Cyclist Support For Sloane Square Reconfiguration

[Philip Benstead]

CYCLIST SUPPORT FOR SLOANE SQUARE RECONFIGURATION

Planning Applications LB/06/02834 and LB/06/02874

Please could CTC members/cyclists offer support for this scheme.

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/sloanesquare/option1.asp

It will reconfigure the square so that it is less conflict between cyclist and motorised traffic.

Below is the edited text of my letter of support.

I wish to offer my support on behalf of the CTC for the proposal for the reconfiguration of Sloane Square.

I and others attended a presentation that place the scheme in its historical context and the projected influence on traffic behaviour. Also highlighted the spatial benefits that the reconfiguration will provided.

I recognise that with any scheme, there may be some negative impact, but in balance this scheme is worthy of implementation.

I have seen the “Save Sloane Square website at

http://savesloanesquare.co.uk/our_campa ... cation.htm

I found their selective use of facts interesting, giving the impression that a “motorway style” configuration was proposed. I also seen that they suggest that there will be increase risk for pedestrian movement and that visual amenity will be reduced.

I find these arguments flawed.

In my opinion, the reconfiguration will offer increase opportunities for less conflict between traffic on the carriageway and pedestrian on the pavement and their crossing of the carriageway. Also the staged cross road with ameliorate the speed and will aid lane discipline for both cyclist and motorist traffic.

With the introduction of the extension of the congestion zone into this area there is likely to be a reduction in motorised traffic movement, this scheme will enhance the experience for non mortised movements use of Sloane Square.

At the presentation, there was some concern express by the proposal to closure of Holbein Place to through traffic including cyclist. It was suggested that cyclist would ignore the ban, and that in would be self enforcing, with increase in pedestrian flow acting as dynamic traffic calming. I take a similar robust view to that of Councillor Daniel Moylan, in regard to cyclist in pedestrian areas. The flow of pedestrian will regulate the speed of cyclists.

Symons Street is restored to one-way operation in the opposite direction; the view was expressed that it would be helpful if this road could be two way for cyclists. I know that there some logistic difficulty here, but I would welcome that this scheme can encourage cyclist to obey the Highway Code.

The right turn from Cliveden Place into Sloane Street is to be banned; it would be very useful if there were a cyclist exemption to this proposed traffic order.

I have been asked to:

• Publicly endorsing our proposals as beneficial to cyclists (and other road users) in a way that we could quote in our literature.
• Encouraging your members and supporters in Chelsea and Belgravia (essentially SW1, SW3 and SW10) to participate in the consultation by filling in and returning the form.

I am happy to accede to these requests.

Please do publish CTC support in your literature and I will place my comment on the CTC website message forum to encouraging CTC members and supporters to participate in the consultation.

I will also send a copy of this letter via email to Emily Thornberry MP Chair, All Party Cycling Group.

Please do keep me informed of progress on this and any other scheme in RB. Kensington & Chelsea.

Yours sincerely

Philip Benstead

0794-980-1698

[Simon L6]

Phil - thankyou for this.

I can see the merits of the opposition case, which is strenghened by the Borough's poor presentation. Sloane Square is an island in the middle of the traffic. Not many pedestrians go to the island as they rush from Peter Jones to the Tube, or from Jo Malone to Henry J. Beans. That's what gives it charm. You can sit in the 2nd floor brasserie in Johnny Loulous and look out over the trees at a small piece of stillness in one of the busiest parts of London. The fact that it's tiny doesn't matter. It's just there.

Most traffic through Sloane Square is northeast/southwest. The new scheme will simply make progress for cars even more slow than it is now. But...the Kings Road is rammed all day every day now - people drive down the Kings Road for enjoyments sake, not because they want to get anywhere. The 137 bus won't have to divert around the square, but most of the buses from the West End down towards Worlds End will be delayed.

The congestion charge may not make a difference in a part of town where the price of garages has gone over £50,000. The average price of cars going down the Kings Road is also over £50,000 - although that's bumped up by Ferraris, Bentleys, Rollers and top of the range Range Rovers. The CC won't make a difference at weekends.

The proposal is timid. The best and easiest thing would be to cut the connection between the north and south of the Square for all vehicles except buses, bikes and (reluctantly) taxis. No need for roadworks - simply make the north and south sides of the Square two-way and make the east and west sides into bus lanes. Symons Street should be cut off from the square with a barrier to prevent rat-running. No need for roadworks - just red paint. I accept that Option 1 is what is on offer, but, in supporting it, we should go one step further, and make the case for a real public place. We'll still see the Ferraris cruising down the Kings Road, and we'll still see sixties (in more ways than one) supermodels in tiny skirts and high heels tottering into Waitrose weighed down by fur coats and armpit dogs. For all its silliness, I like that....

[Hugo]

The new scheme will simply make progress for cars even more slow than it is now

I am very glad that Sloane square is to be reorganised with pedestrian and
cyclist in view, and it is not a moment before time. As a former planning department man for a short while, I approach these planning matters with some fear. Making progress slower for the cars maybe the best the borough can achieve.

Planning for congestion and then making a congestion charge on top is two steps in the right direction.

Sloane Square is currently one of the worst places for pedestrians/cyclists
in that part of London, and unlike the Corner, it is unavoidable.

I look forward to using it on my hand crank, which would certainly not be possible otherwise. One of two places where thieves tried to steal my bike while I was watching them.

Good luck for an early resolution.

[pickles]

This is not about slowing down traffic. As Simon says, traffic speeds are already at Edwardian speeds along the King's Road. Many is the time that - bikeless - I've got out of a bus at Sloane Square, confident that I would beat it to Chelsea Old Town Hall under bipedal power alone.

True, the plan isn't quite as good as it could be but it is ambitious and I really hope that it goes ahead. Sloane Square might be attractive to stare at from afar but wouldn't it be even better to be able to lounge at a cafe table under the plane trees, sipping one's beverage of choice whilst idly admiring les flaneuse?

At present it's a dreadful dangerous car-dominated nightmare - the changes (making Symons Street one-way) that they brought in a few years ago simply made it worse.