Residents ,businesses and users of Kilburn High Road have been promised public realm improvements since 2012. So far very little has come to fruition and we have decided that we would this time follow it through!
In July 2019 we attended a pre-consultation meeting promising a formal consultation on the plans by September 2019. We were told at this meeting that Kilburn High Road was a priority Town Centre for both Brent and Camden Councils.
September came and went and no update on the project was made available. We wrote a few times asking for updates but didn’t get very far.
In October 2019, Camden admitted that their plans for the MILAM (Maygrove, Loveridge, Ariel and Medley Roads) area were based on outdated traffic count data. Thus they carried more traffic counts in November 2019.
In December 2019 we were alerted to a consultation about “improvements” around Kilburn Station. The plans were flawed as highlighted here.
We met with a Brent Officer on 15th January2019 when it was quite clear that very little joined up thinking was taking place between Brent and Camden regarding these “improvements”.
We subsequently met on the 3rd February with the project managers for both Brent and Camden. We wrote a summary of the meeting and asked the Officers to amend/add as appropriate. We have decided to show you below the unedited result of this interaction. Please note paragraphs 1, 5,6 and 7. It is quite clear that the project is not given the required level of attention by both Councils! Pavements are in a disgraceful state and will not be redone as promised by July 2020 for the Street Party. The project is not costed and thus required funds have not yet been fully identified. We will of course continue to push for the project to finally happen and will not give up on trying to get the money that Kilburn deserves spent on Kilburn! If both Councils declare Kilburn as a priority Town Centre then they have to walk the walk and not just use empty slogans!
1. Camden are the lead on the Kilburn High Road improvement project working with Brent on the design.
2. The improvements around Kilburn station are a separate project with discreet funding, also feeding into the wider Kilburn Improvement project.
3. The team will look at incorporating the following into the plans:
a. significant widening of pedestrian crossing in front of the station (Shoot-up-Hill).
b. significant widening of the pedestrian crossing in front of the station (Christchurch Avenue)
It was agreed that a. and b. above this would provide pedestrian benefits and Camden will arrange for this to be modelled to ascertain any impact on the operation of the traffic signals and bus journey times.
c. addition of on street cycle parking (2 car spaces) on Christchurch Avenue where taxi ranks/resident parking is and addition of cycles repair station. Depending on the location, this may be covered by the bridge or with a canopy. This will increase the pavement width available for pedestrians near the station entrance. We noted a number of cycles fixed to guard railings and will provide a suitable quantity of cycle stands in the design.
d. Resolution of drainage issues on Christchurch Avenue by EV charging station. It was noticed that there was surface ponding by the kerbside. This may be due to a blockage and will arrange for this to be cleared.
e. Positioning of the bench by the station canopy, subject to approval by TfL as ideally this would be on their land.
f. full decluttering of signs/posts
g. feasibility of no right turn from shoot-up-hill to Exeter Road and no right turn from Exeter Road to Shoot-up-Hill, to be considered in the wider design
4. Look at the possibility of carrying pavement reconstruction between Christchurch Avenue and Brondesbury station on Kilburn High Road in advance of the full project start date.
5. Kilburn High Road Project consultation will take place end of February, beginning of March 2020 with an anticipated start date for the work of September 2020.
6. Detailed plans have not been established yet thus full costings are not yet available and full funding for the scheme has not been secured. The material palette, such as the choice of pavement surfacing, street furniture specifications etc. are to be agreed by Brent and Camden.
7. On the way back from the meeting to Kilburn Station I highlighted major pavement defects. “S” agreed to follow up on previously reported repairs with the highways maintenance team. “S” noted that some sections had been subject to quite frequent repairs and that the High Road would benefit from reconstruction of the pavement.
8. I also highlighted the significant drainage issues at pedestrian crossings (North of Willesden Lane) following the resurfacing of Kilburn High Road in December 2018, a utility cover in front of the Black Lion about to collapse, and potholes already appearing at the junction with Buckley Road. “S” agreed to pass on the details to the highways maintenance team.