Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

Conclusions
Bayswater Road and/or into the Hyde Park. By comparison, the scope for extending the
Horseshoe route is limited. Because of the enclosing effect of the route, the only viable
options for extension (without going through a network of side streets) appeared to be either
along Kensal Road/Elkstone Road or on section of Harrow Road. This means that, at best,
the capacity of the Horseshoe route could only be restored to a level similar to that of the
existing route.
2.80 As can be expected from a complex event such as the Notting Hill Carnival, the Carnival Public
Safety Project identified some benefits as well as pitfalls in all of the proposed alternative
routes, none of which were able to provide an ‘easy fix’ for enhanced crowd safety. On the
basis of all aspects of the assessment, and weighing up and comparing the pros and cons of
each, the Project listed proposed routes in order of preference from the perspective of crowd
safety thus:
(1) Chair
(2) Reverse Park
(3) West-East Ell (considered as the option for judging on Bishops Bridge Road); and
(4) East-West Ell (if the judging point is moved and the length is reconsidered).
2.81 The Merging Horseshoe and Horseshoe routes were not recommended for further planning
consideration by the Project. This was of particular concern to Carnival participants (for whom
the Merging Horseshoe had been the preferred route) and WCC (who had put forward the
Horseshoe route). Indeed, WCC made clear its intention to challenge any route, which
brought the Carnival into the central London area.
Determining the “Carnival Route of the Future” - The Interim Route
2.82 Taking into consideration the findings of the Carnival Public Safety Project, as well as the
logistical questions posed by the possible relocation of the changing areas of some
masquerade bands, the Reverse Park route was perceived by the Carnival Review Group as a
possible ''Carnival Route of the Future''. Members acknowledged the potential of the Reverse
Park to elevate the status of the Notting Hill Carnival by attracting new audiences and
providing enhanced viewing and performance areas. Operationally, the emergency services,
the Metropolitan Police Service and the transport agencies endorsed the route. The
masquerade bands acknowledged that whilst the Reverse Park was not their preferred option,
it did represent 80 per cent of the Merging Horseshoe route and was ‘fundamentally good’.
According to the risk assessment produced under the Carnival Public Safety Project, the
Reverse Park was one of the better options from a crowd safety standpoint.
2.83 Based on the risk assessment undertaken by the Carnival Public Safety Project, the Horseshoe
route, which had been proposed by WCC and supported by RBKC, was one of the least
desirable route options from a crowd safety perspective and contained the same risk elements
as the current route. It offered a considerably reduced Carnival area, thus significantly
exacerbating the dangers of crowd and route congestion. The local authorities argued that
whilst it was important to identify a new route, this was not in itself enough to ensure a safe
event. The problems of crowd safety at the Carnival arose from the fact that the streets of
Notting Hill were not designed for such an event. In the run up to the Carnival in 2002, WCC
and RBKC put forward a further option – the introduction of an ‘interim’ route for 2002. The
route proposed was the horseshoe route with a number of significant changes: the direction
107