Park Lane coach parking Consultation report March 2016

Contents

Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 2

1 Background ................................................................................................................ 3

2 The consultation ......................................................................................................... 4

3 Overview of consultation responses ............................................................................ 6

4 Responses from statutory bodies and other stakeholders ........................................... 7

5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 8

Appendix A – Copy of the consultation material .................................................................... 9

Appendix B – letter distribution area .................................................................................... 11

Appendix C – List of stakeholders consulted ....................................................................... 12

Appendix D – List of themes raised during consultation ....................................................... 18

Appendix E – response to issues raised .............................................................................. 19

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Executive Summary

About the consultation:

In November 2015 we consulted on proposals to introduce an additional 45 metres of coach parking on the north side of Park Lane. This proposed extension to existing coach parking would replace some of the coach parking that was removed from Victoria Embankment because of the East-West Cycle Superhighway. Overall, we received 104 responses, with 65% of those supporting or partially supporting the scheme. Positive comments included general support for additional coach parking provision in London. Negative comments included concern that a nearby bus stop was being moved too away from the subway entrance/exit.

Conclusion and next steps:

Having considered the responses received, we will proceed with extending the coach parking bays on Park Lane. However, as the main concern raised during consultation was the distance between the bus stop and the subway entrance, we will instead introduce a 30 metre coach parking bay instead of the originally-proposed 45 metre bay. This would still provide additional coach parking, whilst allowing the bus stop to stay closer to the subway entrance, meaning bus passengers would have less of a distance to walk

Additionally, the consultation proposed that the additional parking spaces would become operational from 08:30 each day. In order for the new coach parking bays to mirror those already on Park Lane northbound, the operational hours will be changed to allow coaches to park from 08:00 each day. There will be no change to the charging hours.

We plan to extend the coach bay by the end of Spring 2016.

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1 Background

We identified a location on Park Lane for an additional 45 metres of coach parking. This proposed extension to existing coach parking would replace some of the coach parking that was removed from Victoria Embankment because of the East-West Cycle Superhighway.

We proposed to extend the existing paid coach parking bays on the west (northbound) side of Park Lane by 45 metres, which would provide space for three additional large coaches. The existing bus stop would be moved north, closer to Grosvenor Gate.

We proposed that the additional parking spaces would operate in the same way as the existing coach parking on Park Lane northbound:

Coaches would be allowed to park from 08:30 to midnight each day Charges levied by Westminster City Council will apply from 08:30 to 18:30

Monday to Friday and from 08:30 to 13:30 on Saturday Coaches would be allowed to park for a maximum of two hours during

operating times and would not be permitted to return within one hour

1.1 Scheme location

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2 The consultation This consultation was designed to enable us to understand local opinion about the proposed changes to the coach parking on Park Lane. The consultation ran for a 4½week period, from Friday 20 November to Tuesday 22 December 2015. The potential outcomes of the consultation were:

We decide the consultation raises no issues that should prevent us from proceeding with the scheme as originally planned

We modify the scheme in response to issues raised in consultation

We abandon the scheme because of issues raised in the consultation

2.1 Consultation objectives

The objectives of the consultation were:

To provide easily-understandable information about our proposals and allow consultees to respond

To understand the level of support or opposition for our proposals

To understand any issues which we were not previously aware of that might affect our proposals

To understand concerns and objections

To allow consultees to make suggestions

To inform our decision making process

2.2 Who we consulted

The public consultation intended to seek views of those living or working close to, Park Lane. We also asked for the views of local and London-wide stakeholders. We consulted the following:

Residents

Local businesses

Road user groups

Cyclists

Metropolitan Police

Westminster City Council officers and elected members

London Councils

Living Streets

London TravelWatch

Coach industry trade associations

Other external stakeholders A full list of stakeholders and organisations we consulted is included in appendix C and a summary of their responses is in section 6.

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2.3 Consultation material, distribution and publicity The consultation was published online where a dedicated webpage included the details and background to the proposal. A copy of the website can be seen in appendix A. We raised awareness of the consultation by distributing letters to 280 addresses in the surrounding area (see appendix B) with details of the scheme. All our printed material directed respondents to our website, although we also listed Freepost and email addresses for those who preferred to write in. Our contact centre’s phone number was also included if people had any enquiries. We also targeted registered oyster card holders who regularly used bus services along Park Lane. The email went to 20,133 people who use bus routes along Park Lane. These routes are: 2, 10, 16, 36, 73, 74, 82, 137, 148, 414, 436, N16, N73, N74 and N137 People were invited to respond to the consultation using a variety of methods. They could respond by emailing us at consultations@tfl.gov.uk, by post to a Freepost address or by accessing the online consultation and survey via a website link: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/park-lane-coaches (see appendix A).

