In my previous post I discussed some councillors who had raised objections to cycling exceptions on one-way streets, in spite of this having worked so effectively in other boroughs and the City of London now opening up 34 roads to contraflow cycling or two-way operation. I also highlighted one particular councillor who not only objected but gave quite a speech, in which he showed his disdain for those who ride bikes, rejecting best practice because ‘if it works in other boroughs it isn’t necessarily right for Croydon’ without giving any reason why Croydon might be different and describing the dangers of ‘cyclists hurtling the wrong way down one-way streets’. Sadly, this was councillor Mike Fisher (Shirley), leader of Croydon Council!
That probably comes as little surprise to most of you as the dreadful conditions for cyclists on Croydon’s roads would have already suggested some powerful anti-cycling influence in the council. Also backing objections to this simple pro-cycling measure was councillor Adam Kellett (Ashburton), a taxi driver of 25 years. That a taxi driver could be permitted to have influence over a decision relating to cycling, or road governance at all, is utterly anti-democratic. Such biased governance is not acceptable. He clearly has a conflict of interest on every point raised, yet you won’t see any declared.
I wrote to Mike Fisher to complain about his comments and have given him time to respond, but he has decided to remain silent. You can read the e-mail in full here. Do you live in Ashburton or Shirley? Did you vote for these councillors? Is this what you voted for?
I thought it better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and gleaned the following from the thread below:
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com
Date: 15 October 2012 16:08
Subject: Re: Council meeting 15/10/12 – Business Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment & Highways
To: “Kellett, Adam”
Dear Cllr Kellett,
Thanks for the swift response. My view is that one-way streets are bad for all road users – including motorists and taxi passengers – as they force you to make detours rather than go where you want to go.
I can understand though that residents of streets used as rat runs like the idea of them, since they feel they will solve that particular issue. However, since people riding bikes aren’t part of the rat-running problem, it makes sense to exempt them from the solution, in the same way that pedestrians aren’t forced to walk in one direction only.
Cycling organisations and their representatives will tend to share such opinions. Additionally the government’s Department for Transport and Transport for London recognise that contraflow cycling and plug no-entry schemes have their place in the highway engineer’s toolbox and have published detailed guidance to that effect.
This is probably why the officer handling the Woodside Court Road scheme, Sue Ritchie, put forward that particular suggestion. I imagine that she was mindful of the need to help the borough make it easier and safer for people to cycle, a principle that Boris signed up to before he was re-elected earlier this year; he endorsed the London Cycling Campaign’s “Love London Go Dutch” initiative, a reference to the success of the Dutch government in giving people the choice to cycle easily and safely, hence the extensive usage of bikes there – and in other European countries and cities.
Best wishes for an early resolution with win-win outcomes for all concerned,
Austen
On 15 October 2012 15:11, Kellett, Adam wrote:
Dear Mr Cooper, Your report of the meeting on 24th September is basically correct, but allow me to add to it. Making Woodside Court Road one-way was initiated by local residents and taken up by my ward colleague Cllr Avril Slipper. A few days before the meeting we saw that the detailed plans included a cycle contra-flow, which was the first we had heard of such a proposal. It had not been included in any consultation. I attended the meeting and objected to the contra-flow element purely out of concerns over cyclists safety, not just from motorists but also from pedestrians stepping out. My experience leads me to the opinion that cycle contraflows can be dangerous, but I am always happy to listen to other views, particularly from cyclists themselves.
The “Plug” idea is an interesting idea. It certainly avoids the main danger of a motorist thinking he is in a one-way street when he is not, because he is not in a one-way street. Sorry, that last sentence sounds awful but I hope you know what I mean.
Happy to listen further to what cyclists have to say about this. No final decisions have been reached.
Regards, Cllr ADAM KELLETT
From: austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com [austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com]
Sent: 15 October 2012 14:31
To: Thomas, Phil; Fisher, Mike; Mead, Dudley; Bashford, Sara; Pollard, Tim; Mead, Margaret; Mohan, Vidhi; O’Connell, Steve; Perry, Jason; Hoar, Simon; Collins, Stuart
Cc: Wright, Chris; Bee, Kathy; Chatterjee, Richard; Fitzsimons, Sean; Newman, Tony; Ryan, Gerry; Letts, Toni; timothy@godfrey.net; Winborn, Susan; Fitze, David; Shahul-Hameed, Manju; Selva, Mike; Kellett, Adam; Slipper, Avril; The Mayor; George-Hilley, Clare; Harris, Tony
Subject: Council meeting 15/10/12 – Business Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment & Highways
Dear Councillors,
I am e-mailing you on behalf of Croydon Cycling Campaign, the local branch of the London Cycling Campaign, concerning the Business Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment & Highways which is on the agenda for your Council meeting tonight, Monday 15 October 2012.
In that report reference is made to two items considered by the Traffic Management Cabinet Committee at its 24 September 2012 meeting, one being the introduction of a one-way traffic scheme at Woodside Court Road in Ashburton, the other being one-way schemes for Bynes Road and Wollaston Road in Croham. In all three cases, the officers said that cyclists should be exempt from the one-way motor traffic flow by virtue of cycling contraflows being introduced.
From the Business Report it can be seen that Members took the decision to defer the introduction of the cycling contraflows to a later meeting of the Traffic Management Cabinet Committee, and I understand that safety is the concern here.
We believe that such concerns are misconceived. There are a number of one-way streets in Croydon where cycling contraflows have been put in place without compromising the road safety of motorists or cyclists. Examples include St. James Park in Selhurst, as agreed by the Traffic Management Cabinet Committee on 23 April 2009 – http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/documents/meetings/578451/2009/834397/sjp.pdf has details. Closer to the Town Hall there are the cycling contraflows at the western ends of Whitgift Street and Scarbrook Road, and the newly installed contraflow at the eastern end of Howley Road (all in Fairfield).
If the concerns relate to the risk of motorists driving faster down a one-way street than they would down a two-way street, then a better – and indeed preferable – solution is to have what your highway engineers call a “Plug” no entry scheme. This is where a road is two-way throughout its length except for a short length of one-way working at one end. Entry into the road is banned at one end and traffic is only allowed to exit. To help cyclists, a short length of contra flow cycle lane lets them travel past the no entry signs. Successful examples can be found in streets such as Ruskin Road, Pemdevon Road and Fairholme Road, all in Broad Green.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has set a target that by 2026, 5% of all journeys undertaken in the capital will be made by bicycle. Right now in Croydon that figure is about 1% – which is roughly half of the London-wide average. Measures such as cycling contra-flows, plug no-entrys, safer roads and junctions will help our borough meet and exceed that aim, to the benefit of the whole community. I therefore hope the examples and information given above will enable the perceived barriers to these cycle-friendly proposals to be reviewed and dropped.
Yours faithfully,
Mr Austen Cooper
Huels, St. Leonards Road
Waddon