Sutton Cycle Forum November 2021

Held remotely using Google Meet on 17th November 2021.

The previous meeting notes from 29th September 2021 held on Google Meet.

Scheme updates for November 2021 (PDF)

We supplied a list of points requiring updates, we would not necessarily have time to treat all as agenda items:

• On going:
  • routes prioritised from the data provided
  • lobbying of TfL & Will Norman submitted update
  • new school streets consultations
  • other consultations (Foresters Drive update? feedback from drop ins?)
  • traffic and air quality data collected existing school streets
  • STS status and what actions identified/justified
  • Please could you ask the Cycle Forum for an approximate time for the publication of:
    • [a] a document outlining the successes, the failures and the lessons learned from the previous (2015) STS;
    • [b] the delivery plan for the new STS – can we confirm will take the form of a locally-based framework document.
  • wayfinding improvements update
  • cycle parking
  • barriers \ cameras
    • working with Safer Sutton Partnership Service (SSPS)
    • see attached from Dominic
• New Items\points:
  • stakeholder engagement with Property developers & town planners: new schemes need to ensure enough cycle parking at high density housing
  • Sutton Local Plan > London Plan > National Planning Policy Framework
  • Vision for Sutton: Cycle Hubs see TfL cycling page
  • Funding for cycling from national government is now at an all-time high for those councils wiling and able to deliver (see ‘Gear Change’).
  • General maintenance / jnct near Wrythe Lane parallel crossing is covered in grit and debris. Numerous misaligned way finding signs.
  • Please ask the Cycle Forum for the council’ schedule of maintenance .

Key points:

• Apologies were received from
  • Councillor Manuel Abellan
  • Councillor Jenny Batt

What follows is mostly the notes taken by Helen as Marcus chaired.

On going

• routes prioritised from the data provided
  • Lynn Robinson confirmed that the list of routes has been looked at. The bid submitted to TfL is for the 3 routes which were previously identified and worked on in terms of design/feasibility:
    • Quietway – Worcester Park to Sutton (east/west route)
    • Quietway – Morden to Sutton (North/South route)
    • Mitcham to Wallington route
  • It may be a while before the other routes that have been proposed by SCF can be looked at but please continue to identify potential cycle routes in the borough and indicate those you consider to be a priority. see also Scheme updates for November 2021 (PDF)
• lobbying of TfL & Will Norman submitted update
  • No further update on this.
• new school streets consultations
  • Paul Garside advised that 10 trial school streets were implemented on 1/11/21. LBS bid for an additional 5 school streets schemes and we had interest from 5 schools who are interested in hosting them.
  • Marcus Howarth asked whether there anything SCF can do to help here in terms of signposting routes etc?
  • Action – SCF could work on publicising walking & cycling routes to the existing the existing 10 School Streets.
• other consultations (Foresters Drive update? feedback from drop ins?)
  • Kevin Williams advised that there have been 2 “drop in” sessions” where 83 people attended and 51 questionnaires received.
  • The HGV ban was positively received and residents want speed reduction measures (but not traffic calming) and additional pedestrian crossing points. Timescales to implement changes will be dictated by availability of TfL funding.
  • Action: KW has offered to talk about Forresters Drive on a separate session

• Any other consultations
  • None at the moment.
• traffic and air quality data collected existing school streets
  • There are IoT monitors on the current School Streets for a 12 month period. Baseline data was collected before these schemes commenced.
• STS status and what actions identified/justified
  • Please could you ask at the Cycle Forum for an approximate time for the publication of:
    • A) a document outlining the successes, the failures and the lessons learned from the previous (2015) STS;
    • B) the delivery plan for the new STS – can we confirm will take the form of a locally-based framework document.
  • Reply from Dimitrios Dikmpasani, Transport Planner / Planning Officer, LBS
    • A) The STS closure report would be published when the draft STS is agreed. It was adopted at the full Council Committee meeting on 22/11/21 and Dimi’s team will update their relevant webpage and write a closing report for the old STS soon
    • B) The delivery plan for the new STS will be the Local Implementation Plan. This new STS will have a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) status and now builds on the sustainable transport measures in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, the Local Implementation Plan and Sutton Local Plan. The Sutton Local Implementation Plan (LIP), approved in April 2019, contains a list of short to medium-term sustainable transport schemes. In addition, there are longer-term initiatives such as the metro-style rail services in South London. Further schemes will be added throughout the life of the LIP, as part of the annual LIP bidding and funding process, which effectively defines future LIP spending plans and forms the action plan for the STS.
• wayfinding improvements
  • Wayfinding improvements will form part of the route improvements (i..e. The 3 routes mentioned earlier in these notes)
  • There is currently a wayfinding project for Nonsuch Park, at the design stage.
  • Action: Please report issues with current signage e.g. pointing incorrectly/damaged/missing here (Issues on red routes are TfL responsibility but links to report them are also on there). If the issue is not resolved, please email Councillor Burke or Helen Millier with the reference number and we’ll chase it up.
• cycle parking
  • Update: At the start of November we asked TfL to fund- 3 x cycle “car ports”, some Sutton Housing Partnership cycle hangars and signage/TMO costs for dockless a potential ebike scheme (due late spring 2022). Currently, we await their response.
• barriers \ cameras
  • Lynn R has tried very hard not to get barriers put in but has conceded with a “K” barrier at Spencer Road. Liam Swaffield has put a CCTV camera there to monitor activity and see whether the motorbikes were still getting through. Lynn hasn’t heard anything back since she submitted her report. Cllr Andrews keen to get to a solution.
  • Action: Ian B followed up with James Cook who advised that this is unlikely to be a quick process. If there is to be a barrier that is likely to be the preferred location. Parks are leading on this.
  • (working with Safer Sutton Partnership Service (SSPS))
    • Dominic advises 100 attendees – mainly Hackbridge residents who suffer with Mopeds. A lot of people asking for barriers. Asking for moped inception by Police. 60 reports of moped crime. Appreciate LBS Officers working hard to resolve the problem.
    • One suggestion is some kind of lockable gate so that Police could lock an individual in to the park? Dominic has produced a report of suggestions, see Mopeds (PDF)
    • Marcus advises that the more people who report these issues, then the more the Police are funded to tackle these crimes.

