Brent Green Party calls for halt to Waymo autonomous vehicle trial after concerns around Harlesden police cordon incident

The Brent Green Party has called for an immediate suspension of autonomous vehicle trials in Harlesden following reports that a Waymo vehicle entered a live police cordon in the area.

In a statement by the party they claim the incident raises serious questions over the safety and oversight of autonomous vehicle operations on London streets, particularly in densely populated urban districts. According to The Standard, the vehicle allegedly failed to recognise emergency service restrictions and entered the police cordon.

Waymo has reportedly stated the vehicle was being operated in manual mode at the time of the incident. However, Brent Greens said the event still highlighted what they described as “unsolved risks” surrounding the deployment of autonomous technology in complex urban environments.

The local party criticised what it said was a lack of community consultation before the trial rollout in Brent. The statement claimed residents in Harlesden and Kilburn were not adequately informed or consulted before the vehicles began operating locally. The Greens argued that decisions surrounding autonomous vehicle deployment appeared to have been driven by central government and corporate interests rather than local residents.

Party says safety concerns, congestion risks and lack of consultation make autonomous vehicle testing unsuitable for Brent communities

Brent Greens also raised concerns over the physical design of the Jaguar I-PACE vehicles used within the Waymo fleet. The party said the vehicles’ higher front profile and additional sensor equipment could increase injury severity in collisions involving pedestrians. The statement linked these concerns to Transport for London’s Vision Zero road safety ambitions and warned that Harlesden’s narrow pavements and busy crossings created additional risks.

Congestion formed another major criticism within the statement. Brent Greens argued that autonomous “robotaxi” services could add unnecessary vehicle mileage through empty repositioning journeys while searching for passengers or mapping data. The party said this could conflict with the Mayor of London’s long-term traffic reduction targets, which aim to reduce car kilometres travelled in the capital by 27% by 2030.

The statement also focused on the potential economic impact on London’s taxi and private hire industries. Brent Greens warned that increased use of autonomous vehicles could threaten jobs within the sector while shifting profits away from local communities and towards large technology firms based overseas.

The comments come as Waymo expands its international testing and operational footprint. The company recently opened a UK operations hub in Park Royal. Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt attended the opening, describing the investment as a positive step for innovation and economic growth in the borough.

Brent Greens criticised the council leader’s attendance at the launch event, accusing the local authority leadership of prioritising corporate interests over community safety concerns. The party has called on Butt to withdraw support for the trial until a full safety audit into the Harlesden incident is completed and published.

The statement also referenced developments in New York City, where autonomous vehicle expansion proposals reportedly faced political resistance earlier this year amid ongoing safety and regulatory debates.

The Brent Green Party is urging residents to report any further incidents involving autonomous vehicles and is seeking support for a petition calling on the Mayor of London to suspend the trial pending further review.