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Proposals for the A100 Tower Bridge Road junction with Queen Elizabeth Street, Southwark Consultation report October 2016

Contents

Contents ...................................................................................................................... 2

Executive summary ..................................................................................................... 3

How we plan to proceed ............................................................................................. 3

1. About the proposals .............................................................................................. 4

2. About the consultation .......................................................................................... 4

2.1 Purpose ..................................................................................................... 4

2.2 Summary ................................................................................................... 5

3. Summary of consultation responses ..................................................................... 6

3.1 Summary of overall support ....................................................................... 6

3.2 Summary of issues raised by respondents ................................................ 6

3.3 Stakeholder responses .............................................................................. 7

3.4 Comments on the consultation ................................................................ 10

4. About the respondents ........................................................................................ 11

4.1 Who responded ....................................................................................... 11

4.2 How people heard about the consultation ............................................... 11

5. How we plan to proceed ..................................................................................... 12

Appendix A: Consultation material ............................................................................ 13

Appendix B: Consultation area .................................................................................. 17

Appendix C: Consultation questions.......................................................................... 18

Appendix D: Stakeholder list ..................................................................................... 20

Proposals for the A100 Tower Bridge Road junction with Queen Elizabeth Street, Southwark 2

Executive summary

This document explains the processes, responses and outcomes of the consultation on our proposal to improve pedestrian crossing and cycle facilities at the junction of Tower Bridge Road with Queen Elizabeth Street in Southwark. A five and a half week consultation ran from 20 July 2016 to 29 August 2016 on our website at consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/queen-elizabeth.

The two main themes from the responses were that the proposal would improve crossing facilities for pedestrians (supported by 47 respondents) and concern about access for residents with banning the turn (with 96 respondents not supporting the banned turn).

How we plan to proceed Following consultation we will proceed with improving the pedestrian crossing and cycle facilities at this junction but not banning the left-turn. This is in view of the response to the proposals that this would adversely affect journey times for traffic accessing the Shad Thames area. We will also look at adding a yellow box junction. This work will be carried-out from the end of October 2016 to co-incide with the planned temporary closure of Tower Bridge for structural work (October 2016 to January 2017) to minimise disruption in the area.

We will also continue to work in partnership with Southwark Council and local stakeholders on their wider vision for the area to improve it for pedestrians, residents and visitors. This will include looking again at banning the left turn as part of this wider vision and as part of future proposals for Cycle Superhighway 4.

In the meantime we will monitor the new junction layout to ensure it is operating effectively. Southwark Council will also take steps to reduce the number of vehicles making the left turn onto Queen Elizabeth Street by directing construction traffic for developments in the Shad Thames area onto other routes which avoid the turn and by working with local businesses to consolidate servicing and delivery traffic.

3 Proposals for the A100 Tower Bridge Road junction with Queen Elizabeth Street, Southwark

1. About the proposals

Tower Bridge Road provides a north-south link across the river and is of strategic importance for general traffic as it is part of London's inner ring-road and is the outer boundary of the congestion charging zone. It is also a key junction for cyclists, forming part of an east-west route on the south side of the river.

At the junction, the existing cycle and pedestrian refuge in the central reservation is narrow and becomes overcrowded, particularly during peak periods. Three arms of the junction are signalised while the Queen Elizabeth Street eastbound approach is give-way, creating conflict with cyclists. So we proposed to:

• Ban the left turn-for all vehicles (except southbound cyclists) from TowerBridge Road heading into Queen Elizabeth Street eastbound to reduceconflict with cyclists and make the junction safer for all road users

• Formalise pedestrian crossings on the southern, western and northern armsof the junction with the addition of pedestrian countdown, giving moreinformation to pedestrians to inform their crossing decisions

• Add two-stage right-turns for cyclists at the junction to reduce conflict withdrivers

• Extend the central reservation on Tower Bridge Road at the junction to givemore space for pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross

• Improve road markings and add an Advance Stop Line for cyclists on theeastbound approach to the junction on Queen Elizabeth Street

• Build-out the footway on the north-eastern side of Queen Elizabeth Street togive more space for pedestrians

We would also resurface the road at the junction and renew the footway.

These changes would mean southbound vehicles would need to take a different route into Queen Elizabeth Street eastbound as it would no longer be possible to turn into it from Tower Bridge Road. This would reduce through-traffic using residential streets. We also expect it would attract more cyclists to the already-busy cycle route by making it safer and giving continuity along the route and a link with the planned Cycle Superhighway 4.

2. About the consultation2.1 Purpose The consultation was designed to enable us to understand local and customer opinion about the proposed changes. The potential outcomes of the consultation are:

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


• We modify the scheme in response to issues raised in consultation• We abandon the scheme as a result of issues raised in the consultation

The objectives of the consultation were:

• To give stakeholders and the public easily-understandable information aboutthe proposals and allow them to respond

• To understand the level of support or opposition for the change• To understand any issues that might affect the proposal of which we were not

previously aware• To understand concerns and objections• To allow respondents to make suggestions

The public consultation intended to seek the views of all people who use this junction.