New Items

• stakeholder engagement with Property developers & town planners: new schemes need to ensure enough cycle parking at high density housing
  • Sutton Local Plan > London Plan > National Planning Policy Framework
  • All planning applications come in to Highways for comment and they are aligned with the London Plan.
  • Paul Garside checks cycle parking provision on the application and makes recommendations e.g. to be well, lit, secure etc.
  • Action: Kevin Williams will ask whether it is possible for someone from Planning to attend an SCF meeting.
  • Cllr Burke is deputy chair & advised that new developments are required to provide cycle parking although there is always a debate with planners about reducing the number of car parking spaces. When money is available we need to look more at cycle infrastructure in the vicinity of the development
  • Action: Cllr will talk to the Chair of planning and report back to SCF
  • Action: Get Sutton Cycling/SCC to check the LBS Planning Portal, keep eye on applications and comment
    • This did happen [once]: 31st Jan 22 Marcus looked through some applications asking Helen “This planning meeting on Thursday, point 6 is for 23 new flats. There’s mention of cycle & bin stores, do you know if we are meant to question number and type of cycles catered for? This is the first time I’m looking into something like this, do tell me not to worry if this duplicates efforts”, Helen responded “I’ve just spoken to Paul Garside who wasn’t aware of this, so thanks for bringing it to our attention.”, in short, didn’t have time to get a response from that Committee Services meeting, but by 2nd Feb had plans shared and number of cycle spaces looked perfectly reasonable for number of flats in accordance with The London Plan 2021 – Chapter 10 Transport | Policy T5 Cycling | Policy T6.1 Residential parking etc. Not looked at others, Planners doing good job.
• Vision for Sutton:
  • Cycle Hubs see TfL cycling page
    • St Nicholas Centre – area for non-standard cycle parking – suggest George McCulloch as Town Centre lead e.g. cycling & walking infrastructure review. Once proposals ready then there will be stakeholder engagement e.g. with SCF.
  • London Cancer Hub (LCH) may put pressure on a requirement for cycle lanes on Brighton Road. There is an internal LBS meeting w/c 22/11/21 to start the conversation about Sustainable Transport requirements for the LCH.
  • Dominic asked whether there is likely to be a velodrome in Sutton? Sutton Cycle Club has run cycle races around Sutton Town Centre (2008/9?) Linked with British Cycling.
  • Cllr Burke suggests SCF raise some of these suggestions at the Local Committee meeting.
  • Funding for cycling from national government is now at an all-time high for those councils willing and able to deliver (see ‘Gear Change’).
• General maintenance / jnct near Wrythe Lane parallel crossing is covered in grit and debris. Numerous misaligned way finding signs.
  • Please report using Sutton Council on-line process
    • This did happen, grit and debris was cleared after submitting reports.
  • There is a schedule for street cleaning and reports are available here
• There isn’t a schedule for lines/signage and so we rely on everyone reporting (i.e. LBS Officers report issues to using this process).
• Neighbourhood CIL funding
  • Action: SCF members are advised to attend the Neighbourhood Committee meetings to propose projects for funding. Every year there is a bidding process (Link from the 2021 process, so SCF members could use this route in 2022).

Next Sutton Cycle Forum meeting – 2nd March 2022