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French make a stand in the battle of the buses
Ruth Bloomfield and Benedict Moore-Bridger15 Jun 2009
The long relationship between Britain and France has had its ups and downs. But the latest diplomatic spat involves a bus stop.
The French Embassy has complained to the Foreign Office over plans to reroute up to 2,000 buses every day past two of its key London offices.
They say the buses passing its science
and technology centre and French language institute, both in Cromwell Place, South Kensington, will present a security risk to staff and visitors.
They are also unhappy at proposals to set up a bus stand close to the institute, and fear for the health of pupils at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle school, claiming the children will have to breathe in unacceptable levels of traffic fumes from the buses, which will pass every 30 seconds at peak times.
Jean-Claude Tribolet, spokesman for the embassy, said complaints had been made to the Foreign Office, TfL and Kensington and Chelsea council.
“We were not consulted about this
beforehand and we will have 2,000 buses passing by each day,” he said.
“Aside from the security issue we are concerned about the children at the Lycée Français. There are more than 3,500 children there, and this will cause air pollution. We have asked a lawyer to help us with this.”
The buses, from routes 14, 74, 414 and C1 are being re-routed as part of a multi-million-pound plan to revamp and make more pedestrian friendly Exhibition Road, home to the Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert museums.
Barrister Stewart Leech, who lives in Cromwell Place, where average house prices are £2 million, says residents were not consulted.
“The main concern is noise. It is also a major concern in terms of having additional bus stops. We will have people congregating outside our homes day and night.”
To fight the proposals the residents have paid for a £7,500 consultants' report making alternative suggestions about how buses might pass through. Mr Leech said the residents would consider seeking a judicial review against the decision.
Nick Paget-Brown, regeneration leader for Kensington and Chelsea, said: “We're working to make Exhibition Road a safe and attractive space.
“We appreciate the concern of Cromwell Place residents and are engaged with them to address this.”
A spokeswoman added that residents' suggestions would be considered.
Reader views (7)
I have worked in Cromwell Place for 24 years. Along with the residents and other users of Cromwell Place I strongly object to this street being turned into a major bus corridor. I sent an e-mail to ES with photographs of the tree and sculpture that has been removed without consultation. Please print the photographs.
This solution has been foisted on us without consultation changing our street from a relatively quiet pleasant street into a noisy, smelly and dangerous street. Buses are welcomed where there are retailers who benefit from the extra footfall. They are not appropriate where people are living and working and where school children congregate.
Please help us to get the buses re-routed along streets which are predominately lined with retail outlets.
We have submitted alternative bus routes to RBKC which achieve this.
- Michael Aston, London UK, 18/06/2009 14:25
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The whole of Cromwell Place is opposing this scheme, not just the French. The council have done this illegally on a temporary traffic order when plainly they have put down permanent wider pavements and painted bus stops on the road. They did not consult the residents. First thing we knew about it was when they chopped down a healthy tree, ripped up a flower bed, took away a bench, took away bicycle and motorbike stands.
- Cheryl, London, 16/06/2009 12:58
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"...the children will have to breathe in unacceptable levels of traffic fumes from the buses" - so they want some other people to have the fumes instead (clue - bus routes -usually- go where people need to travel so there will be people elsewhere too, it's one of their little indiosyncracies).
- Rogan, Irving, 15/06/2009 21:04
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Paris, of course, is famous for it's lack of pollution and careful, caring drivers . . . . . . NOT!
- Paul, London, 15/06/2009 16:09
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If the french don't like it they can always go home to there polluted Paris.
- John Farrow, Milton Keynes, 15/06/2009 14:55
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".. will present a security risk to staff and visitors."?
Is this the same French who refuse to deal with the far more real security threat to this country of "asylum" seekers squatting at their ports trying to get into England?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 15/06/2009 14:31
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This complaint feels whimsical. The area around South Kensington is already heavily trafficked, so the re-routing of the buses should not make one iota's difference to air quality. It should also be borne in mind that many Lycee students live some distance from the school and use buses to get to it, which would suggest that they are bus-trained and that if anything this represents a service improvement.
As far as crossing the road is concerned, the Lycee area is not and will not be the most dangerous area that students will have to tackle. What should be of greater concern is the current practice where parents park outside, blocking the flow of traffic, making an already congested area even more dangerous ... and potentially more polluted.
It is also hard to see how security will be compromised. I suspect there is no evidence to suggest that letting people use bus stops outside private and public buildings has a direct impact on their security.
So all in all, this feels like a very big bunch of sour grapes.
- Matt, London, 15/06/2009 12:50
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