2.2 Summary We distributed letters on the consultation to 2,368 properties in the local area, discussed the proposals with the Shad Thames Area Management Partnership, put-up posters on poles near the junction, emailed people on our stakeholder list and posted it on our website.

We also consulted stakeholders including Southwark Council, local councillors, traffic police, London TravelWatch, the Member of Parliament, Assembly Members and local interest groups. A list of the stakeholders we consulted is at Appendix E.

People were invited to respond to the consultation using a variety of methods. They could respond via our freepost address (FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS), by emailing [email protected] or through the online consultation where they could let us know their views.


mailto:[email protected]

3. Summary of consultation responses3.1 Summary of overall support We received 292 responses to the consultation, 274 online and 18 by email. The emailed responses were clear in fully supporting or not supporting the proposals and so are included in the totals below. The support for the overall proposals was:

Fully support Partially support Does not support

No opinion Total

70 31 188 3 292

24 11 64 1 100%

3.2 Summary of issues raised by respondents NB many respondents raised a number of issues in their response so the totals do not add-up to any particular number:

Issue Total Banning the left turn will mean longer journey times and more difficult access for residents, taxis used by residents and visitors, and deliveries and cost more

96

Banning the turn will cause more traffic, congestion and pollution on Tower Bridge Road and local roads and potentially make it more dangerous for cyclists

61

0

50

100

150

200

Number of respondents 70 31 188 3% 24 11 64 1

Fully support Partially support

Does not support No opinion


Issue Total Signalised crossings will give pedestrians their own dedicated crossing time and make it safer 47

Cyclists have had enough improvements/waste of money 35 The junction is safe and does not need improvements 27 Advanced Stop Lines and two-stage turns will give cyclists a head start across Tower Bridge Road on the busy cycle route 9

Have more enforcement of cyclists behaviour 8 Have fully segregated cycle lanes and/or separate signal phase for cyclists 7

Have Advanced Stop Lines with longer feeder lanes on Tower Bridge Road 7

The kerb build-out on Queen Elizabeth Street would cause anti-social behaviour with more space for drinkers outside the pub 4

Have a ‘yellow box’ or keep clear to stop traffic blocking the east – west route for cyclists 4

Make the cycle gaps in the central reservation wider 4

Divert traffic away from Tower Bridge Road 2

Have an ‘access only’ left-turn instead 2 Look again at location of 343 bus stand on Queen Elizabeth Street as traffic backs-up on this small street as far as the junction with Tower Bridge Road. When this happens left-turning vehicles enter Queen Elizabeth Street on the wrong side of the road and could collide with any cyclists waiting at the junction

2

The two-stage right turn heading north turning right into Queen Elizabeth Street past The Draft House pub risks putting cyclists in conflict with left-turning vehicles

2

Ban cyclists from turning left into Queen Elizabeth Street from Tower Bridge Road along with the ban on vehicles turning left 2

Have a 20 mph limit 2

Don’t give cyclists priority over general traffic 1 Replace the bike stands when some or all of them are removed for the new crossing 1

Have wider pedestrian crossings, especially the one on the north side of the junction 1

3.3 Stakeholder responses London Cycling Campaign

LCC wanted, as a condition of funding, all highway development designed to London Cycling Design Standards (LCDS), with all “Critical Fails” eliminated from the scheme’s Cycling Level of Service assessment (CLoS). It is also strongly suggested


that all schemes including cycling provision should be of comparable quality to similar schemes at cities with a high modal share of cycling, ie. with a CLoS rating of 70 or above.

LCC noted a more efficient use of road space is to allocate it to cycling and walking in preference to private motor vehicles, particularly for journeys of 5km or less. LCC expects schemes to be designed to allocate road space for growth in cycling, to accommodate such journeys.

LCC supported some elements of this scheme but would have liked in addition:

• A yellow box/keep clear junction• Bollards instead of a central reservation to allow for more crossing

opportunities for cyclists• Enforcement of the advisory cycle lane on Tower Bridge and traffic speeds• Switch the cycle feeder lane out of Queen Elizabeth Street to the right

hand/off-side (as LCDS demonstrates) and a deeper ASL and early startcontrol to reduce the risk of vehicles turning left (left turn only onto TowerBridge Road) hitting cyclists going straight ahead or turning right

LCC said that this is one of the more complex and difficult junctions to design in London – with high motor vehicle flows and little space. Over 28,000 motor vehicles access the bridge daily (according to DfT traffic counts), with over 1,300 HGVs. But also over 3,000 people cycle over the same section of bridge daily. The bridge is a key link to the East-West Cycle Superhighway on the north side, and given LCDS suggests a 400m maximum distance between parallel routes in a network, it’s the only good option for many people cycling north-south. Given this, LCC would have liked more radical plans to enable all-ages and all-abilities cycling in the area. LCC said the current plans will improve safety for those who already cycle but would like protected space across the bridge or some other method of improving the bridge for cycling, and more space for pedestrians on the bridge.

