11 February 2010 LBH56400-10
By Email: [FOI #27066 email]
Dear Ms Black,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your email of 15 January 2010 in which you requested information regarding recent consultation into the Draft Mayor of London Transport Strategy.
Your request has been considered and the information requested is below:
It has become apparent that many organisations and members of the public
in LB Hackney were not aware of the recent consultation into the Draft
Mayor of London Transport Strategy.
Please explain the steps that Hackney Council took with TfL to make the
public aware of consultation into the Draft Mayor of London Transport
Strategy.
(1) What publicity was undertaken across LB Hackney by TfL
and by LB Hackney?
2) What was published that explained the Draft Strategy and
the consultation process and how were these made available?
(3) What steps were taken to try to ensure a balanced
cross-section of the public was made aware of the process?
(4) Where were leaflets distributed, and how was this
decided?
(5) What steps were taken to ensure that hard-to-reach
sections of the community, such as those who travel exclusively by
private car, were made aware of the consultation process and encouraged
to participate in it?
(6) What consultation discussions took place between LB
Hackney and TfL over how this process would operate?
In response to Questions 1-6, the London Borough of Hackney did not publicise the Draft Mayor of London Transport Strategy consultation.
The public consultation for Draft Mayor of London Transport Strategy was undertaken by the GLA. Therefore, the London Borough of Hackney does not hold this information.
To what extent was the council consulted over the detail of
the Consultation, and what views did it express?
As the consultation was led by TfL and the GLA, Hackney did not have any
influence on the format of the consultation. As a rule TfL and the GLA do not enter into discussions on the format of consultations for their policy documents.
The GLA forwarded an email to their borough contacts informing that the draft strategy had been published and the consultation period for it.
Hard copies of the document were also sent by TfL to senior managers in Hackney's Public Realm Directorate.
(7) Is the council happy with the consultation process?
Was the council happy that the online questionnaire was so flagrantly biased? Was the council happy that were responders allowed to pick as many as they chose from an uncosted wish-list?
The council does not hold any recorded information relating to this.
(7) What steps were taken to inform and involve
organisations likely to have an interest?
Please see the response to Questions 1-6.
(8) What programme of meetings was organised?
Did Hackney Council ask TfL to attend meetings of the
council's Neighbourhood Partnerships, and how many did receive
reports on the consultation from TfL?
A programme of meetings was not organised therefore the council does not hold this information.
(9) How many meetings took place within LB Hackney between
TfL and the council as part of the consultation process?
What about with local groups in LB Hackney?
Please see the response to Question 8.
(10) What pre-consultation took place with interested
parties to ensure that the process was fair and balanced?
Please see the response to Question 1-6.
(11) Does the council support a MTS consultation on the
Draft Mayor of London Transport Strategy that offers so little for the
driver - private motorist or professional driver of taxi, minicab,
van, lorry or bus?
How important are private drivers in the overall use of
transport in Hackney?
Has the council expressed concerns over this unfair and
unbalanced aspect of the consultation process?
Please find attached copies of our responses to the three consultation
documents that the Council have been asked to comment on in relation to
the Draft Transport Strategy.
I believe that this will provide you with more detailed information on what our policy position is in relation to the above question.
(12) Does the council support a MTS in which the promotion
of cycling within the draft MTS does not also include warnings
on the dangers of this mode?
Does the council support the proposition that a mass switch
to cycling would be beneficial justified, and on what evidence?
Please see attached responses as above.
(13) Does the council support a MTS consultation in which
costings of various suggestions were not put forward, so that the
public could see how much tax each would entail?
The council would point out that the MTS is a high level strategy.
Costings would be part of TfL's current business plan, therefore we would direct
you to the TfL Business Plan that can be found on www.tfl.gov.uk
(14) Does the council support a MTS consultation in which
there was no question on the level of subsidy that each mode should
receive?
Please see the response to Question 13.
(15) Does the council support a MTS consultation in which no question is asked as to whether the users of a mode should bear all, most, some or whatever proportion of the costs of providing that mode?
The council does not hold any recorded information relating to this.
(16) What representations has or will the council make regarding the consultation process into the Draft MTS as a result of this enquiry or otherwise?
Hackney Council provided a response to the Draft Strategy by the consultation deadline 12th January 2010. No further action will be taken at the moment.
The final version of the strategy will be published by the Mayor of London in
April 2010.
Noting your interest in local transport issues in Hackney, I would strongly suggest you take part in Hackney's Local Implementation Plan consultation in autumn 2010.
The Hackney LIP will set our transport policies and priorities for the next three years. The LIP consultation and the opportunity to get involved in the consultation process will be advertised in the Hackney Today before the start of the consultation.
Please note the information is still covered by copyright legislation. You are not authorised to re-use this information for commercial or research purposes as defined by the Re-Use of Public Sector Regulations 2005. If you do wish to re-use this information please contact the Information Governance Team, 6-15 Florfield Road, Hackney London E8 1DT.
If you are dissatisfied with this response and wish to appeal, please write to the Information Governance Team, Appeals, 6-15 Florfield Road, Hackney London E8 1DT and your complaint will be dealt with through our Internal Review procedure.
If you are still not satisfied following the Internal Review, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner. He can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
Steve Walker
Traffic & Transportation Manager
Traffic & Transportation
Phone: 020 8356 8157