This request concerns this consultation: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/st-leonards/ 1. In its original response, TfL stated that “Traffic counts show a significant number of vehicles turn right into Shrubbery Road from the south, particularly in the PM peak (183 vehicles in the AM peak and 298 in the PM peak).” Please state: • How many vehicles turn right into Shrubbery Road at other times of the day and night; • How many vehicles turn right out of Shrubbery Road in the AM and PM peak times and at other times of the day; • What analysis has TfL conducted of the impact of increased numbers of vehicles turning right out of Sunnyhill Road on (a) traffic speeds; and (b) safety on Streatham High Road? Please publish that analysis; • What analysis TfL has conducted (or used if conducted by another authority) of current traffic flows in both directions on Sunnyhill Road? Please publish that analysis; • What percentage of vehicles that turn right into Shrubbery Road originate from Prentis Road? 2. I note that TfL states in its document http://content.tfl.gov.uk/trafficcalmingmeasuresleaflet-rev-final.pdf that: “the use of residential areas by rat-running traffic can have a significant impact on the local environment.” Please state: • What is TfL’s policy on rat-running on residential roads? • What analysis TfL has conducted on its proposal to increase traffic on Sunnyhill Road against its policy on rat-running? Please publish that analysis; 3. In answer to my question about what TfL’s policy was on increasing traffic around primary schools and the routes used by children and their parents/carers to get to school, the original response stated: “We do not have such a policy. However the Healthy Streets policy in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy aims to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport, and this particular project aims to achieve this.” Please state: • What analysis TfL has conducted to assess whether current traffic flows on Sunnyhill Road are consistent with its Healthy Streets policy? Please publish that analysis; • What analysis has TfL conducted to assess whether its proposal to increase traffic flows on Sunnyhill Road by at least 481 vehicles a day (i.e. 183 + 298) is consistent with its Healthy Streets policy? Please publish that analysis; 4. What analysis has TfL conducted to assess the impact of its proposal to route right-turning traffic down Sunnyhill Road on the infrastructure of Sunnyhill Road (e.g. increased damage to the road surface, increase vibration causing damage to houses as a result of traffic going over the road humps, etc.)? Please publish that analysis; 5. What analysis has TfL conducted of LB Lambeth’s data about the current high level of parking stress on Sunnyhill Road and the increased congestion that will be caused by additional traffic flows on the road? Please publish that analysis; 6. In answer to my request for a copy of the decision to proceed with the work at St Leonard’s junction in the absence of a published decision, the original response stated (amongst other things): “A decision to proceed with the implementation of banned turns at the junction with Shrubbery Road has not yet been made and will be considered in the light of monitoring including bus journey time data from our iBus system based on satellite detection of buses through the network. We have committed to share this data prior to a decision being made.” Please state: • What the iBus data has shown to date; • What the iBus data shows for each individual day from 3 to 7 September 2018; • How TfL identifies the cause of buses running more slowly on Streatham High Road given the numerous causes of such delays (e.g. illegally parked delivery lorries near the Prentis Road crossing on Thursday evening rush hour, traffic blocking the junction at St Leonards, road works, etc.); 7. What is TfL’s target speed for traffic on the relevant sections of Streatham High Road? What analysis has TfL conducted into the impact of the safety of pedestrians and other road users of increasing the traffic speed on Streatham High Road? Please publish the analysis; 8. I note that it is nearly 12 months since the consultation was first published. In its review response, TfL stated: “Due to a resource issue there has been a delay to the finalisation and publication of the consultation report, however in the course of this review the Communities Partnerships Specialist in TfL’s Local Communities & Partnerships team has advised that the completion and publication of the consultation report has been prioritised.” Please state: • On the date the review response was provided (21 June 2018) what was the target date for publication of the report? • If the target date for publication of the report has changed since the review response was provided, for each time the target date has changed please state: o The reason for the change; o The new target date; o Who agreed the change. 9. In its review response TfL stated: “We appreciate that there is significant local interest in the proposals regarding St Leonard’s junction and the consultation results.” In its original 2017 consultation, TfL stated: “The banned turns will only be implemented if needed. We would monitor congestion and bus delays to confirm if they are needed to mitigate the impact of the relocated crossing and making it controlled and will publish our findings.” Please state: • When TfL intends to publish its findings; • Whether TfL intends to re-consult on the proposed changes to right turning traffic after it has published its findings; • If TfL currently does not intend to re-consult, how it has assessed the reasonableness of that decision given the “significant local interest” in the proposals.

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TfL Ref: 1579-1819

Thank you for your email received by us on 11 September 2018 asking for information about traffic management in Streatham, south London, following your previous request (reference: 5018-1819).

