Public Sector Equality Duty regarding the Lea Bridge to Dalston cycle way
Request ID: FOI-3478-2223 Date published: 22 May 2023
You asked
Hi,
I have read the published Equalities Impact Assessment associated with the Lea Bridge to Dalston cycleway.
Can you provide me with any reports or briefings or other notes and emails associated with these designs and any decision that the designs for ‘bus stop bypasses’ and ‘backless bus stop bypasses’ comply with TfL’s Public Sector Equality Duty. Can you tell me which departments and officer levels signed these off?
We answered
TfL Ref: 3478-2223 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 23 March 2023 asking for information about the design of bus stop bypasses within an equality context. 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 the information you require. You asked for the following: I have read the published Equalities Impact Assessment associated with the Lea Bridge to Dalston cycleway. Can you provide me withany reports or briefings or other notes and emails associated with these designs and any decision that the designs for ‘bus stop bypasses’ and ‘backless bus stop bypasses’ comply with TfL’s Public Sector Equality Duty. Transport for London has conducted a variety of reports, research, and monitoring which informs TfL design guidance and decision making in relation to the equality impacts of both bus stop boarders and bus stop bypasses. TfL has also implemented a range of engagement activities with a variety of stakeholder groups that include older and disabled people’s organisations as part of our discussions on bus stop bypasses and bus stop boarders. For example, back in 2016, TfL created a bus stop bypasses working group, chaired by TfL’s Community Partnerships Lead to discuss the existing design of bus stop bypasses and what we could do to address the various concerns raised. Representatives of Guide Dog associations, the Royal National Institute of the Blind, disability rights organisation Transport for All, cycling charities Sustrans and the London Cycling Campaign, including a representative from the independent watchdog London Travelwatch, attended several meetings focussing on improving the safety aspect of this infrastructure for in particular, visually impaired people, whilst ensuring it would encourage cycling uptake. TfL further liaised with these organisations and charities in 2020 and 2021. A complete copy of the report following this engagement can be found in the ‘Inclusive Streets for London workshop feedback’ spreadsheet, documenting the various comments recorded from the workshop. The ‘Inclusive Streets for London’s Recovery’ feedback report, also attached, summaries the comments made from our workshops and lists TfL’s key priority actions to improve inclusive design on London’s streets. Through our engagement with this working group, one of the outcomes was the introduction of zebra crossings as an integral part of this bus bypass infrastructure. This was authorised by the Department for Transport and influenced the national guidance on cycling infrastructure – referenced as Local Traffic Note LTN 1/20. Bus stop boarders and bus stop bypasses are often integral to cycle facilities on bus routes to reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries to people cycling resulting from collisions. This is in the context of a wider policy to make London’s roads more inclusive and enable a more diverse range of people to cycle including children, women, older or disabled people who are less likely to cycle if it means mixing with large motor vehicles and/or higher volumes of motor traffic. Shared Use Bus Boarders (SUBB) TfL commissioned research into existing SUBBs present in London, focussing on a number of different types of SUBB, implemented by WSP, an engineering and infrastructure design consultancy. This WSP research is attached. This reviewed the existing SUBBs present in London, focussing on a number of different types. It uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods and includes surveys with visual and mobility impaired users. Additionally, there were accompanied visits with disability groups, plus questionnaires with people using these sites. Extensive qualitative data was collected as part of that research. Some of the research findings are listed below: ·No collisions/no ‘high level interactions’ (Level 5) were observed. ·The majority (93%) of interactions were low level (Level 1 or Level 2), where ‘pedestrians or cyclists markedly slow down in response to another user requiring the same space’, or where ‘pedestrians or cyclists deviate from route’ respectively. ·80 per cent of people cycling prefer to use a SUBB compared to cycling in the carriageway, with a particularly high level of women and older men preferring the segregated facility. ·Data on mobility aids was collected by surveyors. Interviews were recorded with respondents who had guide dogs, walking sticks, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, white canes and crutches. However, no trends were spotted among these users regarding greater or lesser