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Cabinet NOTED the comments made by Connor
Woodman (as a representative of the Liddell Gardens Residents
Association and residents living along Liddell Gardens, Doyle
Gardens & College Road) in support of a petition containing
over 50 signatures relating to concerns and the negative impact
arising from changes in operation of the 28 and 187 bus routes
along the streets identified and requesting that the Council
intervene on behalf of residents to lobby TfL and Metroline to
consider alternative solutions and rerouting of the services.
 
In introducing the petition, Connor Woodman
highlighted the impact the changes in the 28 and 187 bus routes
were having on residents along Liddell Gardens, Doyle Gardens &
College Road in terms of their quality of life and property
condition which, he advised, had been raised on numerous occasions
via email with representative of the Council, TfL and
Metroline.  Despite highlighting these
issues, members were advised no action had been taken to date to
alleviate the concerns outlined.
 
In order to support the concerns being raised,
Mr Woodman advised that residents had commissioned (at their own
cost) independent surveys that demonstrated the impact the change
in bus routes were having locally.  The
first survey, from an independent specialist (KP Acoustics) had
assessed the potential impact of vibrations in terms of disruption
to residents and physical damage to their properties.  This had found evidence of property damage linked
to use of the roads by buses, supported by video footage taken over
two 24 hour periods.  Referring to the
outcome of the survey, members were advised that over a 24-hour
period in April 2025 40 examples had been recorded of the
vibrations caused by passing buses exceeding British
Standard  BS22581 (described as being at
a level at which “disruption would likely cause
complaint”).  As a further
concern, it was reported that on five occasions over the same
period the vibrations from passing buses on Liddell Gardens had
been recorded as exceeding the level at which they could be
expected to cause structural damage in unreinforced buildings,
which he highlighted would include all properties along the streets
identified.
 
In referring to the second survey, Mr Woodman
advised this had been commissioned to assess the perceived impact
on local residents arising from the use of the roads by buses as an
access route.  Based on the responses
received to date, the findings had identified 64% of parents
reporting that their children were being woken each night by the
buses, which he highlighted would also have an effect on the each
families health and wellbeing, as well as 96% of households with
vulnerable residents having experienced property damage or
disruption to their lives which they felt ‘powerless’
to prevent.  As specific examples,
individual testimonies were provided from a 70-year-old resident,
highlighting how the buses kept her awake each night as well as
from the parent of a newborn baby outlining damage to their
property (in the form of cracks appearing in their walls) since the
services had been rerouted and the newly introduced and much
heavier electric bus fleet had been introduced on the 128
route.  This had been supported by other
residents advising of damage to woodwork, paintwork and plaster in
their properties.
 
In seeking a way forward, Mr Woodman
identified the need for immediate action to address the disruption
and nuisance being caused.  Residents
felt this needed to include an immediate halt to all bus activity
on Liddell & Doyle Gardens pending a full assessment of the
damage already caused and a permanent solution being
found.  In terms of potential solutions
residents had proposed the removal of speed humps on the road,
which it was felt were amplifying the vibrations, and their
replacement with an alternative form of traffic calming and speed
reduction measures.  They were also
calling for bus operations to be permanently limited during the
early morning and late night schedule in order to prevent empty
buses using Liddell & Doyle Gardens as access to Willesden Bus
Garage rather than the main roads. 
Highlighting that neither Liddell Gardens or Doyle Gardens had been
constructed to include a reinforced concrete sublayer, as had been
the case with main roads in the area (such as Harrow Road and
Chamberlayne Road) residents felt that their roads either needed to
be reinforced to a similar standard or the buses rerouted
permanently to roads that were of suitable construction.
 
In closing his presentation, Connor Woodman
advised Cabinet that whilst residents were not opposed to public
transport and supported the drive for greener transport solutions
they were concerned to ensure a fair balance was achieved with
introduction of the newer and heavier electric buses matched by the
necessary infrastructure and neither Liddell or Doyle Gardens
identified as suitable for the type of journeys or buses using them
for access.  As a result, he ended by
advising that the petitioners were calling upon the Council to
review the evidence provided and work with them, TfL and the bus
operator in order to find a permanent, practical and sustainable
solution that would those residents affected some respite with the
request also made for a single point of contact to be identified
moving forward with authority to effect change given the strength
of local feeling in the area and need identified to find an
immediate and permanent solution.
 
