New 20mph limits, electric charging points and higher parking charges are all included in the plans, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Hendon Town Hall with (inset left) Labour cabinet member Alan Schneiderman and (inset right) Tory councillor Dean Cohen

Opposition councillors have criticised the Labour administration’s new transport strategy, accusing the group of “restricting choice” and being “anti-car”.

At a council meeting on Tuesday (28th) the cabinet member for environment, Alan Schneiderman, presented a motion on the council’s new transport strategy, which has recently undergone two rounds of consultation.

Cllr Schneiderman said: “We’re working on a new transport strategy that’s about improving choice, improving public health, air quality and helping to tackle climate change.

“We want to increase the number of trips by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport and encourage people to use their car less where possible particularly for shorter journeys.”

The cabinet member highlighted a new policy on 20mph speed limits the council was working on, for areas where residents were asking for traffic to be “slowed down”.

He said a “record” £97million is being invested into improving the borough’s roads and pavements, and £1.4m to improving road safety.

There will be an installation of “hundreds” more electric vehicle (EV) charge points and bike hangers.

Work is also being carried out to upgrade the A1000 cycle lane, which opened in 2020, and the ‘Barnet Loop’, a proposed 17-mile walking, cycling, and running network.

Cllr Schneiderman promised to “continue to campaign” for the development of the West London Orbital Railway, which will link up stations in Barnet with Brent, Ealing and Hounslow boroughs.

However, in response, Conservative councillor Dean Cohen claimed the Labour group were “infatuated with mayor [Sir Sadiq] Khan”, who Labour had promised to continue to work with and had thanked.

Accusing Labour of forgetting to “represent the residents of Barnet” Cllr Cohen said: “Cllr Schneiderman and his fellow Labour colleagues so much want to follow the ways of mayor Khan, just look at what they just resolved on, massively increasing parking charges across the borough.

“This motion talks about choice, the only thing this administration is doing is restricting choice. They want to penalise anyone who has a car in this borough.”

The opposition councillor said income from on-street and residential parking was “surpassing” targets but the administration was still increasing charges.

This month, among changes, the council has set a standard minimum price for parking at £3.50 for one hour and almost doubled the cost of resident visitor vouchers.

Cllr Schneiderman said: “The Tories may be obsessed with making this into an ideological battle, where if you’re trying to improve bus services or make cycling safer you’re anti-car or anti-motorist.

“We’re pro-resident and pro giving residents the choice to have more sustainable transport options.”

Following discussion, councillors voted to pass the motion.

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