TRANSPORT for London has been accused of ‘arrogantly steamrollering’ through plans for cycle hire expansion in Hammersmith and Fulham without properly consulting residents.
The blast came from neighbours who won the right to a judicial review to stop TfL building a 27-bike docking station by a listed building near the entrance to Hurlingham Park.
Hammersmith and Fuham Council agreed to quash the planning permission it gave in February before the hearing went ahead after residents objected on grounds the proposed site was in a conservation area and would have a detrimental effect on the park, the building and would ‘clutter’ the road.
Architect David Gurtler, who led the fight, said: “TfL has been very arrogant in its approach to this expansion and has not consulted neighbours or bothered to take into account heritage sites like this while applying.
"Even when we were going through the courts they ploughed on with laying down cables and power posts and said they didn’t have a case to answer."
Despite losing its permission, TfL wrote to residents saying it intended to plough on with the plans and would go back to the council to apply at the site for a second time. It has also lodged another application for 18 docking points further down the road, to the amazement of Mr Gurtler, who says there will be little demand for the service.
“People tend to use the bikes when they are near transport links,” he said. “We have suggested a total of 19 nearby sites that would be more suitable but this has been dismissed out of hand.”
A total of 14 docking points have so far been approved in the borough.
Council transport chief Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler said: "There have been many consultations on the cycle hire scheme in H&F over the past year or so and residents have had many opportunities to have their say, including through the council’s Get H&F Moving campaign.
“The scheme is immensely popular and the majority of our residents are fully in favour of the bikes coming to the borough. We look forward to seeing the bikes across H&F from this autumn.”
Nick Aldworth, general manager for Barclays Cycle Hire, said: “Following planning permission being granted by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for a Barclays Cycle Hire docking station on Hurlingham Road, a judicial review claim has been brought, challenging the decision.
“We conducted a thorough site selection process and followed due process correctly and therefore we believe it to be a suitable location.”
