The opening of the ‘Marble Arch Mound’ arguably did not go as Westminster Council, which commissioned the project, and the architects MVRDV, who realised it, would have hoped. Within days Londoners had collectively put their thumbs down. When I first saw it, I have to admit, I was also underwhelmed.

Not only does the Mound look a lot less impressive in reality than what was promised. It also seems to be beset with problems, not having been finished in time for its launch at the end of July. In crisis mode, Westminster council decided to waive the ticket cost (£4.50 per person) for the month of August and will refund those who already bought them.  Now the deputy leader of Westminster council, Melvyn Caplan, has resigned in light of the spiralling costs of the unloved project, which stand at £6million.

In principle, the idea of the Mound is not a bad one. The council hopes to revive the blighted Oxford Street and the wider West End after the pandemic. By creating a visitor attraction with the Mound, more people may be enticed to visit the surrounding streets.

The Mound also wanted to be a green statement: the makers MVRDV claim it is almost fully re-useable (scaffolding holds the structure up and the decorative turf and trees can be used in gardens and parks). Aesthetically, MVRDV aims for the Mount to reconnect Marble Arch to Hyde Park. It has been ‘disconnected’ ever since 1960, when urban planners thought little of green spaces and plastered a multi-lane roundabout over Speakers Corner, creating a traffic island with the Marble Arch in its middle.

Sadly, the Mound does not actually re-green any road space. It sits on the traffic island, which pedestrians and cyclists can only cross by daring death on the busy roads. It does not have to be like this: remember when Extinction Rebellion occupied the streets around Marble Arch in Spring 2019 and erected a camp on the site of where the Mound sits now?

XR achieved all the Marble Arch Mound wants to do, and certainly with a much smaller budget. For a few days in April, Marble Arch was once again connected to Hyde Park. The usually noisy and polluted place was filled with life. Kids drew on the multi-lane roads. 

As for the businesses on Oxford Street: they benefit from what Greens have demanded for decades: a pedestrianised, liveable urban space, which is healthy and fun to be in. 

Many Londoners agreed. See this article from the Evening Standard.

Here’s the real lesson from the Marble Arch Mound saga: Oxford Street should be car-free in its entirety, extending the planned part-pedestrianising of Oxford Circus all the way up to Marble Arch. This will bring back healthy streets, and that is what will bring people back into the city. And while we are at it, we should also be linking the park back to Marble Arch by closing the road that separates them. We do not need to raise a mountain to do so, just some common sense.

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Date: Sunday 30^th May 2021

Time: 1.30pm

Starting Point: Queen Victoria Statue between Kensington Palace and the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens

End point: by Royal Festival Hall – Southbank

We will start by the round pond near Kensington Palace moving across to Hyde Park Corner and then on to Green Park via Wellington’s Arch. We will then cross The Mall, past Buckingham Palace to reach St James’s Park. There is the option of going to a nearby pub at the end.

Starting point transport links:

Tube: High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Bayswater.

Buses: 23, 27, 52, 70, 94, 148

Contact person: Alex Horn – 07773898806

Book on Action Network

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The Green party have the potential to win anywhere writes new Green London Assembly member Zack Polanksi as he finishes his first week in the job.

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The Green Party’s London Mayor candidate Sian Berry met with cycling campaigners in Kensington on Saturday to protest at the removal of a controversial cycle lane from the area. Read the article.

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Council transport lead Johnny Thalassites took the decision to remove the lane in December, causing an outcry from the community, including several local schools and large-scale employers and businesses along the route. Faced with the threat of legal action over the removal, RBK&C council decided to revisit the decision. 

Today the meeting of the council, which is governed by a Conservative majority, confirmed the previous decision to remove the lane, choosing to delay despite key evidence for support among the community, commuters  and businesses.

“RBK&C leaders evidently decided some time ago that cycle lanes have no place in the borough, regardless of their safety benefits and despite the express wishes of the majority of local residents and businesses, for more cycle lanes” says Zack Polanski, the Green Party Assembly candidate for West Central London. 

Council leader Elizabeth Campbell argued that cycle lanes cannot be introduced ‘willy nilly’, but the support for the measure is well documented. A survey, commissioned by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, had found that a majority of RBK&C residents support the cycle lane. Support is highest in less privileged areas of the borough, where car ownership is lowest (1).

Kensington Greens asked for such a survey to be conducted in December 2020 (2). 