In response, Councillor Krupa Sheth (as
Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement) thanked Connor
Woodman and the residents for attending Cabinet to ensure the views
of residents at Liddell Gardens and Doyle Gardens were
represented.  Confirmation was provided
that members had received the emails from residents outlining their
concerns and understood their frustrations over the issues and
ongoing problems being faced with an assurance provided of the
Council’s commitment to working with TfL and Metroline to
find a workable solution.  Councillor
Krupa Sheth felt it important to highlight that the Council had
previously lobbied TfL and Metroline seeking changes to the running
arrangements for route 28, including a request that they explore
alternative routes avoiding predominantly residential roads such as
Liddell Gardens and Doyle Gardens, which
unfortunately had not been successful due to various operational,
legislative and financial reasons identified by Metroline as the
bus operator.  Whilst recognising the
disappointment expressed by local residents at this outcome, an
assurance was provided that the Council remained committed to
exploring other alternative options to mitigate against the
concerns highlighted.  These included
seeking a commitment (backed up by relevant enforcement activity)
to ensure Metroline drivers adhered to the 20mph speed limit along
Liddel and Doyle Gardens and drove more considerately when
navigating the traffic calming measures.  As further assurance residents were advised
that Liddell Gardens had also been included for
consideration on the programme for resurfacing works, which it was
hoped would improve conditions and reduce some of the disruption
experienced. In response to the request for a dedicated liaison
officer, Councillor Krupa Sheth confirmed that would be also
actioned moving forward.
 
The Leader then invited Councillor Neil Nerva
to speak (as a local Queens Park ward councillor) who, having
visited the area, advised he fully supported the concerns being
raised by local residents.  Whilst
supportive of the move to an electric bus fleet, it was recognised
that the buses being introduced were much heavier with associated
consequences on roads in use along the routes, which he was keen to
ensure the operators were required to assess and review given the
impact on local residents and the surrounding infrastructure and
properties.  Similarly, he took the
opportunity to highlight his concern at the use of Liddell &
Doyle Gardens for the running of empty buses (particularly during
the early hours of the morning and late at night) in order to
access Willesden Bus Garage, which it was pointed out had arisen as
a result of contractual changes in the operation of the 28 route
involving the relocation of the terminal from Westbourne Park to
Willesden Bus Garage.  In highlighting
that TfL was only required to consult on changes to the operational
part of bus routes and not the “light running” element,
Councillor Nerva also took the opportunity to outline his strong
objections to the current process given, he pointed
out, that bus operations would have a continued impact beyond a
defined route and in this case had resulted in additional miles
adversely impacting on and offering no benefits to local
residents.  Given concerns relating to
the way TfL and Metroline had been able to implement the changes
without engagement or consultation with the Council and
local residents, he supported the efforts being made to lobby for a
change in approach relating to the way these type of changes were
introduced as well as action in seeking a specific solution to the
issues highlighted within the petition, working closely with
Councillor Krupesh Hirani (as the Brent & Harrow London
Assembly Member), local MP and TfL.
 
Responding in her capacity as local ward
councillor for Harlesden and Kensal Green, Councillor Mili Patel
also spoke to highlight her commitment to continue working with
Councillor Krupa Sheth (as lead member) and other ward councillors
to take the concerns raised by local residents forward in seeking
to find a solution with TfL and Metroline.
 
In summing up and ending  consideration of the petition, Councillor Muhammed
Butt (as Leader of the Council) also took the opportunity to thank
Connor Woodman and the other residents present for attending the
meeting in order to outline their concerns.  Recognising the impact in terms of the issues
highlighted on the health and wellbeing of local residents and
their families, a commitment was made to continue working for a
solution involving not only TfL and the bus operator Metroline but
also the London Assembly Member, which would include lobbying to
restrict the timing of buses using the roads for access at early or
late hours and review of traffic management
arrangements.  This, along with the
measures outlined by the Cabinet Member for Public Realm and
Enforcement would also be supported through a proposed site visit
to understand the issues and anxieties of residents more fully,
with the Leader once again assuring petitioners that their concerns
would be taken seriously in seeking a solution with all relevant
stakeholders.