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SupportPartiallysupport

Noopinion

Not sureDon’t

support Not

answered

Percentage (%) 54% 11% 3% 6% 26% 0%

Number of responses 56 12 3 6 27 0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Nu

mb

er

of

res

po

ns

es

Do you support the proposal for additional coach parking on Park Lane?

3 Overview of consultation responses

Overall, we received a total of 104 responses to the consultation, 103 of these were received online and one was received by letter. The responses included submissions from local authorities, members of the coach industry, bus users, and local stakeholders.

A breakdown of the number of responses by respondent type is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Consultation responses by respondent

The first question asked ‘Do you support the proposal for additional coach parking on Park Lane?’

Table 2: Answers received to Question 1 – Do you support the proposal for additional coach parking on Park Lane?

Respondent Number

Members of the public 101

Stakeholders 3

Do you support the proposed scheme?

Number Percentage

Support 56 54%

Partially support 12 11%

No opinion 3 3%

Not sure 6 6%

Don’t support 27 26%

Not answered 0 0%

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The second question was open and asked, ‘Do you have any comments on the

proposal for extending the coach parking bays on Park Lane?’ Comments received

were wide ranging, and the top five most common themes and issues raised are in

the table below.

Table 3: Common themes arising from consultation

4 Responses from statutory bodies and other stakeholders

Three stakeholders responded to the consultation. A summary of their responses is

below: London Tourist Coach Operators Association (LTCOA)

LTCOA fully supported the proposals for Park Lane. Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) CPT fully supported the proposal, and outlined the benefit these bays would have for the coach industry. CPT also explained the adverse affect the loss of the coach bays on the East – West Cycle Superhighway was having on the industry. The CPT also raised the issue of a significant loss of overnight coach parking in central London, resulting from the removal of the facility at New Covent Garden Market and the possible removal from Warwick Road coach park. The CPT felt that Park Lane offered an ideal location for overnight coach parking as there was minimal activity in the area that overnight parking would disrupt. British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) The BMF supported the proposal and commented that it was a good use of space.

Theme/Issue Number

Support: the reallocation of spaces lost from East-West Cycle Superhighway

24

Concern: the bus stop was moving too far from the subway entrance

17

Oppose: the proposal 12

Support: more coach parking needed 9

Concern: traffic on Park Lane 9

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5 Conclusion The consultation intended to seek views of those living or working close to, Park Lane. The consultation ran for a 4½-week period, from Friday 20 November to Tuesday 22 December 2015. Overall, we received 104 responses, with 65% of those supporting or partially supporting the scheme. Decision Having considered the responses received, we will proceed with extending the coach parking bays on Park Lane. However, as the main concern raised during consultation was the distance between the bus stop and the subway entrance, we will instead introduce a 30 metre coach parking bay instead of the originally- proposed 45 metre bay. This would still provide additional coach parking, whilst allowing the bus stop to stay closer to the subway entrance, meaning bus passengers would have less of a distance to walk. Additionally, the consultation proposed that the additional parking spaces would become operational from 08:30 each day. In order for the new coach parking bays to mirror those already on Park Lane northbound, the operational hours will be changed to allow coaches to park from 08:00 each day. There will be no change to the charging hours. The consultation also proposed enlarging the existing bus stop shelter. However, as the existing shelter size was adequate for the number of passengers this is no longer necessary. We plan to extend the coach bay by the end of Spring 2016.

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Appendix A – Copy of the consultation material

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Appendix B – letter distribution area

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Appendix C – List of stakeholders consulted

London TravelWatch

Elected Members

Andrew Boff AM

Caroline Pidgeon AM

Darren Johnson AM

Fiona Twycross AM

Gareth Bacon AM

Jenny Jones AM

Joanne McCartney AM

Kit Malthouse AM

Murad Qureshi AM

Nicky Gavron AM

Richard Tracey AM

Stephen Knight AM

Tom Copley AM

Valerie Shawcross AM

Karen Buck MP Westminster North

Mark Field MP Cities of London and Westminster

Cllr Anthony Devenish Knightsbridge & Belgravia, WCC

Cllr Philippa Roe Knightsbridge & Belgravia, WCC

Cllr Rachael Robathan Knightsbridge & Belgravia, WCC

Cllr Glenys Roberts West End, WCC

Cllr Jonathan Glanz West End, WCC

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Local Authorities

Greater London Authority (GLA)

