Westminster to pursue judicial review over cycle superhighway plans
Westminster City Council has issued judicial review proceedings over the route of a Transport for London (TfL) cycle superhighway across the borough.
The superhighways are a network of protected cycle routes on roads across London.
Westminster said it acted because of opposition from residents who feared that putting cycle lanes on main roads would divert motor traffic onto side turnings.
Its grounds for judicial review include alleged misleading assessments of benefits and costs, failure to consider the impact of displaced traffic and failure to follow equalities legislation.
A Westminster spokesperson said the council resorted to legal action because TfL had said it would start work on a section near Swiss Cottage without the council’s support.
The spokesperson said: “We fully support the provision of safe cycling and we are making major investments in the city to provide this, working closely with TfL and the cycling commissioner.
“However, residents are overwhelmingly opposed to the Cycle Superhighway 11 proposals. In particular, they have raised concerns about the impact of traffic displacement on congestion and air quality in the streets adjacent to the proposed route.
“We have been in discussions over the last two years with TfL about residents’ concerns but, despite assurances, we have yet to receive any further information about the wider impacts of the scheme and how these may be mitigated.”
Westminster’s action angered London Mayor Sadiq Khan, in particular as it came only a few days after a separate row over Westminster blocking his plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.
A statement from the Mayor’s office said: “The fact that Westminster councillors are now trying to stop a new cycle route being built just weeks after pulling the plug on Oxford Street improvements, is disgraceful.
“There is an urgent need for safer cycle routes into central London and there is an equally strong case for pedestrianising Oxford Street.
“The idea that Westminster Council think they can hold the rest of London to ransom is totally unacceptable. Both of these schemes have significant public support. They will make a real difference to making London’s streets safer and cleaner and they shouldn’t be held up by petty political posturing.”
TfL intends to start work as planned next month at Swiss Cottage.
According to TfL, a public consultation showed 60% support for the superhighway among 6,270 responses.
Mark Smulian
