Report on two meetings attended by SC and JD.

Following Terry Farrel's schematic proposals, urban design specialists Burns and Nice have been commissioned to develop proposals for improvements to the physical environment of Bloomsbury in the following key locations

• Byng Place - Malet Street - Montague Place - Great Russell Street

Bloomsbury Vision : workshop 1

Held at British Museum on Wednesday 2nd April. Led by Stephen Nice and attended by reps from surrounding CAACs, English Hertiage, British Museum, Malcolm Grant (Provost UCL), John Futcher (leading for Camden) and Chris Nicola from LB Camden, Paul Braithwaite and Penny Abrams.

Introduction from Burns and Nice

From the start it became clear that Stephen Nice is very aware of the important presence of cyclists and their movements in the area - a welcome change from Farrels' report. He introduced the following ideas:

• Byng Place typified by important and heavily used cycle route, a vast number of pedestrians and a lot of vehicle traffic; it is an active focus and should form a better link between the University Church and Senate House to enable more coherent N-S ped movements. Desire to make changes which would invalidate 2-way cycling on one side of the road.
• Malet Street is quiet, are segregated cycle facilities required?
• Montague Place. Try to minimise impact of coaches and improve cycle facilities. Issue of jnct with Russell Sq.
• Great Russell Street. Area by BM. Can we reduce 2-way traffic, what can be done for cycling?

Brainstorming Session

We were divided into four groups and each group had to study each of the four streets and report back. Summary of points made:

• Byng Place. Make it 1-way westbound by stopping left turn from Gower Street. Make it greener. 2-way cycle track doesn't work. Continue to encourage cyclists, shared space, traffic calming. Improve cycle tracks by having 1-way track on each side of the road, direct traffic (specially taxis) away.
• Malet Street. Close street. Widen footways, consult students. Safe but not pleasant street, no specialist cycle measures needed. No coach parking, little traffic, widen footway, if Gower becomes 2-way risk of increase in vehicle traffic.
• Montague Place. Make shread space, take out bike lanes. Quite, pedestrianise, improve north entrance and minimise coach movements, retain 2-way for cycists. Maintain 2-way cycling, improve lighting, no coach parking, guidance for peds, close west side Russell Sq.
• Great Russell Street, One way westbound only for busese and taxis, no parking. Buses out, promote Bllomsbury Way as barrier. It is lively, keep slow and 2-way, retain current cycle routes, raised table by BM entrance, only buses and taxis. Id 1-way, retain 2-way for cyclists, close to traffic, remove hamburger stand, improve security.

Conclusion-John Futcher

Feedback will sent to participants in 2-3 weeks

Camden will do further work with consultants

Another workshop early in Summer.

Bloomsbury Vision : Cycling

Meeting In Sam Monck's office, Friday 4th April. John Futcher, Dave Stewart, Chris Nicola, Steven Nice, SC and JD.

Introduction from Sam

TfL, Westminster and Camden are working together to stop traffic in the area from increasing, but are not aiming to reduce it. They will not add permeability for motor traffic. Predicts in 2016 congestion will be 25-30% worse.

Tram will run on Southampton Row, which will probably be restricted to bikes, buses and trams. He supports contaflow bus lane in Bloomsbury Way.

He does not plan to reduce motor traffic in the Byng - Tavistock Corridor.

Parallel studies on Russell Square: increase public realm by 30-50%, slow traffic, options: Opt 1- 1-way on 3 arms with reduced road width and narrower or Opt 2 2-way all round. Tram station will be on east side Russell Square so can't close west side.

Discussion - Byng corridor

We decided that since specialised cycle facilities are not crucial in the other streets, we should spend he rest of the meeting discussing the impact of the plans for Byng Place on existing Tavistock Place 2-way segregated cycle track. Sam said his intention is to retain cycling facilities that are at least as good as those there at present. He acknowledges its encouragement of novice cyclists and the 5-fold increase in its use. But any sort of shared use in Byng Place would require cyclists to ride on 2 sides of the road and it would be impractical for cyclists to change sides on entering and leaving Byng Place.

CCC outlined their request for a parallel southern Relief Route from Goodge Street via north side Bedford Square and Montague Place to Guildford Street, which had been included in response to Questionnaire for CRISP in the SSL. JD is to provide John Futcher with a map indicating the route.

Stephen Nice showed us a diagram with cycle lanes on both sides of the road in Tavistock Place adjacent to Byng Place. CCC asked whether mandatory cycle lanes would provide as good a service as the segregated tracks. Dave said they wouldn't but that there isn't room for 1-way segregated tracks on both sides because of the duplication of kerbs.

CCC pointed out that if the vehicle traffic is made one way, we could have proper 1-way segregated tracks on both sides. Dave said that CCC originally asked for motor traffic to be made one way and that the manoeuvres required for taxis to get to Euston Station couldn't be provided any other way. Tracks on the footway are dangerous at junctions.

SC suggested using three levels with a drop from footway to cycle track and another drop down to the road. There will be only 1.5 m available for the cycle track. At junctions, the cycle track would join the road and employ ASLs.

JD pointed out that this is being considered only because of a desire to alter Byng Place, it will not increase capacity for cyclists, it may be safer and more comprehensible.

Summary

Option 1 - retain 2-way, Option 2 - SC's scheme above, Option 3 - mandatory cycle lanes

Phase 1 - designs during 2008 for streetscape in Byng Place.

Dave -continue with CRISP ending in 4-5 months, to bring SSL up to LCDS standard by 2010

Sam to commission a parallel study on Option 2.

CCC requests that relief route also be considered seriously.

Interim

another meeting possibly with John Lee to look at approach.

Decision on Gower Street 2-way in Summer 2008.