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Prime minister Boris Johnson is apparently 'ballistic' that @RBKC have started removing their High Street Kensington cycle lanes, half way through installing them. Unsurprisingly, because RBKC's decision is monumentally stupid, on so many levels. 1/? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9022941/Boris-Johnsons-cycling-tsar-told-council-NOT-rip-hated-Kensington-High-Street-bike-lane.html
Why? Many reasons, but the clearest is perhaps that Kensington High Street is obviously the best place to complete the east-west link between (Boris's) CS3 which runs east from Hyde Park to the City and Limehouse, and the King's St/Chiswick High Rd cycleway in the west 2/
Another is that more than any of the alternative routes, KHS is a destination for people cycling. Lots of shops, attractions and offices make it optimal for shoppers, visitors and workers 3/ https://twitter.com/theJeremyVine/status/1334150214542897154
Yet another is the popularity of the lanes. RBKC themselves said 58% of correspondents were supportive. That's unsurprising, because it has increased cycling according to the council and is well used 4/ https://twitter.com/rorymeakin/status/1332066497192202241
The lanes were intentionally designed to a minimum width of 2.5m to accommodate blue light vehicles, and bus stops remained in situ, not ideal for cyclists but it allows drivers to overtake them 5/ https://twitter.com/JKBartsHeart/status/1315216755237806081
While we're still in a pandemic, trying to make safe cycling possible for more people (so fewer use public transport), you'd think finishing the installation of the cycle lanes on Kensington High Street and then seeing how they worked would be obvious 6/ https://twitter.com/natashaloder/status/1333883726183493637
So why did @RBKC u-turn and abandon installing its only safe east-west infrastructure when the job was only half complete rather than finishing the work and then assessing the results? Unclear, but it cites business and disabled group opposition 7/ https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/newsroom/all-council-statements/open-letter-cllr-thalassites-kensington-high-street
And opposition from residents. Which is... odd because residents weren't consulted. It only had the results of emails. Even in a report dated 2 December, it had only counted the ~1,000 emails received by 25 November. The ~3,300 emails subsequently received were uncounted 8/
That timing is important because no date was publicised. Naturally, people complain about changes they don't like but are much less given to write in support things they do like. But only on 27 Nov did twitter rumours of removal emerge 9/ https://twitter.com/CHAIRRDRF/status/1332386862858723330
So while opponents had had plenty of time to vent frustration at a change, conversely supporters had no time to vent their frustration at a *prospective change* they didn't like. But that's when @RBKC decided it'd counted quite enough votes tyvm 10/ https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1324353932022480896
If you were a cyclist enjoying the protection from motor vehicles, and you saw this public information campaign, writing an email to support the changes probably wouldn't feel like it should be at the top of your agenda, would it? You'd think it was still being implemented 11/
More timing curiosities: while the lanes were running during roadworks and the 'lockdown', the council has ordered that no roadworks take place after the lanes are removed. It may not be intentional, but these decisions certainly have the effect of making the lanes appear bad 12/
Another key point is that @RBKC is rather brazenly denigrating the interests of Londoners who work in, visit or pass through but do not live (and vote) there. It says it’s not its job to serve Londoners who live outside the royal borough 13/
That may be so. But if it is then it falls to @MayorofLondon to perform *his role* and represent those Londoners who live in @LBHF and elsewhere, and it is incumbent on @grantshapps and @BorisJohnson to permit
@TfL to take over Kensington High Street 14/ https://twitter.com/ToryCycling/status/1335898510533734401
@TfL to take over Kensington High Street 14/ https://twitter.com/ToryCycling/status/1335898510533734401
What makes the @rbkc decision so bad is its failure to represent the interests of the public. This failure is highlighted by the way it carelessly misrepresents views, presumably in an attempt to exaggerate a case it knew was flimsy 15/20 https://twitter.com/AsEasyAsRiding/status/1333798070484537345
Support came from a range of institutions representing visitors, staff and students, too: five schools, the Royal Albert Hall (and Exhibition Road Cultural Group), the Design Museum, Japan House, Imperial College, Imperial College Union among others 16/20 https://twitter.com/betterstreetskc/status/1334173430128775169
These institutions aren't doing it for nothing. Good cycling infrastructure is very popular, and has been for a long time. The majority of people want this, even if (a very influential) 20-30% don't 17/20 https://twitter.com/rorymeakin/status/1335689932745142274
The decision to retain bus stops in situ and create lanes wide enough for blue light vehicles gave the impression that @rbkc was (for once) serious about achieving a scheme that worked. Hopeful, I wrote to suggest narrower stretches to accommodate 'floating' loading bays 18/20
It's not easy to believe that now. So the mayor needs to step in to make Kensington High Street a strategic safe cycling route to deliver the government's agenda and represent the majority, not least constituents of @hammersmithandy & @RuthCadbury 19/20 https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/1333716637866881024
If you want to do something yourself, why not email your comments? @betterstreetskc have an email tool (a mailto link), which is linked below. 20/20 http://betterstreets4kc.org.uk/campaigns/high-street-kensington/
