Oct 6, 2016 - Kingshurst/Fordbridge. Knowle. Lyndon ... At Full Council on 12 July 2016, Councillor Potts submitted a pe
SOLIHULL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL
Report to:
Cabinet Member For Transport & Highways
Meeting date:
6 OCTOBER 2016
Subject/Report Title:
PETITION SUMMARY
Report from:
Head of Highway Services
Report Author/Lead Contact Officer:
Ashley Prior Tel:
0121 704 8558
Email:
[email protected]
All Wards
Wards affected:
Bickenhill
Blythe
Castle Bromwich
Chelmsley Wood
Dorridge/Hockley Heath
Elmdon
Kingshurst/Fordbridge
Knowle
Lyndon
Meriden
Olton
Shirley East
Shirley South
Shirley West
Silhill
Smith's Wood
St Alphege Public/Private report:
Public
Exempt by virtue of Paragraph:
N/A
1.
Purpose of Report
1.1
To inform Cabinet Member of the petitions received by Highway Services and advise on progress.
2.
Decision(s) Recommended
2.1
Cabinet Member is asked to note the current position and agree the proposed actions / recommendations in respect of the individual petitions as detailed in Appendix 1.
3.
Background
3.1
Highway Services has received six new petitions in the period since the last Cabinet Decision Session on 7 July 2016 and the creation of this report.
3.2
New Petition – Request to introduce measures to deal with speeding traffic on Streetsbrook Road Service Road. A 15 signatory petition has been received from residents requesting that measures be introduced to deal with alleged speeding traffic on the Streetsbrook Road Service Road that runs between Miall Park Road and St. Bernard’s Road.
3.3
Investigating officer’s response:Residents of the Streetsbrook Road Service Road have submitted a petition highlighting their concerns with vehicle speeds. The petitioners also state the route is being used by motorists to avoid queues which form at the roundabout junction of Streetsbrook Road and St. Bernard’s Road. Collision data is supplied to the Council from the police when the persons involved sustain an injury. Every two years, all road traffic collisions within the borough are reviewed to produce a priority list of sites for engineering improvements. The review analyses the number and severity of the collisions on a kilometre length of road to obtain a severity index and also uses average traffic flows to determine the “collision rate” to obtain the road’s ranking. The process ensures a consistent approach is taken across the borough and allows those roads with the worst records to be treated first. The site would be added to the local safety scheme list if a pattern to the collisions is identified. The treatment would be tailored to remedy the type of collision which occurring at a particular site. A wide variety of engineering measures which include improved signing or lining, speed aware programmes, as well as physical traffic calming measures, can be used to treat the site if vehicle speeds are found to be a contributory factor. Educational programmes can also be provided for motorists to highlight the dangers of driving at excessive speeds An investigation into the most recent three year (16/7/13 to 17/7/16) collision history of the Streetsbrook Road Service Road shows that there have been no incidents which resulted in personal injury. The Council has limited resources and by using the mechanisms described above it ensures that it targets them at the sites with a demonstrable personal injury collision record. Similar processes are used by most Council’s throughout the country.
Past experience has shown that residents who have requested the installation of traffic calming measures can request the removal or modification of the features on the road after they have been installed due to difficulties with noise and vibration. Consequently, such measures are usually introduced on roads with a demonstrable collision history. On-street parking is available on the Service Road and it has a restricted carriageway width of approximately 4.5 metres. These factors naturally deter excessive vehicle speeds and the Service Road does not currently feature on a works programme. However, the road will continue to be monitored as part of the Council’s bi-annual collision review to determine whether a scheme may be necessary in the future. It is recommended that the Cabinet Member approve that no improvements be undertaken on the Streetsbrook Road Service Road and the lead petitioner will be informed. 3.4
New Petition – Request for disabled parking spaces close to Knowle village hall At Full Council on 12 July 2016, Councillor Potts submitted a petition on behalf of local residents to request disabled parking spaces close to Knowle village hall.
3.5
Investigating officer’s response:The council’s car parks in Knowle were audited in September 2015 by Park Mark, an organisation set up by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the British Parking Association. This organisation ensures council car parks adhere to national guidance provided with regard to cleanliness, lighting, and include in their assessment the disabled parking (Blue Badge Holder) provision. Park Mark have inspected the council car parks in Knowle and on the specific point of disabled parking provision, have confirmed that it exceeds the required national guidance. Based on this assessment a previous request for additional disabled parking spaces by the Village Hall was not taken forward. More recently, the removal of the local recycling facilities from the Knowle car parks provided an opportunity to review this request again. As a result, an additional Disabled Parking Bay will be provided close to the rear access to the Village Hall, as detailed in Appendix 2 Appendix 3. Ward Members are supportive and it is recommended that this minor change can now be accommodated.
3.6
New Petition – Request the removal of the single yellow line on Wilsons Road At Full Council on 12 July 2016, Councillor Potts submitted a petition on behalf of local residents to request the removal of the single yellow line on Wilsons Road to enable residents to park outside their homes.
