The Marylebone Association

Improving the quality of life for everyone in Marylebone - The Marylebone Association, 1 Park Crescent, London W1B ISH. Tel. 0845 6018191

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Public Lighting & Pavements Scheme Update

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Further to our request last month for consultation with our membership in relation to suggestions for inclusions in  Westminster's street lighting and pavement program for 2009/10 we are pleased to say that this resulted in the highest response level to any request for information of this kind that the Association has yet achieved. I think it can be taken as a measure of how seriously people view these concerns.

We have since sent the all the responses to Councillor Danny Chalker for consideration.

A number of general points did come out of the consultation. The first is the fact that tarmac payments (presumably a remnant of wartime austerity) are not appropriate in this central part of London and it should be part of the programme that these be phased out and replaced with block paving which is more in keeping with the general ambience of the streets and their status forum as Conservation Areas. Whilst we understand that the Council seeks to obtain contributions by means of Section 106 Agreements for specific areas of paving it is clear that this is unlikely to be possible in other locations currently requiring upgrading. The specific reference to bubbling of the tarmac surfaces from members is a recurring theme around the area and clearly they are far from maintenance free.

The other point (perhaps most clearly made in relation to the comments on Chiltern Street) is the need for detailed consultation prior to the instigation of any specific schemes. Chiltern Street used to have the smaller size Grey Wornum columns set on either side of the street. These were replaced with higher columns on one side of the street only. The higher columns invade the privacy of the residential accommodation above the shops and have had to be screened as a result. It is not unreasonable that this could have been anticipated and the associated costs avoided. The fact that there are no lights at all on one side of the street means that the darkness can be exploited by muggers or others.

Although not specifically mentioned in the consultation we have brought to the attention of Westminster, Queen Anne Street. The provision of street lighting is inadequate and the street is dark as a result. Some of the lampposts are leaning at a precarious angle. Of course it would have been sensible to have incorporated any upgrade of street lighting into the replacement of the pavement surfaces undertaken quite recently. Even though this coordination is no longer possible the street requires a full review of its lighting standard.

lampostsThe other general request is to ensure that where street lighting is replaced it is done so on the basis of the agreed vocabulary of street lighting columns i.e. the Grey Wornum columns of various heights without protruding arms. This is matter brought up regularly at the Marylebone Citizens Task Force Meetings only to be told that it is already taken on board. However the photograph of a replacement light post in Marylebone High Street, our principle shopping street, showing that this confirmation is simply not true in this case and closer attention needs to applied to ensure that such arrangements are taken on board.

We are also unsure whether the project extends to bike parking. We have a significant increase in the number bike users in the area, many of whom find it difficulty to find suitable parking spaces. BikesThe illustration taken recently of the situation in Marylebone Lane where between bikes parked on all items of street furniture and the use on the pavement of an A-board advertising the 108 bar the pavement is so restricted that anybody on a wheelchair or pushing a pushchair would be unable to pass.

We are aware that that Westminster is obliged to accommodate the city wide requirement for rental bikes as part of the Mayor's scheme. However whilst doing we would like to see an increase the amount of proper bike parking available and having done so seek to enforce against selfish bike parking which blocks the highway for other users?

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