Council scraps cycle lane because traffic went up by a third
A CYCLE lane has been scrapped permanently after traffic rose by 30 per cent and most support for the scheme came from outside of the area.
The mile-long route on Kensington High Street cost £320,000 as part of the green roads scheme last September.
Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council removed the lane in December after complaints from residents, businesses and emergency services.
The Conservative council met again last week to reconsider its decision amid legal threats from a community group, but its leadership team voted unanimously against restoring the cycle lane.
It will now “consider an alternative scheme in the longer term” as opposed to pursuing any immediate plans for new green transport projects. It comes as a blow to Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of
London, and Boris Johnson, who was reported to have “gone ballistic” when the lane was initially scrapped.
Traffic levels on the high street in September were up between 25 and 30 per cent compared with the start of the scheme as a result of the lane “markedly” increasing congestion, according to a council report published this week.
Businesses that complained felt the cycle lane had deterred customers by causing congestion, Wednesday’s meeting heard. Out of 5,188 pro-cycle lane emails received via the London Cycling Campaign in the first two weeks of December, just 15 per cent appeared to be from residents or visitors, the report revealed.
A further 3,134 emails up until midFebruary showed although most visitors polled backed the scheme, 69 per cent of permanent local residents opposed it. Felicity Buchan, the Conservative MP for Kensington, said that her elderly and disabled constituents had been particularly vocal.
“The feedback was that the cycle lane was not working, causing significant congestion and impaired air quality,” she said.
Community campaign group Better Streets for Kensington and Chelsea is understood to be talking to its lawyers about plans for a judicial review.
Justin Abbott, its co-founder, described the decision as a “farce”.
Elizabeth Campbell, the council leader, said: “I would urge people to come together and work with us to find an alternative for our whole community.”