IN FULL, AS AVAILABLE ONLINE
We, the undersigned, being residents of the Borough, call in the Kingston to New Malden Cycle Route Review (item 1 of the New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee) to the Scrutiny Panel on the grounds that: 1) There was a procedural impropriety and/or insufficient legal advice was obtained; and 2) The decision is inconsistent with established policy
On the first point, the committee was asked to approve the ‘detailed design and construction’ of the scheme without an up-to-date- EQIA being in place. This is a procedural impropriety. Further, NMOM committee voted to approve changes to the scheme outside of the boundary of the neighbourhood (Lady Jane Court and one other). This is a procedural impropriety as the committee has no jurisdiction or power over these streets.
On the latter, when Cllr Giles raised the EQIA issue and asked whether the original EQIA had been updated from its original committee signoff to reflect scheme changes in 2022, no clear answer was given. The original EQIA made clear it was to be updated if any designs changed, and the fact that no updated EQIA was supplied as an annex or background paper is inconsistent with Council policy and also our statutory Public Sector Equality Duty.
We call on the Council to rethink their plans for the cycle lane, including replacing bollards/wands with a concrete curb, take more action to protect people with protected characteristics at bus stops, reinstate the right-turn lane at South Lane West and stop cars parking in the cycle lane. We ask the Council to consider these measures within an EQIA as ways of improving safety and mitigating issues for those with disabilities, the elderly and other protected characteristics.