Forum Topic

More Councillor Conflicts of Interest Exposed - Cycleway 9

So the paper work relating to the approval of Cycleway 9 back in August identifies that Cllr Lambert, Dunne and Khan approved Cycleway 9. From watching the Chiswick W4 and forum news feed, as well as social media, weren’t these the same 3 councillors that were identified for their membership and/or closeness to London Cycling Campaign - Hounslow Cycling on another scheme in Chiswick and signing that off too.  This is getting to be ridiculous if so, you cannot have members of this group signing off their own pet projects.  Particularly where they then say there is no conflict of interest.  Where is the objectivity. Where is the governance.  These are clear breaches of procedures and conflicts of interest.How many more pro-cycle schemes will have been signed off by these 3, disregarding their duty of care and the rights of all residents.  Who signed off the cycle scheme on Twickenham Rd by West Mid, absolutely madness from being there today - is it the same 3?  Who signed off the the Road closures and who signed off the LTNs across the Borough.  Is it the same 3 without declaring their conflict of interest?

Chris Size ● 2172d23 Comments

Thank's for the info Chris.As I asked previously, if it can be demonstrated that the rushed through 'design' was in part responsible for a fatality then who would be in the firing line for corporate manslaughter claim.Chris, the three you mention perhaps?

Adrian Irving ● 2172d

Agreed Chris, the fenced off lanes leading up to West Mid, is the most stupid, potentially life threatening idea. Unable to pull over to create space to let an emergency vehicle to/from an A&E hospital. Just let that sink in.

Nick Jenkins ● 2172d

LAS have already stated that they hadn't been consulted and had they been they definitely would not have agreed to these dangerous schemes.Cllrs Lambert, Khan and Dunne should not have been permitted to sign off as there's a clear Conflict of Interest. Simply outrageous!

Loraine Pemberton ● 2172d

I have to say again I think this is absolute nonsense. It is perfectly reasonable for a councillor to be a member of a non-commercial campaign group and transparently promote policies along with its aims. Nobody was saying that when we had a Conservative councillor who was a member of the Bruges Group that he had a vested interest in Brexit and therefore was conflict. The whole idea is just daft.That is not to say that the temporary cycle lane isn't looking like an utter disaster and one that will ultimately fritter away funds that could have gone to better designed schemes.I very much doubt however corporate manslaughter charges could be brought against councillors or officers. They will have taken legal advice and will be able to say that they acted in good faith that the design was compliant with the law. A comparison has been made with Hammersmith Bridge which probably remains closed because although the chance of collapse is small, the person making the decision to reopen would be in the legal firing line should there be a disaster. If Hammersmith Bridge falls down, the reason for the death of anyone on it will be clear. If a cyclist or a pedestrian is killed on Chiswick High Road while the temporary lane is operating or someone dies because of an emergency service vehicle delay any blame laid at the door of the cycle lane will be disputed.I'm increasingly convinced this is an officer led project which was designed to fail so that the same people who are building it know they will get work dismantling it.

Paul Corcoran ● 2172d

Yep, you're probably right Paul, nobody is to blame if someone is killed in a RTA or pegs out in an ambulance even if poor design can be shown to be in part responsible.Thank God for Lawyers eh!

Adrian Irving ● 2172d

So hard to pin manslaughter charges these days. I remember when my brother was an expert witness for the council architect in Barrow Borough Council when a outbreak of legionnaires killed 5  and effected 172 others. I think the manslughter charges if i remember failed in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash. Those charges tend to bypass those rsponsible and the person at the top kops the charge and most fail i believe

Julian Pavey ● 2172d

Given what has been revealed so far it's hard to think that nobody will be charged over Grenfell. Absolutely shocking.

Bruce Hammal ● 2172d

I don't think we know that nobody will be charged over Grenfell

James Tickell ● 2172d

More recommendations no doubt

Julian Pavey ● 2172d

That's not what I said!

Bruce Hammal ● 2172d

So let's get this right Cllr Lambert and Cllr Dunne, approved Cycleway 9 too.Both are confirmed members of the London Cycling Campaign and along with Cllr Khan who is a favourite twitter friend of Hounslow Cycling it seems very peculiar that they would be allowed to sign this off.  No objectivity and potentially a massive local government procedural issue.  So that is now two schemes.  How many more?  Twickenham Rd, Fishers Lane etc?The conflict of interest is becoming increasingly clearer by the day.

David Riley ● 2171d

I am amazed that people are not outraged by this. There is no comparison to say an MP being pro-Brexit, that is a matter of the party manifesto and everyone know where they stand. I am v uncomfortable of the new trends towards parties within parties, whether the ERG or momentum.The key decision makers surely have a statutory duty to consider the interests of all stakeholders, even more so when scarce resources (funding and road space) are being allocated. For members of a small and focused lobby group, which makes no secret of its sole focus, to also be the decision makers is an impossible conflict. How can there be any pretence of a fair and balanced consultation. We know they refuse to engage with local businesses. Their own campaing group will of course feed into this consultation. I was confused at the outset as to how a small group were so close to the decision makers and had such an influence on policy. I also wondered why the same lobbyists seemed so keen to defend every measure. Now its clear they are all one and the same. This is not democracy or accountability in any sense. We also seem to be being badly failed by our own local councillors.

Paul Green ● 2171d

People are rightly outraged about what is happening at the centre of Chiswick at the moment. However, I fail to see why I should be additionally angry about the fact that the people promoting these policies have been more than open about their views. They won the last election on a platform of promoting sustainable transport and that is what they are doing. They can certainly be accused of incompetence but dishonesty or being unduly influenced by an external organisation? Absolutely not.If anything it is perhaps more sinister that Andrew Gilligan, who we should always remind ourselves is the chief architect of these policies, does not appear to be a member of the London Cycling Campaign even though he has received awards from them and they clearly worship him. Are the people criticising Hounslow Councillors for being members saying it would be better if they were like Mr Gilligan?

Jeremy Parkinson ● 2171d

I heard dead people were voting for this.

John Hall ● 2171d

Jeremy its a fair point that our stock of outrage is limited. But you mention sustainable transports. Lets look at Oslo, a city mentioned on another thread. As well as improving cycle facilities, they improved public transport, more frequent and cheaper services. The mess in W4 and other areas sees buses sacrificed for cycles. That is not a truly sustainable solution, especially with an aging population. But the interests of a narrow lobby group.

Paul Green ● 2171d

PaulI'm outraged by this and as I posted earlier on this thread, it's a clear Conflict of Interest, not to mention unethical. When decisions are being made on contentious issues the decision makers must be impartial, certainly in this instance they were not.

Loraine Pemberton ● 2171d

What standards are required of public servants these days - anyone know??

Mandy Waters ● 2166d

Just take a look at the Prime Minister and answer for yourself.

Philippa Bond ● 2166d

There would be a different set of standards for civil servants and politicians. They would be stricter for civil servants but according to a friend who works at the Home Office being a member of an organisation like the London Cycling Campaign would be seen as irrelevant. That would apply even in the Department for Transport.

Mark Evans ● 2166d

I heard there's going to be a press conference in the car park of Wheelers where the truth will be exposed.

John Hall ● 2166d

It's a plus rather than a minus surely that they know which end of a bicycle is which.  You're clutching at straws.Are you suggesting a connection with Wheelers as well?

Philippa Bond ● 2166d

It just seems that for these tea-party types the parking lots of garden centres are where they like to unveil their conspiracy theories! 

John Hall ● 2166d

Didn't Wheelers close down John? Is there another purveyor of garden produce and furniture nearby?

Basil Finnis ● 2166d