Transport for London’s planned revamp of Swiss Cottage

• THE High Court judgment that CS11 is unlawful is a major win for residents and a vindication of those that have pointed out the flaws in the plan, (Judge blocks CS11 bike route after High Court appeal, September 14).

The cycle scheme is expected to inundate streets with traffic by making the A41 narrower just at its worst bottleneck: Swiss Cottage gyratory.

Westminster Council made these concerns clear in November 2015, yet Transport for London has proceeded with the plans without responding fully to them despite having three years to do so.

In a previous judgment, the court found CS11 would indeed result in significant rat-running, leading to more congestion and danger on local roads.

TfL’s defence was that the mayor has what it called the “whip hand” over councils; that concerns or objections raised by councils were immaterial; and that it could do what it wanted to force through the mayor’s vision.

If this jars with your concept of local democracy, you’re not alone. It’s even more baffling that Camden Council chose to do nothing to represent residents or require the mayor to consider all the evidence. Residents had to bring their own legal challenge to Sadiq Khan’s dictatorial approach.

When Conservative councillors raised concern that Camden was shirking its responsibilities, the Labour cabinet member confirmed he would not be supporting the judicial review.

This is despite it being clear that TfL’s claim to be able to assume councils would always do what it demanded would, if vindicated or tolerated, forever limit Camden’s powers on this and other matters.

I am indebted to residents and to Conservative-run Westminster Council for bringing the challenge. I am also grateful to Camden Conservative councillor for Frognal & Fitzjohns, Andrew Parkinson, who as a barrister represented residents pro bono.

The question remains: why is it left to the Conservatives to stand up for the area? Why was Camden’s Labour administration missing in action, and how can residents trust it to stand up for them when it refuses to ever say “no” to the Mayor of London on issues affecting our borough?

CLLR OLIVER COOPER
Leader, Camden Conservatives