Agenda and minutes
Venue: Board Room 2 - Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ. View directions
Contact: Joe Kwateng, Governance Officer 020 8937 1354, Email: joe.kwateng@brent.gov.uk
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Declarations of personal and prejudicial interests Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, any relevant personal and prejudicial interests and discloseable pecuniary interests in any matter to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: None. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting PDF 73 KB Minutes: RESOLVED:-
that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 March 2016 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting. |
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Matters arising Minutes: None. |
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Deputations Minutes: None. |
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This report informs the Committee of current cycle parking arrangements, types of equipment provided and of levels of demand from residents. The report also provides information on the trial of bike hangars in Brent as a potential measure to provide secure cycle parking for residents that do not have suitable space to store their bikes at home. Additional documents:
Minutes: Members considered a report that informed of current cycle parking arrangements, types of equipment provided and of levels of demand from residents. The report also provided information on the trial of bike hangars in Brent as a potential measure to provide secure cycle parking for residents that did not have suitable space to store their bikes at home.
Councillor Southwood, Chair, gave a brief overview of the Council’s Cycling Strategy 2016-2021 which set out the Councils aspiration to encourage and support cycling in the borough. The strategy’s specific objectives were informed by a two stage public consultation process that engaged Brent residents and other stakeholders regarding their views and priorities on cycling in the borough.
Sandor Fazekas (Project Development Manager) in setting the background to the strategy stated that since 2014 there had been numerous requests for bike hangars from residents in the borough that had difficulty storing their bikes at home. Following increasing numbers of requests and to learn how bike hangars could potentially benefit residents in Brent, six bike hangars were installed as a pilot scheme, on the public highway and Brent Housing Partnership locations, in Kilburn, Brondesbury Park, Kensal Green and Dollis Hill wards during 2015/2016. Funding for these bike hangars was allocated by Transport for London through the Borough Cycling Programme and locations chosen, applying a set of different criteria that varied according to the nature of the proposed sites.
He continued that the bike hangars were installed in January and February 2016 through the Borough Cycling Programme. A three year maintenance contract was also funded to encourage uptake and modal shift and spaces in the hangars were offered to local residents following a list of prioritisation criteria. Under the agreement Cycle Hoop would provide a management and maintenance service for the bike hangars including rental agreement, allocation of spaces and liaising with Council or housing association. Members heard that in order to encourage uptake residents would only be charged £36 (including VAT) per annum per space for the period under the maintenance contract. After 3 years, the costs will rise to £72 (including VAT) per annum per space.
In the ensuing discussion, members raised questions about the provision of bike hangars on station railings which often resulted in clutter and friction between users. Members also sought clarifications on the arrangements that could be put in place when existing bike hangar user moved house and no longer required the hangar or instances of possible misuse. Officers clarified that thus far, there had been no reported issues of misuse of the bike hangars and that if spaces become vacant this would provide other residents with an opportunity to use the hangers the discount would be transferable. Also, that the bike hangar scheme is principally aimed at residents and funding is available within other improvement scheme budgets to provide ample cycle parking, for example near stations. It was added although terms and conditions would apply, the possibility of new residents in getting a new bike hangar space would ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
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Wembley freight retiming pilot PDF 771 KB Over the next 20 years Brent is predicted to experience high levels of growth and it is expected that a significant proportion of this will be focussed in the Wembley Regeneration area. Wembley Park lies adjacent to the regeneration area, and could potentially be subject to increased levels of passenger and freight traffic. This report informs members of the investigating measures that will mitigate the predicted increase in freight traffic and contribute towards meeting the objectives of improved air quality, safer roads and better access for active modes (walking and cycling). Minutes: The Committee considered a report that provided information on the investigation of measures that would mitigate the predicted increase in freight traffic in the Wembley area and contribute towards meeting the objectives of improved air quality, safer roads and better access for active travel modes (walking and cycling).
Sandor Fazekas (Project Development Manager) informed the Committee that the Wembley freight retiming pilot project was developed with Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Freight and Fleet team with the aim of reducing the number of peak-time delivery trips to a specific area of Wembley adjacent to the regeneration area Wembley Park was chosen as the sample area for phase 1 of the pilot as it contained a large variety of businesses and other uses including schools and residential units. However, due to the small number of businesses indicating that they would be willing to participate, it was not felt that the trial could go ahead in its original format as it would not generate sufficient measurable benefit. Further options were explored to progress to phase 2 for a trial period of 3 months. TfL would provide the funding for phase 2 which would include identifying and implementing opportunities for retiming deliveries and servicing activity.
A key element of the next phase of work would be engagement with residents regarding complaints of excessive noise. It is hoped that a collaborative approach aimed at generating buy-in from residents and businesses to achieve a common goal would help to address noise concerns and enable the trial to be implemented successfully. The pilot which represented the first project of this nature to take place in London would provide an opportunity to generate a blue print for further schemes. Following implementation of the trial a report setting out the full findings would be submitted to Highways Committee.
Whilst welcoming the report, members noted the increase in noise complaints from residents as a result of deliveries to ASDA, Wembley Park and asked that measures be taken to minimise or reduce noise to the area. They also requested officers to continue with their regular meetings with Quintain Estates and Development to stem up participation by businesses within the London Designer Outlet (LDO). Members also expressed a view for the pilot to include construction traffic and for officers to capture residents’ experiences outside of the proposed timings of 10:00pm to 6:00am. Officers were requested to scope the above and share them with members of the Committee through the Chair.
RESOLVED:-
(i) That the outcomes following the first phase of the project and the commencement of the trial be noted;
(ii) that outcomes from the trial be reported to the Highways Committee at a future date. |
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Any Other Urgent Business Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 64. Minutes: None. |
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Date of Next Meeting The next meeting of the Highways Committee is scheduled for 25 January 2017. Minutes: Members noted that the next meeting would be held on 25 January 2017. |