This meeting was scheduled to receive a report on a variety of aspects of sustainable transport in the City of Westminster, including a Sustainable Transport Strategy the council is developing, and a briefing on the refurbishment of the council's public conveniences. The meeting was also scheduled to review and approve the Committee's work programme for the 2024/2025 municipal year.

Sustainable Transport Strategy

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report on the development of a new Sustainable Transport Strategy for Westminster. The strategy aims to consolidate and supersede existing transport policies to create a single evidence-led document that supports the council's commitment to active travel, cleaner air and healthier lives for its communities. The strategy seeks to encourage what it calls modal shift, which is when people change the mode of transport they use to travel.

The report provided to the Committee stated that the strategy's development was informed by a comprehensive engagement and consultation process, with responses from a wide variety of stakeholders. A review of the strategy’s evidence base was also commissioned, which found that over 250,000 tonnes of carbon are produced by transport in Westminster per year, with road transport being a major contributor to both emissions and local air pollution.

The report proposed six strategic priorities to be addressed by the strategy. These included:

• Road Safety in support of the Mayor of London's 'Vision Zero' ambition to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London's streets by 2041.
• Access and Inclusion for all to ensure that everyone in Westminster can safely access and travel using sustainable transport modes.
• Health and Exercise with the goal of ensuring that the vast majority of people walk, wheel or cycle as their main mode of transport.
• Air Quality with the aim of Westminster meeting World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline levels for air pollution by 2040 with cleaner transport.
• Climate Change so that Westminster's transport network can decarbonise and reach Net Zero by 2040, whilst the streets will become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
• Sustainable Economy by encouraging fewer journeys and deliveries and investing in the city's neighbourhoods to support sustainable economic growth.

The report also proposed that the strategy adopt a ‘Street Types’ approach to enable more strategic planning of the borough's streets, recognizing the different purposes streets serve in the community. The report identified four Street Types:

• Liveable Streets – streets in predominantly residential areas.
• High Streets and Local Centres – community hubs with higher levels of retail, leisure, and service uses.
• Key Centres – destination areas such as Oxford Street or Strand Aldwych.
• Strategic Roads – roads on which through traffic and loading conditions are likely to be prioritised.

The report suggested that a hierarchy for kerbside uses be developed to assist in identifying how kerbside space should be allocated in the future, with an example of this hierarchy being:

• Safety and accessibility (particularly for mobility needs).
• Active travel and cycle parking.
• Transport and public realm improvements.
• Car sharing.
• Cars.

Finally, the report noted that Westminster Council is already implementing a wide variety of schemes that will support the strategy. The report included case studies on schemes including:

• The Pimlico micro-logistics hub and e-cargo bike share schemes.
• The implementation of 330 parking bays for dockless e-bikes and e-scooters.
• The implementation of nearly 2,500 on-street electric vehicle charge points.
• The introduction of emissions-based charging for residents and visitors who drive into the city.
• The trial of several ‘School Streets’.
• London’s first ever EV bookable loading bay scheme.
• The establishment of a Sustainable City Charter.
• King Street Low-Carbon Roadworks.
• The Strand Aldwych scheme.

Public Conveniences’ Update

A briefing note was provided to the committee on the council's modernization programme for public conveniences. The note stated that a programme of works had been agreed in Summer 2023 with the aim of improving the quality and standards of the facilities the council provides. The briefing note updated the committee on the progress being made on the programme, which is comprised of a number of elements.

The reprocurement of existing contracts to upgrade facilities and improve service levels is underway. A call-off contract for the upgrade of existing Automatic Public Convenience sites was completed in Early Summer 2024, and the procurement exercise for cleaning, compliance, and maintenance of the council's built conveniences is due for completion in December 2024. The briefing note stated that improved standards of facility management and measures to combat anti-social behaviour have already reduced the number of closures in the past year.

In Winter 2023/2024 card readers were installed at all chargeable sites, replacing the previously used coin-operated entry systems. The briefing note stated that this has contributed to an increase in usage of 41% between 2023 and 2024.

The refurbishment programme includes plans to refresh sites located in residential areas of Westminster. The refurbishment of three of the four sites is now complete:

• Paddington Street Gardens Public Conveniences
• Wellington Gardens Public Conveniences
• Queensway Public Conveniences

The briefing note stated that works at the fourth site - Jubilee Hall Public Conveniences - are still being agreed.

The modernization programme also includes the refurbishment of chargeable sites used mainly by visitors and tourists in the West End. The note stated that design proposals for these sites were agreed last winter, with a higher-quality finish option being chosen to extend the durability and life of the materials. Work to refurbish these sites is split into two phases:

• Phase 1 sites, which are due for completion by Summer 2025, are:

  • Victoria Embankment Gardens Public Conveniences
  • Parliament Street Public Conveniences
  • Green Park Public Conveniences
  • Piccadilly Circus Public Conveniences

• Phase 2 sites, which are due for completion by Summer 2026, are:

  • Carnaby Street Public Conveniences
  • Westminster Pier Public Conveniences
  • Covent Garden Public Conveniences
  • Leicester Square Public Conveniences

The briefing note stated that work has already begun at Victoria Embankment, with the site closing in April 2024 for refurbishment and due to reopen at the end of October 2024. The Parliament Street site closed in August 2024 and is scheduled to reopen in the new year.

Finally, the note stated that the project team have commissioned an art agency, the Contemporary Art Society Consultancy, to assist in selecting an artist to provide artwork at the refurbished West End sites. The briefing note stated that the team selected nationally recognized artist James Lambert to create artwork inspired by the surroundings of each of the West End sites.

2024/2025 Work Programme

The Committee was asked to review and approve the Committee’s work programme for the 2024/2025 municipal year. The report stated that the Committee should consider its Terms of Reference, the time available for both members and officers, and what items scrutiny would have the most impact on when reviewing the work programme.

The report included the following list of topics in the work programme:

• PDHU Options: a pre-decision scrutiny review of the shortlist of options for the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking (PDHU). The Committee is anticipating an additional piece of pre-decision scrutiny on the Council’s wider strategic approach to heat networks.
• Recycling and Waste Strategy: pre-decision scrutiny and oversight of Westminster’s Recycling and Waste Strategy.
• Public Conveniences Refurbishment: oversight of the council's public conveniences refurbishment programme.
  
• Supplementary: PDHU Final Options: this pre-decision scrutiny was scheduled to be confirmed by the committee during its meeting in October. If selected, it will be the final opportunity to provide input on the PDHU decision.
• Net Zero 2030: pre-decision scrutiny and oversight of the council's efforts to become a net zero organisation by 2030.
• Draft Climate Resilience and Adaptation Plan: pre-decision scrutiny of the draft climate resilience and adaptation plan, with the Committee potentially scrutinizing how the plan's consultation is rolled out and how effective input can be received.
• Dockless Bike Parking Bays 1 year on: post-decision scrutiny of the rollout of dockless bike parking bays in Westminster, assessing their effectiveness and management.
• Ecological Emergency Declaration One Year On: post-decision scrutiny of the ecological emergency declaration one year on, considering its impact and subsequent work done.
• Climate Assembly Year 3 and Action Committee Outcomes: post-decision scrutiny and oversight of the Climate Assembly's development in its third year, reviewing its development and how its outcomes are being incorporated.

Finally, the Committee was also asked to consider whether it would like to establish a Task Group or commission a Single Member Study to examine any key issues in more detail.