Liveable Streets, Bethnal Green

Over the past few months Tower Hamlets Council has been working on proposals to transform the way the streets in Bethnal Green are used as part of our Liveable Streets programme. Bethnal Green is the first of seventeen areas that will benefit from investment as part of this scheme of works.

I’ve been working with Mayor John Biggs, ward councillors and council staff on this programme since May last year and I thought it’d be helpful, now that the Cabinet report detailing the final proposals for the area has been published, to say a few words about the final plans and the Liveable Streets programme more broadly.

Consultations are not referendums, we’ve all had enough of those

Earlier this week, we published the results of the Bethnal Green consultation. These show majority support for every element of the scheme from local residents, including for the closures at each end of Columbia Road.

Over 2,000 people, almost 1,400 local residents, responded to the consultation, after we delivered details about it to every property in the area, held lots of local workshops with residents and met with a range of community groups about the initial proposals.

If consultations were referendums then we should simply go ahead with every part of the scheme in full, without making any changes. Ignoring any sensible, informed, points raised by local residents and businesses. Disregarding any new information from residents about road use that has come to light. Not closely considering whether alternative proposals might allow our community to work better together.

But, the good news for us all is that consultations are not referendums. They act as a guide to the decisions that should to be made. They matter a lot, but they can’t be everything. Other considerations — like balancing the views of different parts of the community — can come into play.

In Bethnal Green, the closure just to the south of Columbia Road (at the junction with Barnet Grove) was supported by 64% of residents. A clear majority. If consultations were referendums, then we’d be storming ahead implementing this closure. But instead…

We’ve listened carefully to the views expressed in the consultation

A small number of residents and market traders have been very vocally opposed to the closure at the top of Barnet Grove, just south of Columbia Road. These objectors have made salient points and we’ve listened to them. We understand the importance of access to roads south of Columbia Road for market traders, and we’ve thought carefully about whether the particular location of this closure works well for residents too.

Because of this we’ve decided to re-consult on this closure, proposing an alternative closure in further down Barnet Grove. The location of this alternative was in fact suggested by local residents in reply to the consultation. This decision will hopefully welcomed by those who expressed concerns, and I hope by all those who prefer informed decision making after consultations rather than blindly implementing the results of referendums.

We will be in touch with those who live near this area about the alternative location for this closure in the coming weeks.

Liveable Streets is affordable, and we can’t afford not to do it

Some people have suggested that the Liveable Streets programme in Bethnal Green costs £15m. It’s worth clearing up that this amount is for the borough-wide liveable streets project, to be spread over seventeen different areas within the borough. These include those parts of Tower Hamlets that have high levels of through-traffic in residential areas and that have been identified as in need of investment in the “public realm” — basically the roads, pavements and parks etc.

Spread out over the next three years and in all corners of our borough this scheme will deliver good value for money. We will be tendering for bids from different traffic engineering companies, and not just relying on the same supplier.

We can’t afford not to proceed with these schemes. There are local schools, parks and other places where children — who are most affected by poor air quality — will spend time walking and playing. Air quality in these locations can, and should be better. It can’t be acceptable that poor air quality means that children growing up in Tower Hamlets have lung capacity up to 10% smaller than children growing up elsewhere in the country.

Also, it’s worth remembering that road closures themselves are not the most expensive parts of the proposals. Most of the expense of this and other schemes comes from the large public realm improvements that we’re planning on making alongside these more controversial measure e.g. the area outside the Birdcage pub, or Arnold Circus or the middle of Old Bethnal Green Road. These will improve the look and feel of the area, making it easier and more pleasant to get around on foot.

Things have to be different, if we want to make a difference

Finally, I just want to say something about road closures more generally. First, let’s be clear what they’re doing — overall, they will be removing thousands of ‘through-traffic’ vehicles, stopping people that just pass through from clogging up streets near schools and quiet resident areas. But, there’s no point shying away from the fact that some residents will be inconvenienced.

Want to travel from Warner Place to Bethnal Green Road by car? (My first thought on any car journey that short is — do you really need to make it by car? Leaving that aside…) It’s obviously true that such a journey is going to take a longer once the changes we’re proposing are implemented. Some local car journeys are going to be much less direct than they were before, but the question we have to ask is, is this worthwhile?

It seems that the residents of Bethnal Green think so, with majority support for all parts of our proposals. I think so too, there are over 11,000 vehicle journeys taken through Bethnal Green by those that are just passing straight through. Why should these journeys be made on what should be quieter, and safer, local streets? They shouldn’t.

In the end, if we’re going to make a difference to the quality of our air and to the sustainability of our planet then we’re going to have to drive a bit less and take to the streets on foot (or bike, or bus) a bit more. Liveable Streets will help make that happen — here’s to it being a success!