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

Dear Ms Black

I acknowledge your request for information received on 18 January 2010

Your request is being considered and you will receive the information
requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days (15 February
2010) as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to the
information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

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Any future correspondence you may have in relation to this matter should
be sent to

Mr C Sunderland, Environment and Operations, London Borough of Barnet,
North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP.

Regards

Ashley Dodd
Admin Officer, Performance and Development
Environment & Operations
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South,
London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 3014
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
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Dear Mrs Black,

I am writing in respect of your enquiry for information held by the
Authority under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

Please find the information you requested enclosed. If you have any
queries concerning the information please contact me at the supplied
address.

In general you will need to contact TfL for full details of their actions
with regard to consultation into the Draft Mayor of London Transport
Strategy and publicity provided by them. TfL's publicity included a number
of road-shows related to the London Plan, Mayor's Transport Strategy and
Mayor's Economic development strategy. Two of these were in the borough -
one at Brent Cross shopping centre and one at Mill Hill Library. The
council's involvement with these extended to providing the library venue
when requested. Otherwise London Borough of Barnet was not involved in
planning the consultation or undertaking publicity with regard to the
draft strategy.

1) What publicity was undertaken across LB Barnet by TfL and by LB Barnet?

See general response above.

2) What was published that explained the Draft Strategy and the
consultation process and how were these made available?

See general response above.

3) What steps were taken to try to ensure a balanced cross-section of the
public was made aware of the process?

See general response above.

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?

See general response above.

5) What steps were taken to ensure that hard-to-reach sections of

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?

See general response above.

6) What consultation discussions took place between LB Barnet 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?

The council was not involved in discussions regarding the consultation
process or details of the consultation.

7i) 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 have a formal position on these points.

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

See general response above

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

See general response above - it is not clear what you mean by
Neighbourhood Partnerships as this is not a term we use, however London
Borough of Barnet did not ask TfL to attend any of its council meetings or
forums in relation to the consultation.

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

TfL officers attended one meeting with senior borough officers at LB
Barnet to discuss the Mayor's Transport Strategy during the consultation
period. Other briefings that included information related to the
development of the MTS have also taken place elsewhere.

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

See general response above.

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

The council does not have a formal position regarding these points. The
council generally does not prefer one type of road user over another
however car travel is acknowledged to play a significant role.

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?

The council does not have a formal position regarding these points.

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 does not have a formal position regarding these points.

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

The council does not have a formal position regarding these points.

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 have a formal position regarding these points.

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?

The council has not, and is not currently planning to make any
representations in this regard.

If for whatever reason you are unhappy with our response you are entitled
to pursue any dissatisfaction through the Council's Complaints Procedure.
The Complaints Officer for Environment and Operations can be contacted in
writing also at the supplied address. Should you remain dissatisfied you
can appeal against the decision by contacting the Information
Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF.

Regards.

Miss Ashley Dodd
Admin Officer, Performance and Development
Environment & Operations
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South,
London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 3014
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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Dear Ms Black,

The council did make a response to the consultation on the draft MTS,
which is attached (word document). It references and endorses the London
Councils response which is also attached.

Regards

Miss Ashley Dodd
Admin Officer, Performance and Development
Environment & Operations
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road
South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 3014
Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk
P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

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