Mayor of London Transport Strategy - Consultation Process - How many aware within LB Hounslow?

Dear Hounslow Borough Council,

It has become apparent that many organisations and members of the
public in LB Hounslow were not aware of the recent consultation
into the Draft Mayor of London Transport Strategy.

Please explain the steps that Hounslow 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 Hounslow by TfL and by
LB Hounslow?

(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?
What analysis suggested this would lead to a fair and balanced
distribution across the community?

(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 Hounslow
and TfL over how this process would operate?
To what extent was the council consulted over the detail of the
consultation, and what views did it express?

(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?

(7) What steps were taken to inform and involve organisations
likely to have an interest?

(8) What programme of meetings was organised?
Did Hounslow Council ask TfL to attend meetings of the council's
Neighbourhood Partnerships, and how many did receive reports on the
consultation from TfL?

(9) How many meetings took place within LB Hounslow between TfL and
the council as part of the consultation process?
What about with local groups in LB Hounslow?

(10) What pre-consultation took place with interested parties to
ensure that the process was fair and balanced?

(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 Hounslow?
Has the council expressed concerns over this unfair and unbalanced
aspect of the consultation process?

(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?

(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?

(14) Does the council support a MTS consultation in which there was
no question on the level of subsidy that each mode should receive?

(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?

(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?

Yours faithfully,

Ruthlyn Black

Dear environmentcomplaints,

I note that the 20 working day deadline has passed without any
response being provided to my FOI Request.

This is very disappointing.

The Request was a straight forward one, and I see no reason why the
council could not provider its response within the statutory limit
of 20wd.

Please give an indication of a date by when the council expects to
provide its reply - as otherwise a reference to the ICO will become
necessary.

Yours sincerely,

Ruthlyn Black