London Councils

Royal Parks

Westminster City Council

Police & Health Authorities

London Ambulance Service

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority

Metropolitan Police Service

Westminster Safer Transport Team

Transport Groups

AA DriveTech

AA Motoring Trust

Association of British Drivers

Association of Car Fleet Operators

Automobile Association (AA)

Better Transport

British Motorcyclists Federation

Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT)

Confederation of Passenger Transport

Department for Transport

Disabled Motoring UK

Freight Transport Association (FTA)

Cllr Paul Church West End, WCC

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Transport Groups

Green Flag Group

Licenced Taxi Drivers Association

London Tourist Coach Operators Association

Motorcycle Action Group

Motorcycle Industry Association

RAC Foundation for Motoring

Road Haulage Association (RHA)

Transport Focus

Transport for All

Other stakeholders

Local Interest Groups

Baker Street Quarter Partnership Ltd

Bayswater Residents Association

Belgravia Residents Association

Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association

Fitzrovia Partnership

Heart of London Business Alliance BID

Marylebone Association

New West End Company (NWEC)

Paddington BID

Paddington Residents Active Concern On Transport (PRACT)

Residents Society of Mayfair and St James's

South East Bayswater Residents Association

Westminster Society

15

Other stakeholders

Action on Hearing Loss (RNID)

Age Concern London

Age UK

Alzheimer's Society

Asian Peoples Disabilities Alliance

Association of Disabled Professionals

Balfour Beatty plc

British Hospitality Association (BHA)

BT

Campaign for Better Transport

Campaign for Clean Air in London

Canal & River Trust London

CCG Central London (WESTMINSTER)

CCG NHS Central London

Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

CTC, the national cycling charity

Disability Alliance

Disability Rights UK

Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

EDF Energy

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

Greater London Forum for the Elderly

Guide Dogs

Historic Royal Palaces

Independent Disability Advisory Group (IDAG)

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

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Other stakeholders

Joint Committee on Mobility of Blind and Partially Sighted People

(JCMBPS)

Joint Mobility Unit

Living Streets

London and Partners

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)

London Cycling Campaign

London Cycling Campaign (Westminster)

London First

London Visual Impairment Forum (LVIF)

MENCAP

Merlin Entertainments Group

MIND

Multiple Sclerosis Society

Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

National Autistic Society

National Children's Bureau

National Grid

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited

Parkinson's UK

RMT Union

RNIB

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Royal Mail

SCOPE

Sense

17

Other stakeholders

Sixty Plus

Stroke Association

Sustrans

Thames Water

The British Dyslexia Association

Unions Together

Unite Union

Visit Britain

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Appendix D – List of themes raised during consultation

Concern

Concern: accessibility 4

Concern: coaches shouldn’t be in central London 1

Concern: cyclists in main carriageway 2

Concern: reduced visibility 5

Concern: stop moving too far from subway entrance 17

Concern: traffic on Park Lane 9

Concern: visual impact of coaches and buses 4

Oppose

Oppose: the proposal 12

Suggestions

Suggestion: reduce from 3 bays to 2 bays 1

Suggestion: 20mph 1

Suggestion: better enforcement 2

Suggestion: coach parking between stop and car park ramp 3

Suggestion: increase parking time 2

Suggestion: not scheme related 9

Suggestion: park and ride for coaches 1

Suggestion: seasonal coach parking restrictions 1

Suggestion: UK registered coaches only 1

Support

Support: more coach parking needed 9

Support: the proposal 24

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Appendix E – response to issues raised

Below are our responses to the most commonly raised issues. The proposal makes the distance between the subway and bus stop too far The proposal initially moved the bus stop north by 45 metres. As a result of the concerns about the increased walking distance from the bus stop to the subway this will be reduced to 30 metres. The proposal will add to traffic on Park Lane Some respondents were worried that this would increase traffic on Park Lane. As this proposal only sees an addition of two coach parking bays to the existing 20 coach parking bays on Park Lane northbound, there is unlikely to be any noticeable increase in traffic along this already busy section of road. More coach parking is needed Some respondents commented that more coach parking was required in London. The additional coach parking on Park Lane is principally to replace some of the coach parking bays removed from Victoria Embankment. TfL is nonetheless working with the coach industry trade associations and local authorities to improve the provision of coach parking across London. The proposal will reduced visibility of the bus stop Some concerns were raised that the additional parking would reduce visibility of the bus stop. As the proposal does not change the size of the bus stop, only the position, the additional coach parking should not have any impact on the existing arrangements. Visual impact of buses and coaches Park Lane is already a busy road, with three traffic lanes in each direction and 20 existing coach parking bays on the northbound carriageway. We therefore feel the addition of two additional coach parking bays will not have a significant impact on the existing views.