THE WAPPING BUS GATE -Key Points

- The bus gate was introduced in response to a campaign from Wapping residents whose lives were blighted by rat-running and the heavy congestion, pollution, danger to pedestrians and noise it caused.

- The bus gate long pre-dated the Liveable Streets project and should not be seen as part of that scheme

- The bus gate has been enormously successful and overwhelmingly supported by the people of Wapping, particularly since local residents have been able to obtain exemptions. 

- The vast majority of the vehicles passing through Wapping prior to the gate being introduced used the area solely as a rat-run to avoid just 0.7 miles of The Highway. In comparison, the rat-run from The Highway at Glamis Road, along Wapping Wall, Wapping High Street, Vaughan Way and back to The Highway is almost twice as long at 1.3 miles. 

- A council review published in August 2020 found that following the introduction of the bus gate journey times on The Highway were less than two minutes longer going west and actually reduced going east.

- After the bus gate was introduced, pollution levels in Wapping dropped significantly. The review found levels of PM2.5 particulates, the sort of pollution that is most dangerous to our children because it goes deep into their lungs, fell by up 90 percent

- The narrow, cobbled streets of Wapping suddenly became much safer for our children walking to school and for other pedestrians and cyclists. The D3 and 100 buses became more reliable and were no longer delayed by heavy congestion

- The effect of the bus gate was to keep traffic on The Highway where it should be as a road designed for the purpose. If traffic on The Highway is slow-moving it is the responsibility of TfL to deal with it, not the Mayor of Tower Hamlets. The Highway is not a road that Tower Hamlets has any jurisdiction over

- The bus gate had no impact whatsoever on the ability of emergency services to access any part of Wapping. Taxis, including those for people using taxi cards, could continue to access all parts of the district on either side of the bus gate through the five access roads into the area

- Removing the bus gate would reverse a measure that has hugely improved public health, quality of life and safety in Wapping. It would be impossible to square with Mayor Rahman's manifesto commitment to green the borough and reduce pollution.