What is driving the Council’s policy to flood the borough with Barclays bikes?

Is it part of a political agenda, or is it a response to popular demand?

I ride a bike most days and would like to see less motorised traffic, but I’ve not made much progress trying to ascertain the air quality on the South Circular for instance with the Council in the past, and so I question their motives.

In our road, almost all residents became aware of the installation of a docking-station only after the works had started.

Wandsworth Council said that the minimum level of consultation was appropriate, while Transport for London said that their contractor had failed to carry out the planned leafleting.

Surely where there are proposals to change a facility paid for by annual parking permit-holders, there should be better communication if there is not to be a breach of the agreement? 

And if we are to be properly consulted, we should be given sufficient reasons for the proposals, other than vague talk about how successful and exciting the scheme is, to allow those consulted to give an intelligent response.

In a survey of residents in Dorothy Road, of the two-thirds who responded, three-quarters were opposed to the scheme, and virtually all condemned the lack of proper consultation.

I saw a councillor with the results of the survey in August and put it to her that the council had invested £2m in support of the Mayor’s scheme, as had about three other London boroughs (one wonders about the extent of Barclays’ sponsorship), but have since heard nothing.

Whatever the merits of the scheme, the views of the residents affected are ignored and to that extent the Council’s methods are anti-democratic.

The works have reduced the parking space in Dorothy Road by nearly 10 per cent (20 per cent in the half I use) and I for one look forward to a corresponding reduction in the annual permit charge.

Bill Travers; Dorothy Rd, Battersea

What do you thinkk? Send your letter to letters@wandsworthguardian.co.uk.

 

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