Agenda item

The Panel received a written update on the Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme in Crouch End. The report was introduced by Peter Watson, Major Schemes Project Manager, as set out in the agenda pack at pages 11-13. The following was noted in discussion of the report:

a)    The Panel raised concerns about the impact of the trial road closure which took place between 7-20 October on the displacement of traffic to  the surrounding roads including the Ladders and Wightman Road. The Panel suggested that it was important to engage with residents and to bring them along with the scheme.  The impact of traffic displacement and a failure to properly engage with those residents was likely to be perceived negatively.

b)    In response, the Cabinet Member acknowledged these concerns and advised that officers were continuing to implement an engagement programme, undertake a design survey and that she had met with residents recently.  The Cabinet Member also set out that ward councillors have joined the stakeholder forum and their concerns and comments had been taken on board. The Panel were advised that the pre-election Purdah period was due to start on 23^rd March and that this would have an impact on the timescales for agreeing phase 2 of the scheme. Consultation would continue following the expiry of Purdah.

c)    The Panel sought clarification on how the final report would be publicised when released in March. In response, the Cabinet Member advised that she had prepared a video blog for the website and that leaflets had been sent out to libraries etcetera.

d)    The Chair sought reassurance around whether engagement had been undertaken with traders on Hornsey High Street, given the disproportionate impact on those traders. In response, the Cabinet Member acknowledged that the engagement to date had been focused on Crouch End but that additional resources were going to be available from the Regen team going forwards. The Cabinet Member agreed that she would commit to engaging with the Hornsey traders as well as any other groups that the Panel would like to put forward. (Action: Cllr Hearn).

e)    Officers clarified that they had not yet reached the design phase and that before extensive engagement took place on these proposals, they would like to have design proposals in place.

f)     The Panel noted the 500 email addresses received as part of the initial stage of engagement and questioned whether the results of the survey had been shared with these people. In response, officers advised that the survey had not been completed yet but that extensive consultation would take place once it had been finalised. In response to questions around the extent to which local MPs and GLA members had been engaged with, the Cabinet Member advised that formal consultation had not taken place but that she was meeting Catherine West MP tomorrow.

g)    The Panel acknowledged the extent to which residents had responded to the survey, with 2493 responses received to date, but cautioned the need for the Council to listen to those responses as well.

h)    The Panel requested clarification on why Crouch End was chosen as the trial location rather than say Tottenham, which had a much higher population density and number of schools. In response, officers advised that Liveable Crouch End was one of 7 successful bids selected by TfL from 26 submissions  and one of the main attractions of the Crouch End bid was the proximity of the TfL cycling route from Kentish Town to Crouch End. TfL also chose Crouch End due to its traffic density and the proximity of main arterial roads. It was noted that the Crouch End bid was prepared by the previous administration. Officers advised that they had submitted a bid for a Liveable Streets scheme in Bruce Grove but were still awaiting the outcome of that bid.

i)     In response to a question about the feasibility of incorporating improved pedestrian access to rail/Overground facilities, the Cabinet Member advised that this was outside of the scheme. The Cabinet Member agreed to circulate a briefing on what was included in the Liveable Streets scheme and what wasn’t. (Action: Cllr Hearn).

j)     The Panel sought clarification about air quality on Crouch End and whether this was significantly worse than in other parts of the Borough. In response, officers set out that the primary driver was around modal shift and that improved air quality was a secondary consequence of reducing the number of vehicles on the road. Officers fed back that there were 1000 fewer vehicles on the road over the two week trial period and that it was considered successful in that context.

k)    In response to a question, officers advised that the Transport Planning team had been tasked with putting together a strategic plan to link up the Liveable Streets scheme and see how other parts of the borough could benefit from this.

l)     The Chair urged caution in applying for further bids and set out that he was surprised that these were being made before the first scheme had been successfully implemented and adequate engagement with the community had been sought. Cllr Davies commented that she was broadly supportive of expanding the scheme across different parts of the Borough.

RESOLVED

That the Panel noted the written update in relation to Liveable Crouch End.