Key information
Petition presented by: Jennette Arnold OBE
Date petition submitted: Thursday 2 February 2017
Petition presented at: London Assembly Plenary
Summary of petition
"We the undersigned hereby petition the Mayor of London, the London Assembly and Transport for London to reopen all the roads that have been closed in London Borough of Waltham Forest under the Mini-Holland programme and to abide by Sadiq Khan’s own statement “The first phase has not been a huge success. We need to learn lessons from the pilot boroughs (Waltham Forest, Enfield and Kingston). There are some teething problems but if you’re inconvenienced, it’s more than a teething problem.”
Response information
Response title: Mayor's Response
Name of person responding: Sadiq Khan, Chairman of Transport for London
Response date: Monday 27 March 2017
"Thank you for the petition presented to the London Assembly (Plenary) Meeting on 8 February by Jennette Arnold OBE AM about re-opening closed roads in the London Borough of Waltham Forest under the Mini-Hollands programme. I note that you have also written to Mike Brown. I appreciate the strength of feeling being generated by local people and groups about Waltham Forest's Mini-Hollands programme. As you are aware, although proposals for the schemes are supported and funded by Transport for London (TfL), the overall responsibility, including design, engagement exercises ad consultation of the scheme, resets with each individual borough. As the highway authority, Waltham Forest is responsible for undertaking their own local monitoring to understand the impacts of the Mini-Hollands programme on all road users. There is a significant amount of work underway at present across the borough including works to the bridge deck on Walthamstow gyratory and new cycle and walking facilities on Lea Bridge Road and Markhouse Road. As I acknowledged, this level of work is unprecedented and, in seeking such a transformation, there is no doubt that this work is contributing to some of the short term congestion in the area. I can assure you that any scheme that results in a material change to the highway network undergoes thorough traffic modelling so that the borough and TfL fully understands the impacts. In the longer term, studies show improvements in cycle infrastructure unlock the potential for the area and businesses to prosper. By supporting Waltham Forest to deliver a shift to more sustainable transport modes, we will begin to realise that long term health and air quality benefits, as well as a reduction in vehicular traffic for those that live in and visit the borough. Segregated cycle facilities on main roads, traffic free routes through parks and reducing traffic volumes and speeds on local roads are important to transforming the borough and encouraging more people to walk and cycle. The borough in monitoring the impact of the 'Walthamstow Village' scheme; early results indicate that traffic levels have decreased in the village area before changes were implemented and increased slightly on the main boundary roads with an overall reduction in traffic levels across both. I believe that the proposed changes to transform some of the key public spaces and routes across Waltham Forest will bring significant benefits that go beyond cycling. It will also support my Healthy Streets Approach, which you can read more about at http://content.tfl.gov.uk/healthy-streets-for-London.pdf. This will improve pedestrian crossing facilities, reducing traffic dominance and creating more attractive, accessible and people-friendly streets where everybody can enjoy spending time and being physically active."