TfL Ref: FOI-0869-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11 July 2017 asking for full details of any Cycling Level of Service Assessments (CLOS) or Pedestrian Environment Review System assessments (PERS) and/or Healthy Streets assessments on the Fiveways Croydon scheme.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. We do hold some of the information you require.

In accordance with the EIR, we are not obliged to supply some of the information as it is subject to a statutory exception to the right of access to information under Regulation 12(4)(d) - information is still in draft form or is incomplete information.

In this instance the exception has been applied as we are in the process of updating our CLoS assessment to reflect the design which is currently out for public consultation. Additionally, we have previously completed a PERs assessment for the Fiveways project however this was based on a previous proposal which does not reflect the scheme which we are now progressing with at consultation.

The Healthy Streets Check is one of a number of tools and approaches that TfL is developing to embed the Healthy Streets Approach and to ensure that future investment delivers the ambitious objectives set out in the draft Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS). In line with this, TfL’s future investments will be planned, designed and implemented in accordance with the outcomes of the MTS.

Currently, not all of the metrics that we’d like to be able to measure are readily available or suitably validated for capturing some aspects of the Healthy Streets Indicators at the design stage. TfL will work to add, develop and improve the Healthy Streets Check over the coming months.

We consider that disclosure of the draft assessments and incomplete material would risk us publishing potentially misleading or unvalidated information which might over or understate the benefits of the project for pedestrians or cyclists. These assessments should ideally not be viewed in isolation, but form part of our wider assessment of the scheme where cycling or walking benefits/disbenefits are just one part of the story.

The use of this exception is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance the balance lies in favour of withholding this information as we would not wish to misinform the general public and when published, the assessments must reflect the design as is proposed as part of the current consultation, and we consider that the public interest favours the publication of this information, in context and according to the completion schedule, to ensure the information is provided accurately and in an accessible manner for all.

We will release all of the information once it has been finalised and once the consultation has ended and the results evaluated.

Please see below for details related to the information you have requested which we are able to provide:

Fiveways Healthy Streets Alignment

TfL has assessed the proposed Fiveways improvement project using the draft Healthy Streets Check which has identified that the project can deliver strongly against many of the key Healthy Streets Indicators. The Fiveways project proposes improvements at the intersection of two key strategic routes for south London. Currently, traffic congestion is high, bus passengers frequently experience delays during peaks, and there is poor provision for cyclists and pedestrians.

The planned growth and redevelopment of the Croydon Opportunity Area (7,300 homes and 8,000 jobs) will increase journeys in the area, exacerbating the current problems at Fiveways Croydon. In 2013, London Borough Croydon (LBC) also set out their aspiration to develop Waddon (where the Fiveways junction is) as a local centre. LBC has committed £20m to help realise their strategic growth objective alongside development of a people-friendly local centre.

The project unlocks capacity at the Fiveways junction by simplifying its operation to accommodate new journeys arising from the forecast growth. The project seeks specifically to unlock potential for active travel. For example the bridge design adds two 2m cycle lanes where no provision currently exists and introduces a 180m long bus lane on Stafford Road to improve journey times and reliability for 3,000 passengers travelling westbound each day on the 154 and 157 routes. Pedestrian movements are also simplified throughout, as part of ambitious urban realm improvements, making the streets more accessible and people-friendly, supporting the development of Waddon as a local centre.

Proposals include:

• Improvements to the street environment, particularly at Fiveways Corner, through the creation of new public space with places to sit and dwell, and tree planting to provide greening and shade
  
  
• New widened footways on Waddon Station Bridge and Fiveways Corner
  
  
• Upgraded and simplified pedestrian crossings including Toucan crossings at Fiveways Corner
  
  
• Creation of an east-west cycle route to improve cycling links across the A23

As you can see from the proposals this project can support the delivery of Healthy Streets outcomes by improving alternatives to car use and creating more accessible and people-friendly streets to encourage more walking and cycling.

The environmental assessment also shows that the net air quality impact of the project is positive. Additionally, there were 52 personal injury collisions in the total scheme area over the 36 months to August 2016 with the scheme estimated to reduce collisions by around 25 per cent.

We will continue to review the scheme as it progresses through consultation to seek further ways to improve its delivery of Healthy Streets outcomes.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London