ADD2401 Lewisham Gateway – London Borough of Lewisham

Under the Greater London Authority (GLA) Act 1999, the Mayor has a duty to keep under review the GLA Main and GLA Side Roads, which make up the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). The authority to make amendments to the TLRN has been delegated to the Assistant Director of Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, in accordance with paragraph 6.2 of the Mayoral Decision Making document (scheme of delegation).

TfL in consultation with the London Boroughs will, from time to time, undertake such a review and following agreement with the relevant London Boroughs officers amend the GLA Designation Orders for GLA Roads and GLA Side Roads, and Special Parking Area Orders as required to alter the TLRN expanse.

The Lewisham Gateway highway changes were delivered as part of the Lewisham Town Centre Regeneration Programme between 2014 and 2018. The highway changes realigned the road to provide a development area with a new improved walking link between the transport interchange and town centre, and a consolidated bus stop area close to the stations.

As a result of the project and agreement with the London Borough of Lewisham, has taken responsibility for a section of Lewisham High Street (see Appendix B green line). TfL have taken responsibility for small sections of Lewisham High Road and the entire length of Rennell Street (see Appendix B coloured red dashed line).

The Consultation for the highway proposals was undertaken by the developer of the regeneration scheme as part of the planning application in 2008. Lewisham Council and the developer have kept the public up to date on progress via their websites which can be found using the links found here:
https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/regeneration/lewishamtowncentre/Pa…
https://www.musedevelopments.com/case-study/lewisham-gateway

Rennell Street, Molesworth Street and Lewisham High Road were previously reviewed as part of a consolidation exercise of all GLA main and Side Roads under a Mayoral Directive (MD 3052) on 23 April 2007

No cost implications have been identified as a result of this change.

The Head of Network Performance at Transport for London has confirmed that this request meets all technical, operational and procedural requirements of the Highway and/or Traffic Authority and has been verified for GLA approval.

TfL have provided a draft of the amended GLA Side Roads (London Borough of Lewisham) Designation Order, see Appendix A(1) and The GLA Roads (No.3) Designation Order 2008 Variation Order 2019 see Appendix A(2), to propose, that the sections of Rennell Street, Molesworth Road and Lewisham High Street, will have their lengths increased or decreased. This has been agreed with the London Borough of Lewisham, and each will be given additional Traffic and Highway Authority powers for these sections of roads.

The objective of the Programme is to regenerate Lewisham Town Centre through redevelopment of ‘dead space’ to create new homes, jobs, an urban park with access to the rivers, a more direct, safer and pleasant walking route to the town centre and improved interchange between train, DLR and bus. To do this, the highway needs to be realigned.

The Mayor and the Greater London Authority (GLA) are required to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 when exercising their functions. Section 149 requires the Mayor and the GLA (and anyone exercising powers on their behalf) to have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between people who share a “protected characteristic” and people who do not share it by;

o removing or minimising disadvantages experienced by people because of their protected characteristics;
o meeting the needs of people with protected characteristics; and
o encouraging people with protected characteristics to participate in public life.

• foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not.

London borough councils are also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty.

In exercising the statutory power to amend the GLA Designation Orders for GLA Roads and GLA Side Roads as set out in this decision, the decision-maker (here the Assistant Director of Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity) must have regard to the matters set out in section 149 Equality Act 2010. The effect of this decision will be to transfer responsibility for the relevant highway to the London Borough of Lewisham which is itself subject to the Public Sector Equality duty when exercising its functions as Highway Authority or Traffic Authority. As such, this decision is not expected of itself to have any impact on the matters within the scope of the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Key risks and issues: None identified.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities: The scheme is part of the Lewisham Town Centre Regeneration Programme, the highway changes were completed in February 2018, and the development is due to be completed in c2023. The realigned highway provides space for new homes and jobs which will regenerate the town centre. The improved urban realm and more direct, safer walking routes between the station and public transport interchange mean that more people will choose to walk or use public transport.

Impact assessments and consultations: Public consultation for the highway proposals took place in 2008 as part of the Lewisham Town Centre Regeneration Programme. The developer has since held numerous public events where people could discuss the proposals, the most recent was related to a revised planning submission for phase 2 of the development.

Nobody involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision has any conflicts of interest to declare.

The making of this Designation Order has no additional financial implications for the functional body, being contained within the operations funded under their Business Plan. There are no additional financial implications for the GLA or GLA Group.

The GLA is empowered, by virtue of section 14B of the Highways Act 1980, to make the proposed GLA Roads Designation Variation Order with the consent of the relevant London Borough. Such consent has been given.

The GLA is empowered by virtue of section 124A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to make the proposed GLA Side Roads Designation Variation Order with the consent of the relevant London Borough. Such consent has been given.

This project was delivered in February 2018.