TfL told to “listen to our local community on any future proposals”, as west London council rejects
Kensington and Chelsea Council have told Transport for London (TfL), they “will need to listen to our local community on any future proposals” if any road changes are to be made in west London. Last week the council rejected TfL’s proposals for a new cycle lane, due to resident and local business concerns. The proposals would have affected Holland Park Avenue, Notting Hill Gate and surrounding streets.
The three main concerns highlighted by locals in the pretty west London location included:
Concerns about a tree deficit in one of the city’s most picturesque areas, which also prompted a local petition;
Concern about increased congestion on a busy arterial road and surrounding streets due to the removal of a traffic lane, and confirmed by TfL’s own modelling;
Concern about the impact of the proposals on public transport users.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Transport and Planning, Kensington and Chelsea Council said: "As a Council, listening to local people is at the core of what we do. We don’t think it is political to stand up for our residents. "Over 6400 people signed a petition on this issue, around 1000 people emailed us and many more contacted Councillors directly to make their concerns about the proposals clear. Hundreds of people also took the time to attend a community meeting to tell TfL that their proposals will not work. "TfL need to listen to our local community on any future proposals. "For me, protecting the people using our roads and living near our roads is absolutely vital – that’s why we’re planning a range of cycle routes that will help people to move safely through the borough without causing congestion or tearing up local streets with no thought to the community. "My first action as the new Lead Member for Transport was to approve a brand new cycleway connecting parts of North Kensington with the rest of the borough. Now I am beginning consultations with the local community on new cycle routes. It will form part of a strategy that includes a new 20 mph zone that will make our streets safer."
