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Decision details

Villiers Street Public Realm - TMO, Detailed design and Implementation

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for City Management

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To undertake Traffic Order consultation, detailed design and implementation of public realm improvements and security measures on Villiers Street

Decision:

Recommendations

Approval has been given by the Cabinet Member for City Management for the following matters:

 

2.1     The carrying out of a Traffic Management Order (TMO) consultation.

 

2.2     To proceed with detailed design and implementation of the proposed scheme as outlined in General Arrangement drawings in Appendix C and to make traffic orders to facilitate this implementation.

 

2.3     For the Director of City Highways to enter into a management agreement with JLL to operate the bollards.

 

2.4     For the Director of City Highways to enter into a Section 8 agreement with Transport for London (TfL) to install bollards on their land to protect the Embankment tube station and Villiers Street.

 

2.5     For capital expenditure of £4.640 million necessary to implement the scheme.

 

2.6     That authority be delegated to the Director of City Highways, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Management, to approve minor modifications to the scheme should they become necessary and as a result of the TMO consultation.    

 

Reasons for Decision 

 

3.1      Villiers Street is in a poor state of repair and requires urgent maintenance. As a highway authority, it is our duty to maintain a safe pedestrian environment.

 

3.2   Including security improvements within the public realm scheme, will reduce the vulnerability of Villiers St to a terrorist attack utilising certain attack methodologies.

 

3.3      A public consultation has been undertaken and the results show that more than 50% respondents are in favour of the public realm improvements, pedestrianisation and timed closure of the road. A TMO consultation will be undertaken later in the year on the specific changes to parking and loading restrictions and on the timed closure.

 

3.4      Various concerns raised during this consultation have either been addressed by making changes to the proposed scheme or responses provided. Most concerns raised were regarding the timed closure and its impact on deliveries to businesses and residents on the street. This is being addressed by changing the proposed opening hours to 5am to 11am Mon-Sun, although the exact hours are still subject to further consultation with local residents, as well as providing extra loading bays on Embankment Place. These proposed changes will be part of the Traffic Order consultation to be undertaken later this year. Stakeholders will have another opportunity to respond then and any decision on timed closure will be taken after this consultation.

 

Publication date: 07/12/2020

Date of decision: 03/08/2021

Effective from: 11/08/2021

Accompanying Documents: