Former Chipping Barnet MP campaigned against plans for bus lanes on the A1000 in Whetstone and Cat Hill but new MP claims his work with council led to the decision reports David Floyd

Theresa Villiers MP launching her petition in High Barnet — Theresa Villiers launching her petition in High Barnet last year

The former MP for Chipping Barnet has welcomed Barnet Council’s decision not to go ahead with bus lanes on the A1000 in Whetstone and Cat Hill in East Barnet, while her replacement claims his intervention caused the council to listen to residents’ concerns.

Before her defeat to Labour’s Dan Tomlinson at July’s general election, Theresa Villiers set up a petition against the plans, which attracted over 4000 signatures.

Barnet Council and TfL subsequently decided not to go ahead with the proposals, while launching consultations for three other bus lanes in the borough however there are differing views on why the decision was taken.

Celebrating the news that the proposals would not be taken forward, Villiers referenced her campaign saying: “I fought strongly against these damaging and disruptive proposals from Barnet Council and TfL.”

“They would have caused huge amounts of unnecessary congestion. High street shops and businesses would have been badly hit and many many thousands of journeys would have been disrupted. So many people told me how strongly opposed they were to these bus lanes, including local traders.”

“During my 19 years as MP, I don’t remember anyone getting in touch with me to ask for new bus lanes in either of these locations. They were just another example of Labour’s ideological anti-car approach. At last, residents in Barnet have been heard on this and I am pleased to have ensured they could get their views across, loud and clear.”

However, in a statement on social media, Tomlinson – who won a majority of 2,914 over Villiers in July’s election – said that it was his work with local councillors that persuaded the council to drop the plans. He said: “There will be no bus lanes introduced on Cat Hill or Whetstone High Road. As your local MP and local councillors we discussed the prospect of this bus lane with the council, and advised that it would do more harm than good in our community. The council has listened, and will not be proceeding with bus lane proposals locally.”

He added: “We support people travelling by bus, and want to help make it easier. But, we had concerns about the impact on traffic – and the risk of increased congestion and pollution overall if a bus lane was implemented here. We heard these concerns from residents too, so when the council was forming its transport proposals we spoke up for local residents.”

Explaining the decision not to go ahead with the bus lanes, Barnet Council’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, Cllr Alan Schneiderman told Barnet Post: “We are grateful to all the residents who are helping to shape our transport plans for Chipping Barnet and across the borough. I want to thank in particular our councillors, who reach out to residents and do not wait for residents to contact them.

“We want to make bus travel easier and quicker but in a way that works for the whole community. We know that in any given week many Barnet residents will drive, take buses or tubes, cycle and walk at different times and need a transport system that’s efficient in all of its aspects.

“Residents don’t want politicians who talk about being ‘anti-car’ or ‘pro-car’ or being ‘ideological’. They want a council that shapes a transport system in all of its forms that puts residents first. You can help by responding to our transport consultations here.”

UPDATE: This story was updated at 22.30 on 10th September to include the position of Dan Tomlinson and local Labour councillors – and clarify that Barnet Council had been approached for comment.

UPDATE: This story was updated at 17.05 on 13th September to add a new comment from Barnet Council

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