Agenda item

Outcome of the public consultation.

The Committee considered a report that outlined options for improving accessibility for passengers at the existing bus stop in Lodge Lane by Frinton Road, Collier Row following concerns expressed by a wheelchair user.

A local resident who used a wheel chair had brought to the attention of Transport for London problems he and other passengers experience when using the existing bus stop in Lodge Lane due to inadequate facilities to gain access to buses. 

The bus stop in question was situated outside no. 70 Lodge Lane on bus route 294 travelling between Havering Park and Noak Hill via Romford town centre.  

A site meeting was held with representatives of Transport for London and London Buses.  It was identified that there was a narrow width between the edge of the kerb and the bus shelter which prevented access of wheel chairs. At present, the bus drivers stopped before the bus shelter, an area which was not safe to facilitate boarding for passengers with mobility difficulties.  

The Committee was informed that in order to overcome the problem, it was proposed to relocate the bus shelter back from its existing position. This would increase the access width and hence permit wheel chair users to manoeuvre without hindrance.

The proposals also included provision for a clearway at the existing bus stop. The report included the drawing of the proposals.

Twenty letters were hand delivered in the immediate vicinity of the bus stop with a closing date of 9 June 2011.  Six responses were received and these were analysed in the report. Five respondents supported the proposals while one resident had objected. The objection was considered in conjunction with London Buses. The design had indicated that there was a flexibility to relocate the bus shelter up to 600 mm whereas London Buses would give further consideration if the shelter could be relocated more than 600mm depending on site conditions and land constraints.

Officers therefore advised that the proposals should be implemented given that some measures would be taken in responding to the issues raised by the objector.

The proposal was anticipated to improve accessibility for passengers at the existing bus stop and make the stop compliant under the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995.

Members of the Committee spoke in favour of the scheme as it supported disabled people. A member sought clarification as to the gap needed for wheelchair users. Officers explained the issue was not the gap past the shelter, but the space needed to get someone off the bus and then to manoeuvre within the shelter area to then access the footway.

A member suggested a smaller shelter to replace the current shelter in order to satisfy the objector to the scheme.

Another member asked if the shelter, as well as being moved back, could be moved up to be better screened by the conifers of no.70 Frinton Road. Staff noted this suggestion with the agreement of members for implementation.

The Committee having considered the report RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment that the following measures are implemented:

i)     That the existing bus shelter be relocated back from its existing position by 1 metre as shown on drawings in the report.

ii)   That the existing stop is restricted by a clearway. The restriction will commence from the approach side of the existing bus cage (outside no 76 Lodge Lane), extending southwards for a distance of 25 metres as shown on drawing no. QK008-of-101.

iii)      That it be noted the cost to implement the measures is estimated to be £6,000 which would be met by Transport for London through a special budget called ‘Enabling Works’ allocated in 2011/12 for measures to improve accessibility at existing bus stop in Lodge Lane.