satisfaction. Monitoring is continuing on new sites that implement the recommended layout found in the New TfL interim (not final) guidance on Shared Use Bus Boarders published in September/October 2022. This is published via the following link to our website: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/shared-use-bus-stop-boarder-interim-guidance.pdf Boroughs can use the guidance document to assess where and how to implement them. This document is aimed at standardising the implementation of this infrastructure going forward and prompts at ways for designers and officers to assess sites for SUBBs, as well as key features that work well, and a recommended layout, (noting that each Local Authority may have their own take on this). The aforementioned Local Traffic Note – LTN 1/20, national guidance on cycling infrastructure document also addresses the SUBB feature and points to ongoing research and design development of the layout. This is published by the Department for Transport here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120 The Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national charity which supports blind and partially sighted people, has recently shared their position on bus stop bypasses and SUBBs with TfL, via a meeting with a London Sight Loss Council Officer. Their views are shared by the London Sight Loss Council, a volunteer operated subsidiary of The Thomas Pocklington Trust, who focus specifically on London. Their feedback is provided in the attached ‘TPT Position Statement’. Bus stop by-passes Bus stop bypasses, sometimes referred to as floating bus stops or bus stop bypasses, are designed to an established layout on London’s street network as they are in several other cities. Where pedestrian crossings are provided, it is recommended that there are zebra crossings to enable all potential users to identify and use the crossing points. TfL’s approach is in line with central government guidance produced by the Department for Transport, as mentioned in the ‘Cycle Infrastructure Design, Local Transport Note 1/20, July 2020, section 6.6’, provided via the aforementioned DfT link. Accessibility trials for bus stop bypasses were conducted by the Transport Research Library TRL in the attached ‘ TRL Published Project Report 730 Edition’ report, which states: ‘The accessibility trials consisted of four groups of people with different disabilities experiencing each of the four Bus Stop Bypasses under controlled conditions with low cycle flows. The four disability groups were people who were wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted, deaf and hard of hearing or those with other age or cognitive-related mobility impairments.
All participants experienced crossing to and from the Bus Stop Island at least twice and then provided feedback on their experience including ease of use, ability to distinguish the crossing point, perceived safety, use of the designated crossing point and willingness to use such a facility in reality’. Appendix E in the attached appendices contains the results of the findings involving people with different disabilities. This research with different users was used to establish a layout which meets inclusive design standards and TfL’s ‘Guidance Note on Pedestrian crossings at Bus Stop Bypasses’. TfL also considers the views and policy guidance developed by disability cycling and walking groups such as Wheels for Wellbeing who have raised concerns about the restricted width and corner radii, and high kerbs, creating a barrier to those riding wider cycles. as shown here: https://wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FC_WfW-Inclusive-Guide_FINAL_V03.pdf) Furthermore, we undertake extensive consultation on a scheme-by-scheme basis, particularly with disabled people and visually impaired groups, such as The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK). TfL arranged a meeting with the Group, which was attended by the Deputy Mayor and TfL’s Programme Sponsorship representative on January 2023. Details of this meeting are provided in the attached NFBUK prefixed Meeting Notes and Briefing Notes. These reference the following safety guidance we provide here for cyclists: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/safety/road-safety-advice/cycling#on-this-page-1
As part of the requested documentation, attached is correspondence addressed to the Mayor of London from an attendee of Redbridge’s Peoples Question Time event in 2022, regarding bus bypass infrastructure. .
Please note that in accordance with TfL’s obligations data protection legislation some personal data has been removed from these attached items, as required by regulation 13 of the EIR. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of the UK GDPR 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 of the legislation, which would make the processing ‘fair’. Can you tell me which departments and officer levels signed these off? These were signed off by our Senior Programme Sponsorship Teams.
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 FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
