I am an optimist. I have to be. And I so desperately want to be wrong but it is very clear to me that tomorrow’s @RBKC meeting tomorrow to decide on reinstating the Ken High St cycle lane is just public theatre on an already decided outcome. Short THREAD 👇
Like @betterstreetskc eloquently state, the report prepared for Councillors is riddled with errors, has important omissions and is framed through a lens of “man in the street” punditry, not hard available data, expert assessment or good policy.
The options provided to Cllrs to pursue are narrow and pointed towards Option 3 (which I believe they will take) to “develop plans to commission research” on future cycle schemes. This is a two-pronged and drawn out process of kicking any hope of safe cycling into the long grass.
They will do this while simultaneously claim they’re working hard on active travel through a handful of School Streets, a 20mph zone and useless quiet routes, which aren’t direct - nor actually that quiet. They will undoubtedly misrepresent the feedback from 999 services too.
The LAS, for example, are happy to go on record as supportive of the cycle schemes but that they would like a say in the design for access. That seems fair. Prepare for it to be weaponised as “if it costs just one life we can’t”, ignoring the fact schemes can be designed to...
...cater for the needs of emergency services. And to my knowledge, LAS haven’t objected previously to on-street car parking and schemes that will encourage more driving, creating more congestion. Their nuanced view will be presented as binary and, unfairly, as opposition.
As I say, I really, really want to be wrong. And whatever happens, we should be grateful to the volunteers at @betterstreetskc who have fought hard to ensure people can cycle safely. You can read their excellent letter to the Leader here: betterstreets4kc.org.uk/2021/03/16/bet…
Whichever way it goes, we can be sure that this won’t be the last of it. Even with Kensington High St reinstated, there’s the matter of the continual blocking of a safe cycle route between Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park. Their reluctance is wide ranging and multi faceted.
🤞
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