“We understand how frustrated people are with the council leadership and how much they crave for political change in the borough,” says local Green party activist Fabian Frenzel 

A council commissioned report has confirmed that the cycle lane increased cycling, particularly on weekends, and did not cause prolonged journey times for motorised traffic during its short existence. 

“We need a council that makes decisions based on evidence, not prejudice” says Frenzel

The post Council blocks cycling safety on one of London’s most dangerous roads appeared first on West Central London.

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Following pressure from campaign groups and the prospect of a judicial review, Kensington and Chelsea’s council leader Elizabeth Campbell has announced a decision to reconsider removing the cycle lane on Kensington High Street, which it did in early December 2020, only seven weeks after it had been installed, at a cost to taxpayers of £320k. The about turn came without any notice, and despite significant usage of the cycle lane and wide-spread support among residents.

“Many residents are so frustrated by what has always clearly looked like an anti-cycling agenda. Sadly it looks like this now has been confirmed – and must be challenged.’ says Zack Polanski, Green Party Assembly candidate.

In early January, Forbes magazine revealed that council officers had drafted press statements against the cycle lane for local business groups and had encouraged residents to express their opposition. Meanwhile, the council ignored thousands of supportive emails sent to them, with pro cycling campaign groups copied in (1)

Research has shown that the space of the removed cycle lane is now mostly used by parked cars, while travel times along KHS have increased. (2)

In a letter published on the council website, Kensington & Chelsea now seems to admit that the earlier decision was biased and would not withstand the scrutiny of a full judicial review. K&C councillor and transport lead Johnny Thalassitis, who was responsible for the removal of the lane, will not be taking part in the new assessment ‘in the interest of fairness’.(3)

“Taxpayers in Kensington and Chelsea are paying the bill of such unprofessional conduct, while safety on Kensington High Street, one of the most dangerous roads in London, is compromised,” says local Green Party campaigner Fabian Frenzel . “K&C residents deserve better than this.”

The local Green Party wants to see the immediate reinstatement of the cycle lane.

(1)   https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2021/01/01/council-officer-ghost-edited-business-groups-press-statement-seeking-dismantling-of-pop-up-cycleway-on-kensington-high-street/?sh=7bab730f7431

(2)   https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/01/removed-london-bike-lane-blocked-by-parked-cars-most-of-the-time-study-kensington-and-chelsea-council

(3) https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/parking-transport-and-streets/getting-around/cycling-and-walking/kensington-high-street-cycle-scheme

For further info etc

— 
Barbara Holloway
+44(0)20 7727 3605
+44(0)7791 980249(m)

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This represents a catastrophic failure of the Government’s, Transport for London’s (TFL) and London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham’s ability to plan ahead for the future. This problem has been caused by overheating that is most likely a result of the climate emergency, and we are likely to face similar challenges to London’s infrastructure in the future.

Sign the petition here.

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West London Greens call for Transport for London to take control of Kensington High Street from the local council to save a trial cycle lane and prevent the council from wasting public money on its removal. 

The KHS cycle lane was developed in collaboration between the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and TFL. It was meant to be in place for a six-month trial period, with some upgrades to junctions still to be implemented, but RBKC announced on the weekend that the scheme will be ended after just six weeks. The council argues that many residents and businesses oppose the scheme, but no reliable survey has been conducted to verify this. TFL data shows that there was no increased congestion on Kensington High Street during the trial, contrary to claims be the council.  

“The council says the scheme has not helped local businesses, but most businesses were closed due to lockdown in recent weeks,” says Zack Polanski, the West London Green Party candidate for the London Assembly Election. Zack added: “We do know that the number of cyclists using KHS has doubled in this short period, leading to fewer cars on the roads, less air pollution and healthier active travel. Why would you stop this trial when it seems to be working?”

Local schools such as Fox Primary(1) and the Imperial College (2) have demanded for the lane to be saved as it enables staff and students to commute safely. Angry residents took to social media to demand a re-think from council transport leaders.

“The cycle lane has made a massive difference, encouraging many people to cycle on KHS for the first time”, says Kensington Green Party activist Fabian Frenzel. ”Cycle lanes are needed to prevent death and serious injury caused by motor traffic and to make people feel safe on London’s streets.”

“The council is paying lip service to promoting active travel, but sadly it appears that the pressure from a few wealthy car owners has won over common sense in RBKC once again. The council is failing us.”, Frenzel added.

(1)   https://twitter.com/FoxPrimary?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

(2)   https://betterstreets4kc.org.uk/2020/11/25/imperial-college-support-for-the-high-street-kensington-cycle-lane/

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