London TravelWatch

Would have liked a more conventional junction which is simpler and less confusing. Supported the footway widening and left turn ban.

Southwark Living Streets

Was extremely supportive of these proposals and said the environment and levels of safety of the whole of Shad Thames is damaged by the rat running that occurs eastbound along Queen Elizabeth St through to Tooley St (east of Tower Bridge Road). It said this proposal will address this problem effectively while ensuring that permeability for those who cycle is retained. It added that it is very impressed that


TfL has responded so effectively to these community concerns and created a solution that will improve the liveability of the area so dramatically.

Southwark Cyclists

It noted that TfL produced several options for this junction in 2012 and is pleased with this consultation. However it says a number of the good features from some of the 2012 options have been missed out and would like:

• A Yellow box probably with a camera• An 8 metre gap with 3 bollards in the central reservation for cyclists• The pedestrian crossing on the north arm of Tower Bridge Road nearer the

junction and the pedestrian desire line, and the radius of the north-west cornerreduced to shorten the length of the crossing which will help pedestrians

• The feeder lane to the Advanced Stop Line on Queen Elizabeth Street to beon the offside to reduce the left hook risk (London Cycle Design Standardssection 5.4.9)


3.4 Comments on the consultation We also asked respondents what they though of the consultation so we can improve future consultations and they said:

A copy of the consultation material is shown in Appendix A.

0

50

100

Number of respondents 50 74 89 23 25 13% 18 27 33 8 9 5

Very good Good Accepta

ble Poor Very poor

Not Answer


4. About the respondents 4.1 Who responded Responses came from a wide range of stakeholders:

0

50

100

150

Number of respondents 106 34 58 34 50

% 39 12 21 12 18

Resident Business Employee Visitor Commuter

4.2 How people heard about the consultation People responded either by email or through the website and said they found out about the consultation through a variety of ways:

0

50

100

150

Number of respondents 55 22 8 8 101 49% 20 8 3 3 37 18

Email LetterIn the news Poster

Social media

Word by mouth


5. How we plan to proceed

Following consultation we will proceed with improving the pedestrian crossing and cycle facilities at this junction but not banning the left-turn. This is in view of the response to the proposals that this would adversely affect journey times for traffic accessing the Shad Thames area. We will also look at adding a yellow box junction. This work will be carried-out from the end of October 2016 to co-incide with the planned temporary closure of Tower Bridge for structural work (October 2016 to January 2017) to minimise disruption in the area.

We will also continue to work in partnership with Southwark Council and local stakeholders on their wider vision for the area to improve it for pedestrians, residents and visitors. This will include looking again at banning the left turn as part of this wider vision and as part of future proposals for Cycle Superhighway 4.

In the meantime we will monitor the new junction layout to ensure it is operating effectively. Southwark Council will also take steps to reduce the number of vehicles making the left turn onto Queen Elizabeth Street by directing construction traffic for developments in the Shad Thames area onto other routes which avoid the turn and by working with local businesses to consolidate servicing and delivery traffic.


Appendix A: Consultation material


Appendix B: Consultation area


Appendix C: Consultation questions Question about our proposals Do you support these proposed changes?

• Yes

• No

• Partially

• Not sure

• No opinion

Do you have any comments about these proposals?

Questions about the respondent What is your name?

What is your email address?

What is your postcode?

Are you:

• Local resident

• Business Owner

• Employed locally

• Visitor to the area

• Commuter to the area

• Not local but interested in the scheme

• Other

If responding on behalf of an organisation, business or campaign group, please provide us with the name

How did you find out about this consultation?

• Received an email from TfL

• Received a letter from TfL

• Read about it in the paper (including online)


• Saw a poster or flyer

• On social media

• Had a visit from TfL

• Other

What do you think about the quality of this consultation (for example the information we have provided, any printed material you have received, any maps or plans, the website and questionnaire etc)?

• Very good

• Good

• Acceptable

• Poor

• Very poor

Do you have any further comments? Please tell us what you think about the quality of this consultation.


Appendix D: Stakeholder list

Borough Cycling Officers

Cycling Touring Club

London Cycling Campaign

Southwark Cycling Campaign

Department for Transport

Freight Transport Association

Road Haulage Association

GLA

Assembly Members

MP

Institute of Advanced Motorists

Living Streets

Southwark Living Streets

London Ambulance Service

London Councils

London TravelWatch

Southwark Council

Metropolitan Police

Sustrans

Southwark Cyclists

The AA

Transport for All

Parliamentary all-party Cycling Group

British Cycling

Better Transport

Cycling Embassy

Friends of the Earth


Future Inclusion

Guidedogs

Institute of Chartered Engineers

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority

Addison Lee

London Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Association

London Taxis Drivers Association

Motorcycle Action Group

RAC

RNIB

TNT

Team London Bridge

Better Bankside

London City Life

Borough Babies

Utobeer Ltd

Shad Thames Area Management Partnership


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