Agenda item

Councillors attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

• The bus stop provided a lot of trade to the shops in the local area.
• If the bus stop was removed, less people would visit the shop, which would mean a loss of donations being received and affect the research the charity could achieve.
• It would be a long walk to the shop for older customers and volunteers who worked in the shop.
• Petitioners queried what business Coldharbour Lane shops would get once Hayes Town Centre had been open to through traffic.
• Requested that the bus stop remained in its current position so all businesses could receive a share of the regeneration of Hayes Town.

Ward Councillors spoke in relation to the petitioners’ request and raised the following issues:

• As a member of the Hayes Town Centre Stakeholder Working Group, which had been consulted on the regeneration of Hayes Town, one Ward Councillor found himself in a difficult position.  He had sympathy with the petitioners request but there had been a considerable discussion on the bus stop and its location.
• It was recognised that the current bus stop was not up to required TfL accessibility guidelines and the regeneration of Hayes Town Centre had enabled this to take place.
• It was noted that representatives of the Older Peoples Assembly had requested that the bus stop and seating be provided closer to the Salvation Army Hall.
• The possibility of making the existing bus stop more compliant had been far more difficult than it first appeared.
• The bus stop served the shops, school and leisure centre nearby.
• Coldharbour Lane at night was not an area that people wanted to pass through quickly because of the people who congregated in Coldharbour Lane.
• It was recognised that the design of the bus stop was important and shopkeepers wanted the bus stop to remain in its current position.
• Moving the bus stop would mean people having to carry their shopping further.
• It was asked whether consideration could be given to redesigning the bus stop in its current location. 

The Cabinet Member, Councillor Keith Burrows, listened to the concerns and explained that there had been considerable amount of documents, various events and adverts highlighting the proposals for the regeneration of Hayes Town Centre.  The consultation with stakeholders in Hayes had taken place over a 3 year period with leaflets being distributed to residents and businesses in the area. The decision on the proposals for regeneration had been agreed in December 2014 and works had started in February 2015.

The Cabinet Member explained that when, petitions were received, they came to a meeting to enable the Member to consider whether a decision made was correct, the reasons why and any evidence that may affect the decision already made.  In this case, the current bus stop needed to be upgraded as it did not meet TfL guidelines.  It was clear from the report that detailed regeneration plans had been widely consulted and all options considered.  Once the regeneration of Hayes had been completed, the footfall in the area would increase.  The bus stop would be moved as already been agreed. 

RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet Member:

1.    discussed with petitioners their concerns in relation to the relocation of the bus stop in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes.

2.    noted that there had been previous representations for a better bus stop near the Salvation Army Hall, from the Older Peoples Assembly.

3.    noted the fact that the present bus stop provided inadequate space for waiting passengers and passing pedestrians and does not meet current design standards.

4.    agreed that the current layout proposed in this section of Coldharbour Lane should be implemented.