London Ratepayers Petition Against Exten sions of Electric Tramcars.
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Forerunner of Other Like Documents.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Royal Borough of Kensington
PeiWon of Ratepayers in the Royal Borough of Kensington in opposition to the application intended to be made by the London County Council in Parliament for powers for the construction of a tramway throL:gh a part of the Borough of Kensington, namely, Fulham Road (at the junction of Elm Park Gardens) to Brompton Road via Futbarn Road.
We, the undersigned ratepayers, view with serious alarm the scheme of which the London County Council have given public notice for the introduction of tramways into the South Kensington district.
1. We consider that the laying of tramways along the Fulham Road and the formation of a terminus at the " Bell and Horns" public-house would be most objectionable and would be seriously detrimental to the property along the line of route and in the neighbourhood. 2. Wo arc satisfied the carrying out of any such proposal would have the effect of causing the exodus of the better-class residents from the district, with the result that the well-known shopping centre of the Brompton Road would be most seriously affected. 3. We would further urge that the present scheme of the London County Council would not be final, and in this connection we would refer you to the report of the Highways Committee of the London County Council dated the 7th July 1910 in which it is stated that the object in view is to bring the tramway from the S.W. district to a point near Knightsbridge where it would serve and he served by the District and Great Northern Piccadilly and Brompton Railway and to provide means of access for residents in South London to Hyde Park and the neighbouring area. It is therefore obvious that it is the intention of the London County Council at some near future date to extend the proposed tramway along the Brompton Road to the junction of this road with Knightsbridge and Sloane Street if powers to construct the tramway now determined upon are acquired, as, unless this extension were made, the objects the L.C.C. have in view would not be attained. 4. The traffic along the Brompton Road is already greatly congested and considerable difficulty and delay are already experienced by vehicles in passing along it and in setting down and taking up persons visiting the various shops and other premises and the running of tramways along the Brampton Road would even if the carriageway were widened greatly aggravate the present congestion and cause the road to be still more inconvenient and dangerous for other vehicular traffic. 5. As a consequence of such a tramway the Brompton Road would greatly suffer in its present position as one of the most important and high-class shopping thoroughfares in the Metropolis and this would be not only a great inconvenience to the inhabitants of South Kensington and the surrounding district but would cause immense loss to the owners of the shops and other premises in the Brompton Road.
0. Any injury to the Brampton Road as a shopping area would mean a considerable loss of employment to the thousands of assistants who are now employed there, and would also injuriously affect and depreciate the value of property including that which has been recently erected in the Brampton Road at an enormous outlay to meet the high-class business now enjoyed but which would undoubtedly be most injuriously affected if the tramways were constructed.
We therefore pray the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the said Royal Borough to oppose the construction of the said tramways. (Here follow the names of signatories to the petition, all of whom are ratepayers in the Royal borough.)