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

• What is TfL’s policy on rat-running on residential roads?
Whilst we do not have a specific policy on rat-running, we would draw your attention to the policies published in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy published in March 2018, including the following extract, which is relevant to the St Leonard’s scheme:

Policy 5 (page 74): The Mayor, through TfL and the boroughs, and working with stakeholders, will prioritise space-efficient modes of transport to tackle congestion and improve the efficiency of streets for the movement of people and goods with the aim of reducing the overall traffic levels by 10-15 per cent by 2041.”

The Mayor’s Transport Strategy is published here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/the-mayors-transport-strategy

• What analysis TfL has conducted on its proposal to increase traffic on Sunnyhill Road against its policy on rat-running? Please publish that analysis;

I can advise that the proposals are to ban the right turn into and out of Shrubbery Road, not specifically to increase traffic on Sunnyhill Road, as suggested in the above question.

Transport for London (TfL) has undertaken an assessment of the proposed introduction of the banned turns at the junction with Shrubbery Road. Firstly, a VISSIM micro-simulation software model was used to assess the impact on the A23 and results for both general traffic and buses were reported to the Road Space Performance Group meeting on 19 May 2017.

We have also undertaken an assessment of the impact of the proposed banned turns in the Operational Network Evaluator (ONE) Strategic traffic model, dated March 2017, which included Sunnyhill Road. Please find attached a copy of the report. This exercise assumed the same level of traffic being distributed through the network and did not make any assumptions about trips either switching to other modes, other times of day, or not taking place at all as a result of the scheme being introduced or other complementary measures that could be considered.

In accordance with TfL’s obligations under Data Protection Legislation, some personal information has been withheld, as required by regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’. This is an absolute exemption and therefore not subject to a public interest test.

Since the ONE modelling assessment was undertaken, the Mayor’s Transport Strategy was published in March 2018. This states an intention to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport as well as reducing the level of vehicular road traffic in London across all roads by 2041.

3. In answer to my question about what TfL’s policy was on increasing traffic around primary schools and the routes used by children and their parents/carers to get to school, the original response stated:

“We do not have such a policy. However the Healthy Streets policy in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy aims to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport, and this particular project aims to achieve this.”

Please state:

• What analysis TfL has conducted to assess whether current traffic flows on Sunnyhill Road are consistent with its Healthy Streets policy? Please publish that analysis;

• What analysis has TfL conducted to assess whether its proposal to increase traffic flows on Sunnyhill Road by at least 481 vehicles a day (i.e. 183 + 298) is consistent with its Healthy Streets policy? Please publish that analysis;

We propose to ban the right turns at the junction with Shrubbery Road. TfL has not specifically proposed that all vehicular trips will transfer to Sunnyhill Road but would take further traffic counts at the adjacent junctions with the A23 to monitor this effect should it proceed with introducing banned turns. The Heathy Streets policy states that priority will be given to walking, cycling and public transport. Our observations on street, and the results of the VISSIM microsimulation modelling indicate that bus journey times – and that for most other traffic on the A23 – would be improved through banning the right turns into and out of Shrubbery Road.

4. What analysis has TfL conducted to assess the impact of its proposal to route right-turning traffic down Sunnyhill Road on the infrastructure of Sunnyhill Road (e.g. increased damage to the road surface, increase vibration causing damage to houses as a result of traffic going over the road humps, etc.)? Please publish that analysis;

No specific analysis has been undertaken to the structure of Sunnyhill Road or impacts on properties.

5. What analysis has TfL conducted of LB Lambeth’s data about the current high level of parking stress on Sunnyhill Road and the increased congestion that will be caused by additional traffic flows on the road? Please publish that analysis;

No specific analysis has been undertaken. The ONE model does not include impacts of parking on local roads.

6. In answer to my request for a copy of the decision to proceed with the work at St Leonard’s junction in the absence of a published decision, the original response stated (amongst other things):

“A decision to proceed with the implementation of banned turns at the junction with Shrubbery Road has not yet been made and will be considered in the light of monitoring including bus journey time data from our iBus system based on satellite detection of buses through the network. We have committed to share this data prior to a decision being made.”

Please state:

• What the iBus data has shown to date;

• What the iBus data shows for each individual day from 3 to 7 September 2018;

• How TfL identifies the cause of buses running more slowly on Streatham High Road given the numerous causes of such delays (e.g. illegally parked delivery lorries near the Prentis Road crossing on Thursday evening rush hour, traffic blocking the junction at St Leonards, road works, etc.);

It is acknowledged that vehicles turning right into and out of Shrubbery Road is not the only cause of bus delays on Streatham High Road. Interventions such as enforcement and altering the shape of the yellow box at the St Leonard’s junction, aim to reduce delays caused by the two other specific examples mentioned.

Due to a number of sources of delay in the area, site observations both in person and on CCTV were used to identify these different causes. As mentioned in response to your previous FOI request, (reference:5018-1819) buses, general traffic and Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) have been observed to be delayed even if there are only three vehicles waiting to turn right into Shrubbery Road due to right turners overhanging on the northbound lane. During numerous occasions buses, general traffic and HGVs were observed to be delayed significantly by right turners queueing.

