The consultants WS Atkins were due to have submitted their report on the public consultation formally last week, but had not yet done so. But everyone knows what the results are anyway, i.e. that there is majority support for option B, even discounting the hundreds, yes hundreds of questionnaires returned by Hackney LCC members. Interestingly, Islington has asked for the "disaggregation" of Hackney LCC-inspired questionnaires, presumably to find out what 'real people' think!

The Hackney highway officers will make a report to Shoreditch neighbourhood committee at the next meeting, (early November, not sure exactly when), or failing that, if Atkins are really really late, early December. Likewise the Islington officers will report to their committee early December, and the Corporation ditto early new year.

Only after that will work begin on detailed design. But these are the committee meetings at which to get the principles (and in fact the major details) decided.

Strangely, the demand for continued two-way working for cycles seemed still not to have sunk in with the officers I spoke to! They had misinterpreted the overwhelming response from Hackney cyclists as unreserved backing for option B. Deep breath, patience... I pointed out to the City officer that I, at least, had emphasised the revisions necessary to option B in my questionnaire reply, and I'm sure that many other cyclists did too. He said he'll speak to WS Atkins to see if we can get the point about contraflows and/or cycle slips plus two-way working added into the report if it is indeed not yet quite finished.

The City officer ventured that it would be silly if Appold Street in particular were one-way for all traffic, since the word is that Hackney is keen to make Curtain Road two-way again, which will make a very nice straight route for cyclists from Hoxton Street into the City. (Obviously this will require two-way use for cycle traffic of the whole length of Hoxton Street, part of which is now one-way.)

It appears that what the other boroughs say goes, basically. The City wants its security zone expanded, and is paying the bill, and needs the agreement on details from its neighbours.

So we need to make sure Hackney and the other boroughs insist on these points. It would be perverse indeed for any councillor to refuse to support this when we bring it up at the November Shoreditch neighbourhood meeting.

ĦĦSTOP PRESS 6th October!!

Spoke to Bill Hunt of Tower Hamlets, who is charged with overseeing the Spitalfields traffic situation.

He hadn't heard anything about Broadgate Traffic Study since January or February! He had not seen the published options in the public consultation, and was not aware that it shows Spital Square as one-way eastbound. His conclusion was that it seemed that Atkins were just going their merry way with their study without considering what else is going on around them, i.e. the Spitalfields plans.

The Spitalfields Development Group (planning to demolish Spitalfields Market) has given assurances that their proposal will maintain cycle access through Spital Square and on to Primrose Street, which would, as far as Bill has heard, be closed to all traffic except cycles.