3.7
Investigating officer’s response:All requests for new Traffic Regulation Orders in Solihull are considered against an agreed prioritisation system. An initial assessment of the parking conditions in Wilsons Road suggests that the parking is of an inconsiderate nature and not hazardous, therefore, no action is required at this stage. To help manage demand for this particular service it is recommended that this location should be added to the TRO “Request List”. This will enable the site to be reviewed against the agreed prioritisation process and the outcome of this annual review is programmed to be reported to the Transport & Highways Cabinet decisionmaking session in February 2017.
3.8
New Petition – Request that Clyde Road (west of Dorridge Road), Gladstone Road and Walcot Road become a restrictive parking zone At Full Council on 12 July 2016, Councillor Meeson submitted a petition on behalf of local residents to request that Clyde Road (west of Dorridge Road), Gladstone Road and Walcot Road become a restrictive parking zone.
3.9
Investigating officer’s response:-
3.10
This request for additional parking restrictions is associated to the work carried out in the Dorridge Area to help control all-day on-street parking from the nearby Railway Station. An initial assessment of the parking conditions in this area suggests that the parking is of an inconsiderate nature and not hazardous, therefore, no action is required at this stage.
3.11
To help manage demand for this particular service it is recommended that this location should be added to the TRO “Request List”. This will enable the site to be reviewed against the agreed prioritisation process and the outcome of this annual review is programmed to be reported to the Transport & Highways Cabinet decisionmaking session in February 2017.
3.12
New Petition – Request for restrictive parking in Neville Road At Full Council on 12 July 2016, Councillor A Hodgson submitted a petition on behalf of residents of Neville Road to request restrictive parking in Neville Road.
3.13
Investigating officer’s response:-
3.14
This request for parking restrictions is associated to all-day on-street parking from the nearby Railway Station. An initial assessment of the parking conditions in this area suggests that the parking is of an inconsiderate nature and not hazardous, therefore, no action is required at this stage.
3.15
To help manage demand for this particular service it is recommended that this location should be added to the TRO “Request List”. This will enable the site to be reviewed against the agreed prioritisation process and the outcome of this annual review is programmed to be reported to the Transport & Highways Cabinet decisionmaking session in February 2017.
3.16
New Petition – Request for improved pedestrian crossing facilities on Fillongley Road A petition was submitted by Meriden Parish Council, on behalf of local residents, to request improved crossing facilities on Fillongley Road, near its roundabout junction with Main Road.
3.17
Investigating officer’s response:The service has considered requests both in 2011 and 2013 for a pedestrian crossing facility to be provided on Fillongley Road, near its roundabout junction with Main Road, from Meriden Parish Council. Meriden Parish Council considered the number of pedestrians crossing Fillongley Road would increase following the completion of a nearby housing development on Maxstoke Lane. This led to a Stage 2 “Full Assessment” of the traffic and pedestrian flows being carried out in the summer of 2013. The 2013 assessment found that although the number of pedestrians crossing had increased, they were still fairly low in number and there were appropriate gaps in traffic flow to enable people to cross Fillongley Road. Following receipt of this petition, a Stage 1 assessment has reviewed the situation on Fillongley Road. This showed no significant change in the pedestrian and traffic flows and there have been no pedestrians involved in collisions during the most recent 3 year period we have data for (16/7/13 to 17/7/16).
It is recommended that the traffic conditions observed in Fillongley Road do not justify the provision of a formal pedestrian crossing on Fillongley Road, near Main Road. It is further recommended that to help manage service demand the situation on Fillongley Road should not be reviewed again for at least 3 years, unless there is a material change in traffic conditions in the area. 4.
Evaluation of Alternative Option(s)
4.1
None.
5.
Reasons for Recommending Preferred Option
5.1
None.
6.
Scrutiny
6.1
None.
7.
Implications
7.1
Delivery of the Council’s Priorities The options/proposals in this report will contribute to the delivery of the following Council Priority(ies):
7.2
Build Stronger Communities (N/A)
Policy/Strategy Implications None.
7.3
Meeting the duty to involve None.
7.4
Financial Implications The cost of dealing with a petition is met from within existing Highway Services staff revenue budgets.
7.5
Legal implications None as a consequence of this report. Specific legal implications will be considered while investigating each petition.
7.6
Risk Implications The Corporate Risk Management Approach has been complied with to identify and assess the significant risk associated with this decision/project. This includes (but is not limited to), political, legislation and reputation risks. The Approach is not intended to eliminate all risks and not all the risks identified can be managed all of the time. Also, risks will still exist that have not been identified. However, based on the information provided, it is the officers’ opinion that the significant risks have been identified.
7.7
Statutory Equality Duty None as a consequence of this report. Specific Fair Treatment Assessment will be considered while investigating each petition.
7.8
Carbon Management/Environmental None.
7.9
Partner Organisations None.
7.10
Safeguarding/Corporate Parenting Implications None.
7.11
Customer Impact None.
7.12
Other implications None.
8.
List of Appendices Referred to
8.1
Petition Update October 2016 – Appendix 1.
8.2
Plan Proposed New Parking Spaces St Johns Close car park – Appendix 2
8.3
Photographs Proposed New Parking Spaces St Johns Close car park – Appendix 3
9.
Background Papers Used to Compile this Report
9.1
None.
10.
List of Other Relevant Documents
10.1
None.
