Agenda and minutes

Residents, Education and Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee - Tuesday, 21st November, 2017 5.30 pm

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge UB8 1UW. View directions

Contact: Khalid Ahmed 

Note: 01895 250833 

Items
No. Item

30.

To confirm that all items marked Part 1 will be considered in Public and that any items marked Part 2 will be considered in Private

Minutes:

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda would be considered in public.

31.

To agree the Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Minutes:

Agreed as an accurate record.

32.

RESIDENTS' & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES POLICY OVERVIEW COMMITTEE - MAJOR REVIEW 2017/18 - REVISION OF THE AIR QUALITY ACTION PLAN FOR THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council's Environmental Specialist updated Members on some of the actions from the last meeting of the Committee.

 

In relation to concerns expressed regarding the poor air quality caused by wood burning in the Borough, it was reported that DEFRA advice on this would be posted on the Council's website.

 

Regarding Heathrow Airport, Members were informed that discussion would take place to ascertain what measures were being used to mitigate against poor air quality.

 

For this witness session, Members were provided with information from the Council's Transport & Projects Senior Manager and Anti-Social Behaviour and Environment Team Manager.

 

School Travel Plans and Road Safety Education, Training and Publicity' team

 

The Committee was provided with details of the work carried out by the Team in relation to School Travel Plans and on Road Safety Education, Training and Publicity. This area was particularly pertinent to the review because of the air quality issues caused by traffic during school "drop off" and "pick up" times, as previously mentioned. 

 

The work of the team, centred around providing cycle training to children and adults, pedestrian training to young children and the "moving on" initiative to pupils (for those moving on from Year Six into their secondary schools).

 

As a form of engaging with young people, there were 140 Junior Road Safety Officers, 47 Mini Road Safety Officers and 50 Youth Travel Ambassadors.

 

The Committee discussed the possibility of addressing the issue of air quality close to schools with schools directly and engaging with school children representatives in an attempt to raise awareness and educate on changing travel habits.

 

Discussion took place on School Travel Plans and it was agreed that further work was required on some of these. However, it was noted that enforcement of some of the detail contained in Travel Plans was the issue, particularly around the travel behaviour of parents driving children to school.    

 

Motorcycle and Pedal Cycle Road Safety

 

As previously reported, the promotion of safer cycling would be a measure to reduce vehicular movements and reduce the poor air quality caused by motor vehicles. The Committee was informed that working alongside the Road Safety Team, officers worked with a company called '2WheelsLondon', who went into workplaces to promote safety for those riding powered two wheels and those riding pedal cycles.

 

Reference was made to the possibility of using footpaths for cycling and Members were informed that footpaths had to be of a sufficient width to make this viable. In addition there needed to be work carried out in terms of potential conflicts of pedestrians and cyclists on particular footpaths.  Reference was also made to the possible use of canal towpaths for cycling.

 

Vehicle Emissions

 

Discussion took place around vehicle emissions and the Committee was informed that an officer would be invited to the next meeting to talk about the Council's Fleet Management and the use of electric vehicles.

 

In relation to Public Transport, Members were informed that the Council was working with Transport for London (TfL) and London Buses  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 50 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Noted.

34.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Minutes:

Noted.