Traffic counts also show a significant number of vehicles turn right into Shrubbery Road from the south, particularly in the PM peak; 183 vehicles during the AM peak and 298 at the PM peak.

We have not yet commenced detailed monitoring of the impact of the St Leonard’s scheme using iBus, our Automatic Vehicle Location system because the scheme is not yet complete at a stage where monitoring can begin. Final works to a bus lane and parking bays in Tooting Bec Gardens will be completed shortly after which iBus monitoring will commence. Consequently, we have not extracted data for the period you have requested.

7. What is TfL’s target speed for traffic on the relevant sections of Streatham High Road? What analysis has TfL conducted into the impact of the safety of pedestrians and other road users of increasing the traffic speed on Streatham High Road? Please publish the analysis;

The current speed limit on Streatham High Road is 30mph. We do not have a specific target speed that may be different from the signed speed limit for any road and are aiming to address all sources of risk to the safety of all road users, including speed.

As part of further road safety proposals, TfL intends to work towards introduction of a 20mph speed limit on the A23 through Streatham Town Centre in conjunction with the Mayor’s Vision Zero Action Plan, as part of future work. This will consider whether a 20mph speed limit would be beneficial to the safety of road users, in particular pedestrians and cyclists. A detailed programme for this, including a timescale for any public engagement and any works is not yet available. Details of the Mayor’s Vision Zero Action plan can be viewed here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/vision-zero-action-plan.pdf

TfL has undertaken a Stage One Road Safety Audit dated May 2017, on the design that included the proposed introduction of banned turns at the junction with Shrubbery Road. This considered the impacts for all road users, which is attached.

The proposals to ban the right turns into and out of Shrubbery Road aim to improve the flow of buses along Streatham High Road, and we do not believe that removing this pinchpoint would result in high speeds. As part of future work, and not included in any modelling assessment undertaken to date, we also plan to introduce technology on buses to limit speeds and complement the introduction of a future 20mph speed limit.

Again, in accordance with TfL’s obligations under Data Protection Legislation, some personal information has been withheld, as required by regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’. This is an absolute exemption and therefore not subject to a public interest test.

8. I note that it is nearly 12 months since the consultation was first published. In its review response, TfL stated:

“Due to a resource issue there has been a delay to the finalisation and publication of the consultation report, however in the course of this review the Communities Partnerships Specialist in TfL’s Local Communities & Partnerships team has advised that the completion and publication of the consultation report has been prioritised.”

We apologise for the delay in publishing the consultation report for the Streatham High Road St Leonard’s junction with Mitcham Lane and Tooting Bec Gardens relocated crossing scheme. We aim to publish consultation reports as soon as we can after a consultation has closed, and have recently prioritised the publication of this report.

The report has now been published and is available on our website at: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/st-leonards/

We have listened to feedback and will not introduce the banned turns unless monitoring shows they are required. Should this monitoring show relocating the crossing has had an adverse impact on bus journey times, even with the provision of the bus lane, this would be clear evidence that the banned turns are needed and we would progress with implementing these. Monitoring will begin when the bus lane has been implemented and is expected to take six months. Should the evidence show adverse effects on bus journeys, we will engage again with local stakeholders before implementing the proposed banned turns.

Please state:

• On the date the review response was provided (21 June 2018) what was the target date for publication of the report?

Whilst no specific target date has been set, the aim was always as soon as possible.

• If the target date for publication of the report has changed since the review response was provided, for each time the target date has changed please state:
o The reason for the change;

This is not applicable, given that as previously mentioned, no specific target date was set.

o The new target date;

The report was published on 26 September 2018, as mentioned on our consultations page at. https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/st-leonards/

o Who agreed the change.

Not applicable; no specific target date was set.

9. In its review response TfL stated:

“We appreciate that there is significant local interest in the proposals regarding St Leonard’s junction and the consultation results.”

In its original 2017 consultation, TfL stated:

“The banned turns will only be implemented if needed. We would monitor congestion and bus delays to confirm if they are needed to mitigate the impact of the relocated crossing and making it controlled and will publish our findings.”

Please state:

• When TfL intends to publish its findings;

Monitoring will begin when the bus lane has been implemented on Tooting Bec Gardens, and is expected to take six months. We should therefore have a decision on whether or not to implement the banned turns by Summer 2019.

• Whether TfL intends to re-consult on the proposed changes to right turning traffic after it has published its findings;

We would not consult again on the same proposals given that we have already received feedback on these. Statutory consultation would be undertaken on the Traffic Regulation Orders, should we progress.

• If TfL currently does not intend to re-consult, how it has assessed the reasonableness of that decision given the “significant local interest” in the proposals

Should the decision be taken to ban the turns, this would be based on robust monitoring of bus journey times using iBus, our Automatic Vehicle Location system. The decision to ban the turns would therefore be reasonable and required. The project has also sought to maintain bus operations within existing resource levels.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London

 

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