Agenda and minutes

Please note that individual petitions may overrun their time slots.  Although individual petitions may start later than advertised, they will not start any earlier than the advertised time.

The concerns, comments and suggestions raised at the meeting by the petitioners included the following:

• Coronation Road had previously been a quiet road.
• The road was used as a rat run and racing track by some drivers
• A number of residents had lost pets due to accidents involving speeding cars.
• Cranford School was close by and there were concerns about the safety of children and the elderly.
• Speeding traffic includes buses and commercial vehicles.
• Coronation Road was predominately down hill when cars travelling in a south easterly direction, which added to the increased speed of vehicles.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised:

• Police personal injury accident date over the past three years showed only one personal injury accident.
• The Local Authority no longer installed road humps.
• Hillingdon Council was one of the few Council’s that had a Road Safety Budget.
• Informed the petitioners that there may be other options that could be considered to help reduce the speed of traffic in Coronation Road.
• As part of recommendation 2 officers would look at the School Travel Plan to see whether the 20mph limit could be expanded to cover a wider area.
• Advised the petitioners that as well as agreeing the 4 recommendations in the report a 5^th recommendation would be added for a 24/7 speed stress survey to be undertaken.
• Once the speed stress survey had been undertaken officers would discuss the data with Councillor Burrows and the local Ward Councillors.

Resolved -

1.         The Cabinet Member met the petitioners and discussed further their concerns over speeding traffic in Coronation Road and their request for speed humps.

2.         Asked officers to place Coronation Road on the Council’s Road Safety Programme for subsequent investigation and the development of possible options. 

3.         Instructed officers to liaise with the Police and the Local Safer Neighbourhood team to investigate and if appropriate undertake some local enforcement. 

4.                  Instructed officers to investigate the feasibility of adding

Coronation Road to future Phases of the Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) Programme.

5.         Instructed officers to arrange a 24 hour / 7 day speed survey on Coronation Road at a location agreed with the petitioners at the meeting and to report back to the Cabinet Member. 

Councillors Beulah East and Neil Fyfe attended the meeting and advised the Cabinet Member that initially they had been in favour of the extension of the double yellow lines.  Following further consideration they had changed their views and were now in support of the petitioners against the extension of the double yellow lines at the junction of Park Lane and Westacott Way.

Concerns and suggestions raised by petitioners included the following

·        The petition was submitted objecting to the extension of the yellow lines as no consultation had taken place with residents in Park Lane.

·        Officers had been advised that the notice put up in Park Lane, regarding the extension to the waiting restrictions, had disappeared within 2 hours of it being put up.

·        There were other concerns that needed consideration in regard to the volume and speed of traffic in Park Lane.

·        Park Lane was used to access shops, schools and business and a short cut to Yeading, Northolt and Balmoral Drive.

·        The road was heavily parked with cars and school buses.

·        If the trees in the road caused safety issues they should be cut down.

·        The extension of the yellow lines would not improve the site lines for cars exiting Westacott Way.

·        If traffic emerged slowly from Westacott Way there was no reason why vehicles could not exit safely into Park Lane.

·        Parking in Park Lane was already limited and would be further reduced if the yellow lines were extended.

·        Yellow lines at the opposite end of Westacott Way had resulted in an increase accidents.  Stats showed that there had been no accidents at the Park Lane/Westacott Way junction.

·        If yellow lines were extended overspill parking would occur in Westacott Way.

·        Consideration of the wider issues in the area should be taken into account.

·        The results of a recent survey into the volume of traffic would be published shortly and should be taken into consideration.

·        Traffic Calming measures and speed restrictions would be a better solution.

·        As part of the traffic calming measures a 20 – 25 mph speed limit in the area should be considered.

·        Speed Cameras should be installed to deter speeding in Park Lane.

·        If the trees in Park Lane were causing site line problems they should be removed.

The Ward Councillor made the following points:-

·        Thanked the petitioners for the comments that they had made.

·        The site lines would not be improved by the extension of the yellow lines.

·        The extension of the yellow lines would result in the loss of 2 kerbside parking spaces and restrict parking outside nos. 17 & 19 Park Lane.

·        The traffic survey carried out in 2010 at the top and bottom of Park Lane provided information on the volume and speed of traffic.

·        The extension of the yellow lines should be put on hold to allow further discussions on the volume and speed of traffic in the area.

·        Park Lane was used as a rat run and for parents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Councillor Peter Curling attended the meeting as a Ward Councillor in support of the petition.

Concerns and suggestions raised by petitioners included the following

• The petitioner had personally witnessed 4 accidents at the junction of St Mary’s Road and Hemmen Lane, although the Police did not attend any of them.
• The petitioner had witnessed many near misses in the area.
• There were always cars parked in St Mary’s Road between Kirsten Close and Hemmen Lane.
• The bend at the junction with St Mary’s Walk was sufficiently sharp to require vehicles to take the bend on the wrong side of St Mary’s Road when accessed from Church Road.
• There had been accidents in the area where two cars had been written off.
• Congratulated officers for the improvements that had already been made in Hemmen Lane, which had made it safer to use.

