tCI Comment
Traffic orders of various types have become quite prominent during the pandemic, with lots of local authorities facing challenges (both legal and otherwise) over their decisions to close roads and expand cycle lanes and pedestrian access. The “Streetspace” case mentioned in this article gives some handy pointers for consultors working in this area. We’ve taken a look at it in another article published today which can be found here.
Article
Council chiefs have played down concerns that new cycle routes planned for Kent could get stalled while a legal wrangle is resolved.
Kent County Council has just completed a consultation on five new cycle routes which are now being considered under a government initiative aimed at keeping people active during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
It has insisted that it won’t need to put the brakes on them despite a legal ruling that found the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had acted unlawfully in implementing cycle routes in the capital, funded through the government.
The London scheme, called Streetspace, saw roads closed and others narrowed to create new cycle lanes in the height of last year’s lockdown.
The measures were found to be “seriously flawed” by a High Court judge, who called for an end to the initiative.
Kent County Council faced a similar storm of protests after it installed a number of what were dubbed ‘pop up’ cycle lanes, using the same government funds designed to keep people active during Covid-19. Most were scrapped.
The council had received £1.6m from the government for these temporary schemes to improve opportunities for cycling and walking
It says the new proposals do not fall into the category of ‘pop up’ routes as they will, if agreed, become permanent.
In a statement, the council said: “A consultation into five new concept schemes to encourage more walking and cycling in Kent has just closed. Unlike the initial wave of schemes, the government awarded Kent just over £6m to create permanent schemes. Consultation feedback is currently being considered before any decisions are made.”
Thanet South MP Craig Mackinlay, who is also chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and Hauliers, said the government needed to be more cautious.
Article originally appeared on Kent Online.
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