Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport considered the  attached report which  outlined  the collaboration between the Council and TFL to optimise  bus routes through Wood Green and the Heartlands site. 

The report specifically sought to determine whether proposed changes to the highway to facilitate extension of bus routes 91, N91 and 232 to the Heartlands area in Wood Green should be implemented. The extension of these bus routes was consulted upon by Transport for London (TfL) between October and December 2023 and a decision was taken on 14 March 2024 to proceed to extend these routes so that in the future they would serve the new Haringey Heartlands Development, which is near completion.

It was noted that to enable the bus routes to run along Mayes Road, Coburg Road, Mary Neuner Road, Western Road and Clarendon Road (slightly different route for 91 and 232), statutory consultation on the proposed changes to the highway, outlined in Appendix A was carried out by Haringey Council between 17 January and 7 February 2024. This was carried out after TfL undertook its consultation but before it took the decision to proceed with the route extension.

The proposed highway changes consulted upon comprised new bus stops and a stand, revised highway alignments, waiting and loading restrictions, raised tables and a zebra crossing.

The proposed changes consulted upon, including their effect on parking, are detailed in paragraph 5.6 below and shown in the plans in Appendix A. These are summarised below:

• Provision of 5 new bus stops.

• Provision of 1 new bus stand.

• Provision of 2 raised junction tables one with a zebra crossing at entrance to Heartlands development on Western Road.

• Provide double yellow lines (138m) – loading permitted.

• Provide double yellow lines (no waiting and no loading) (73.5m)

• Removal of 17 shared (paid for or permit holder) spaces.

• Removal of 22 resident permit holder parking spaces

• Removal of 4 business permit holder spaces

• Removal of single yellow line parking (42m)

The Cabinet Member noted that Ward Councillors had been offered a briefing session on proposals before  decision and no indications of objections received.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport:

RESOLVED

1.    To consider  all feedback, including objections to the proposed traffic management orders, as set out in Appendix D, on the proposals outlined in Appendix A and summarised in Table 2 of the attached report together with officer’s recommended response set out in Section 5 of the attached report.

2.    To agree that the Council shall exercise its discretion to not cause a public inquiry to be held (see paragraph 6.2).

3.    To approve the implementation of the proposals outlined in Appendix A, except proposals necessary to implement the bus stand on Coburg Road.

4.    To approve the implementation of the revised proposals for the bus stand on Coburg Road as detailed in Appendix B (change includes extending the proposed bus stand from 12m to 23m).

5.    To approve the making of all necessary traffic management orders (TMOs) to give effect to the proposed changes set out in Appendix A (except changes for the bus stand in Coburg Road) and Appendix B for parking, waiting and loading changes required to implement a bus stand in Coburg Road.

6.    To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to make all necessary traffic management orders (TMOs) and publish notice of/notify objectors of the TMO/place a copy of the TMO with the documents available for public inspection at the Council’s offices and to install/ undertake the highway infrastructure necessary to give effect to the design set out in Appendix A.

Reasons for decision

Following a review of bus operations and future bus service needs for Wood Green, TfL consulted between October and December 2023 on changes to 4 bus routes that serve Wood Green High Road and Turnpike Lane: the 91, N91, 123 and 232.

Following this consultation exercise, TfL took the decision in March 2024 to implement its proposals which will mean two new bus routes, Route 91 and 232, will in the future serve the new Heartlands development (route 232 will have a temporary route in place until 2028, with changes to the permanent route after this date). The new routes will be via Mayes Road, Coburg Road, Western Road, Mary Neuner Road and Clarendon Road (slightly different route for 91 and 232). TfL plans to remove route 123 from Wood Green High Road.

In order to facilitate the new bus routes, the Council will need to make changes to the roads identified in paragraph 3.2 above and as recommended in paragraphs 2.3 to 2.5 above.

3.4 The decision does not result in a contract being awarded or expenditure in excess of £500,000 being incurred nor any virements, so it is not a key decision for that reason. The decision also relates to only one ward and so it is not a key decision for that reason as the effects of the decision will not have a significant impact on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more wards or electoral divisions in the area of the local authority.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing

This option was rejected as it would conflict with the Council’s duty described in paragraph 6.4 and the Cabinet’s commitment to carry out a review of the impacts of new housing development.

The proposals will help facilitate the new bus routes which will benefit local residents and businesses including those occupying the new development as the bus routes will provide access to public transport in close proximity to the premises.

Proposals align with the Council’s Transport Strategy (2018) which seeks to connect communities, workplaces and high streets in managing growth impacts, carbon emissions by prioritising sustainable transport choices. The aim of this is to result in safer and less congested highways.