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news
Swiss Cottage proposals (TfL artist's impression).jpgCS11 improvements to Swiss Cottage gyratory delayed after Westminster Council wins permission for judicial review
Cyclists have reacted with anger after Cycle Superhighway 11 (CS11) improvements at the Swiss Cottage gyratory were delayed by Westminster Council. Initially unveiled while Boris Johnson was Mayor of London, work on the project had been due to begin on Monday.
When it emerged that Westminster Council was seeking a judicial review last month, it was accused by campaigners of putting political motivations ahead of people’s safety.
Swiss Cottage is actually in the neighbouring London Borough of Camden, but a spokeswoman for Westminster Council explaining that its residents were “overwhelmingly opposed” to the proposals and had “raised concerns about the impact of traffic displacement on congestion and air quality in the streets adjacent to the proposed route.”
She said: “We have been in discussions over the last two years with TfL (Transport for London) about residents’ concerns but, despite assurances, we have yet to receive any further information about the wider impacts of the scheme and how these may be mitigated.”
She added: “As TfL is starting to proceed with the Swiss Cottage section without our support for the scheme as a whole, we have been left with no choice but to back our residents and to legally challenge the scheme.”
Two years ago a consultation found 60 per cent supported the plans, which also included closing gates at Regents Park to motor vehicles for 20 hours each day.
In January, London’s former cycling commissioner, Andrew Gilligan, declared CS11 “dead” in response to watered down plans in which only two gates to Regent’s Park would be shut to motorists and only for shorter hours.
Construction on the Swiss Cottage gyratory element had been due to start on Monday, but The London Evening Standard reports that Mr Justice Holgate yesterday imposed a ban until a full hearing on September 6.
A spokesman for the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “We are disappointed that Westminster council have gone to court to oppose our plans, and we will do everything we can to deliver these critical safety improvements as quickly as possible.”
Simon Munk, of London Cycling Campaign, said: “So, as a woman fights for her life following a collision at one dangerous junction, where work has been delayed for years, comes news that City of Westminster are delaying much-needed work at another dangerous junction. Truly shameful behaviour.”
Justin McKie, of Regent’s Park Cyclists, said: “It’s utterly shameful that while a young woman fights for her life after being brutally run over by a cement truck at another dangerous roundabout this week, pro-car lobbyists from NW3 (Hampstead) are celebrating the stay of execution for another appallingly dangerous junction.
“Swiss Cottage gyratory is not even within Westminster borough, so their ongoing campaign against cycling and healthier streets has genuinely reached a new low.
“They continue to play Sadiq Khan, outmanoeuvring him politically on any project which attempts to encourage people out of their cars. With a backdrop of this week’s pollution warnings in London, it’s sad to think that Councillor Nickie Aiken (Westminster council leader) must be wheezing with delight at this cycling setback.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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16 comments
How about if everyone objects to whatever plans Westminster council has? Any plans about anything. If they feel they can object to plans outside their area, surely the reverse must be true.
I used to work at Swiss Cotttage. I used to commute there either on my motorbike or on my MTB. The gyratory is horrendous, even if you're in a car. I find it incredible that anyone with any intelligence would oppose changing the current layout.
Getting rid of the gyratory isn't going to force drivers onto other roads, it will just rid us of a stupid one-way system where cars are driving too fast, four abreast whist trying to negotiate crossing over those lanes. This results in so much sensory overload that they can't see cyclists, and cyclists stay away because it feels (and is) dangerous.
Completely agree with Harrogate Spa, it’s like the NRA saying “guns keep you safe”.
I'd say opposing cycle infra on the basis of congestion and air quality could amount to Double Speak. It'd be laughable if it weren't so tragic.
Grenfell tower for cyclists. The same callous disregard of the safety of citizens because of ingrained, illogical opposition to an out group.
If it is permissable for people outside the scheme to object, it must be permissable for people outside to support it, so how about it LCC? Start a national petition to demonstrate support.
One dead cyclist every month in London just so motor addicts can continue to pump out toxic fumes and have acres of road space set aside for their personal half ton death cages all over town.
Tories are happy to spend other people's money when the end is subsidising infrastructure to support their own laziness.
In all fairness, I don't think its just Tories. I think the Lib Dems and Labour in local councils are pretty good at it, too...
Prime example is Vincent Stops Of Hackney [cough]wanker[/cough]
First name that popped into my head as well. Followed by his fan-club president, Dave Hill.
Labour seems to be afflicted with as many obsticles to progress as the Tories, when it comes to cycling.
(It's also the only topic that's ever made me feel positively about a Lib Dem...though he isn't an MP any more)
When you get two minutes, you might want to compare the amount of cycling infrastructure delivered in London during Boris Johnson's and Sadiq Khan's mayoral tenures.
The attitudes of Enfield council (Labour) and Haringey council (also Labour) to investment in cycling infrastructure is night and day. Same politics. Different people. Polar opposite results.
It's not helpful to give Labour a free pass on their failures just because they're not the Tories.
In my borough of Ealing it was one of those evil Tories who tabled a motion to safety review the Uxbridge Road after our Labour administration presided over three dead cyclists in less than 18 months. Boris Johnson was a Tory mayor and he was clearly pro-cycling. Less of the Tories bad, Labour good, please. It's too simple an analogy and turns people off better cycling provision.
Boris Johnson only started cycling after he was banned from driving for being over the limit for alcohol. And for someone supposedly in favour of cycling, he certainly didn't want any cyclists using the Garden Bridge he spent so much public money on.
Utterly clueless, have a real think about what you say before you embaress yourself with anti conservative BS, Labour are worse than useless and Corbyn is a traitor/treasonous fucker who will kill this country off.
Nice to see an open mind on this site, so often are we confronted by people who are unable to think and can only spout their prejudices.
There We Are Then.