .............................................................. 10 3. About the respondents ...................................................................................... 11 3.1 Number of respondents ................................................................................ 11 3.2 How respondents heard about the consultation ........................................... 11 3.3 Profile of respondents .................................................................................. 12 3.4 Type of respondent ...................................................................................... 13 3.5 Location of respondents ............................................................................... 14 4. Summary of all consultation responses ............................................................ 15 4.2 Key themes raised by the general public ..................................................... 15 4.3 Summary of stakeholder responses ............................................................. 17 4.4 Comments on the consultation ..................................................................... 23 5. Response to issues raised ................................................................................ 24 5.1 Roads and accessibility ................................................................................ 24 5.2 Taxis ............................................................................................................ 25 5.3 Cycling ......................................................................................................... 26 5.4 General ........................................................................................................ 27 2 6. Next steps ......................................................................................................... 29 Appendix A: Stakeholder List .................................................................................... 30 Appendix B: Copy of customer/resident letter ........................................................... 31 Appendix C: Copy of stakeholder email .................................................................... 33 Appendix D: Coding framework ................................................................................. 34 Appendix E: Final List of comments .......................................................................... 36 Appendices F to I: Location of Respondents Maps ................................................... 38 3 Executive summary Between 13 November 2018 and 8 January 2019 we consulted on interim proposals to change the road layout of Tooley Street. These proposals aim to make Tooley Street safer for more vulnerable road users following the completion of the improvements to London Bridge station. Our proposals form part of the Mayor of London’s plan for Healthy Streets - a long-term vision to enable more people to walk, cycle and use public transport by making London’s streets healthier, safer and more welcoming. This document explains the processes, responses and outcomes of the consultation. We received 9,387 responses to the consultation (including 30 responses from Stakeholders). Over 20 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with our overall proposals to make changes to the Tooley Street road layout. Over 78 per cent either disagreed or strongly disagreed with our proposals. The main themes are highlighted below and our response to each theme is detailed in section 5 of this report. Summary of issues raised during consultation Most respondents (78.5 per cent) were generally opposed to this scheme. Many were unhappy that taxis were not allowed into Tooley Street, arguing that taxis are public transport and as such should be allowed to use the road. 22 per cent felt accessibility for disabled passengers who rely on taxis would be reduced making it difficult for them to get out and about. Seventeen per cent stated that congestion would increase in the surrounding streets while 10 per cent argued there would be reduced access for local businesses. Some respondents also suggested that Cycle Superhighway 4, now known as Cycleway 4, should be extended across London Bridge and the local area. Next steps After considering all of the consultation responses to the Tooley Street proposals we will be altering the scheme to enable licensed taxis, as well as buses and cycles, to make the left turn from Borough High Street into Duke Street Hill. This will help licensed taxis to serve the key locations of London Bridge Hospital and London Bridge Station and ensure that Tooley Street is accessible. Further minor modifications to the scheme will be considered prior to implementation. 4 1. About the proposals 1.1 Introduction In line with the Mayor’s Healthy Streets approach to make streets healthier, safer and more welcoming we proposed to change the road layout of Tooley Street. These changes would reduce road danger, improve air quality, and provide better facilities to enable people to walk, cycle and use public transport, supporting the objectives of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS). Tooley Street was significantly impacted while enabling works were underway to deliver improvements to London Bridge Station. A number of traffic management measures were implemented at various times during the London Bridge construction works, including the restriction of traffic and the provision of a contra-flow cycle lane. 1.2 Purpose Tooley Street is a busy thoroughfare that is used by high numbers of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as cars, taxis and delivery vehicles. It is also served by four bus routes during the day and two at night. The area has become busier since May 2018 when Network Rail opened the upgraded London Bridge station. Our proposed changes aim to: Reduce traffic speeds and the number of vehicles using Tooley Street to make it safer for more vulnerable road users Improve the provision for cyclists in advance of our aspiration to provide high quality cycle provision to London Bridge, and Improve the attractiveness of the street in line with the Healthy Streets approach. 1.3 Detailed description Our Proposals included: Introducing a 20mph speed limit along entire length of Duke Street Hill/Tooley Street (between Borough High Street and Tower Bridge Road) Introducing a two metre wide mandatory cycle lane westbound, on Duke Street Hill/Tooley Street, running between Borough High Street and Bermondsey Street junctions, separated from traffic with wands on the Duke Street Hill section Introducing a protected right turn ‘pocket’ for cyclists waiting to turn right into Bermondsey Street from Tooley Street 5 Making Duke Street Hill no entry, apart from cyclists and buses, from the junction with A3 Borough High Street. This will mean that eastbound traffic along Duke Street Hill and Tooley Street as far as the junction with Bermondsey Street is restricted to buses and cycles only. Restricting access from side roads onto Tooley Street to westbound travel only. Any motorized vehicle turning onto Tooley Street from the following roads will not be able to turn onto and travel eastbound towards Bermondsey Street: Tooley Street onto Duke Hill Street Bridge Yard onto Tooley Street Cottons Lane onto Tooley Street Hay’s Lane onto Tooley Street Battlebridge Lane onto Tooley Street Westbound traffic would continue to be able to travel along this section of highway as it does at present (i.e. accessing via Bermondsey Street or from roads further east) which lead onto Tooley Street. This would be an interim scheme, reducing traffic in the short term. We would like to extend the quality cycle provision, associated with Cycleway 4, to London Bridge when the other phases of this route have been completed. This would be subject to further consultation with residents and stakeholders in the Tooley Street and London Bridge area. 6 7 2. About the