Council grants planning consent as TfL applies for more
Wandsworth Council has granted planning consent for 20 Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations.
Transport for London (TfL) has now submitted plans for more than 50 sites across the north of Wandsworth and these are the first applications to be determined:
Where parking bays or yellow lines need to be changed to accommodate a docking station a traffic management order amendment is necessary. This process will be subject to a separate consultation.
Last year the council agreed a plan with the Mayor of London which would see the existing Barclays Cycle Hire zone extended across parts of Battersea, Wandsworth Town and Putney from late 2013.
Bringing the popular bike sharing scheme to the borough is a central aim of the council's Travel Choices campaign and will give thousands of local people a new and exciting travel option.
Wandsworth Council's transport spokesman Cllr Russell King said: "Pressure on our transport network is growing and there is no single solution that can soak up rising demand. We have to improve and develop every travel option if we are to stave-off a capacity crunch and Boris Bikes are part of this strategy.
"These hire bikes will offer a great alternative to making short journeys by car, bus or rail and in many cases will be quicker and cheaper. They also will also help to reduce air pollution which is a serious issue right across London . Our long-term aim is to secure complete borough-wide coverage."
In total around 60 docking stations will need to be installed across this northern stretch of the borough as part of the cycle hire extension.
In identifying potential sites, issues considered include safety and the impacts on parking, pedestrians, local businesses and nearby homes.
Planning permission from the council is required for every site and each of TfL's applications is being carefully assessed before a decision is made.
To view the applications visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/cyclehire or for more information contact transportation@wandsworth.gov.uk
The majority of the costs of extending cycle hire to Wandsworth will be met by TfL and the scheme sponsor Barclays.
Wandsworth Council will make a contribution of £2mn towards the cost of the roll-out from its dedicated transport budget to enable the project to go ahead.
Find out more about the scheme at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/cyclehire
For more information on the council's Travel Choices campaign visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/travelchoices