The Ward Councillor made the following points:-

• Supported the petitioners, as there had been a number of minor accident in this area. 
• These accidents had not been serious enough to report, which did not give the full picture of the traffic chaos in the area.
• St Mary’s Road was used as a cut through so a one way system would alleviate this problem.
• Realised that a one way system may increase traffic speeds in St Mary’s Road.
• If a one way system was in place in St Mary’s Road it would decrease the amount of traffic using the road.
• The petition had been signed by all those who visited the area including the Sheltered Housing Scheme, teachers and parents from the Dr Triplett’s school.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised:

• A one way system could result in an ncrease the speed of traffic in St Mary’s Road.
• Whatever options were taken forward for St Mary’s Road consultation with those affected would be required.
• Recommendation 2 would look at other options that could be considered that may be supported by those in the wider area. 
• Advised the petitioners that as well as agreeing the 2 recommendations in the report a 3^rd  recommendation would be added for a 24/7 speed stress survey to be undertaken in St Mary’s Road..
• Once the speed stress survey had been undertaken officers would discuss the data with the Cabinet Member  and the local Ward Councillors.

Resolved

That the Cabinet Member:

1.         Met with the petitioners to discuss in greater detail their request for a one-way working on St Mary’s Road.  

2.                  Asked officers to place this request on the Council’s Road Safety

Programme for subsequent investigation and the development of possible options when resources permit.

3.         Instructed officers to arrange a 24 hour / 7 speed survey on St Mary’s Road at a location agreed with the petitioners and to report back to the Cabinet Member. 

Councillor John Hensley attended the meeting as a Ward Councillor in support of the petition.

Concerns and suggestions raised by petitioners included the following

• There were 20 houses that had difficulty in exiting and accessing their drives in Harvil Road, due to the speed of traffic in both directions at all times of the day.
• Heavy vehicles speed on this stretch of road, which was dangerous and caused vibration, which could affect the structural stability of the houses.
• There was nothing to deter drivers from speeding in this stretch of road.
• There had been a number of accidents in this stretch of road as the speed limit starts at 50mph and reduces to 30mph towards Swakeleys Road.
• Considered that the solution would be for either the installation of a speed camera or one or two ramps in the road at the Swakeleys Road end of Harvil Road.
• Since the speed survey undertaken in 2003 traffic on Harvil Road had doubled.
• In 1995 improvement to the street lighting was agreed to reflect to the 30 mph speed limit, but was never done.

The Ward Councillor made the following points:-

• Vehicle Activated Signs only slowed traffic when they were first installed in a road.
• Lorry’s use this route on a regular basis.
• Was aware that Speed Cameras were not managed by the Council.
•  Traffic congestion during peak hours was only going south not north.
• A speed table with a 1 in 30 gradient would be too sharp for lorry’s, this may cause more noise and vibration for residents.
• Harvil Road was a direct route for Ambulances to Harefield Hospital.
• There should be a proper pavement to provide a safer route for pedestrians..
• Signage should be provided to raise awareness of the speed limit in Harvil Road at the junction with Swakeleys Road. .
• The warning signs on the road had worn and needed to be renewed.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised:

·        The national speed limits had changed over the years.

·        The report highlighted that there had been 4 accidents over a three year period, with only one causing serious injury.

·         There had been some success with the Vehicle Activated Signs, where used they had an impact on the speed of drivers.

·        and only installed where there was a history of at least 3  fatal or serious accidents within a 3 year period..

·        Advised the petitioners that recommendation 4 required a 24/7 speed stress survey to be undertaken at locations to be identified by the petitioners.

·        Once the speed stress survey had been undertaken officers would discuss the data with Councillor Burrows and the local Ward Councillors.

·        The data from the speed stress survey would be used to look at what physical measures could be used in Harvil Road

·        In additional to the 4 recommendations contained in the report officers would be asked to look at the markings on the road to see if they needed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Councillor John Hensley attended the meeting as a Ward Councillor in support of the petition.

Concerns and suggestions raised by petitioners included the following

• The last inspection carried out in September showed that the road in Bushey Close had deteriorated further.
• Photographs were handed to the Cabinet Member that highlighted the petitioners Health & Safety concerns.
• Bushey Close should be reinstated to the same standard as Hoylake Crescent.  Residents would not accept anything less.
• Bushey Close was used by parents dropping and collecting children from Breakspear School.
• Street cleaning services were unable to access Bushey Close, therefore residents were not receiving the services it paid for.
• Bushey Close needed to be completely re-surfaced including the pedestrian access.
• The pavement and kerbs were broken and crumbing and needed to be re-instated.
• Suggested that Bushey Close should be added to the Parking Management Scheme.

The Ward Councillor made the following points:-

• Supported the residents for Bushey Close to be completely re-instated.
• There were no parking restrictions in Bushey Close.
• The pavements need to be re-instated as they are in a poor state of reapair.
• A Parking Management Scheme should be considered for Bushey Close.
• Parking on the corners of Bushey Close reduced the road from 2 lanes to one lane.
• Yellow lines on the corner of Bushey Close needed to be considered. 
• If yellow lines were not put in this would cause more damage to the pavements.
• Delivery vehicles have to mount the pavement to access the road.
• The re-instatement of the road and pavements surfaces should be a high priority.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised:

• A structural condition survey carried out  in 2010 showed Bushey Close was in a bad state disrepair.

• A draft list for the next financial year for Capital Programme works had been drawn up.
• Bushey Close was included on the draft list for roads that need urgent and complete re-surfacing.
• The cost of re-surfacing had already been identified.
• Once the draft list had been approved, it was hoped that the works would be undertaken within the first quarter of the next financial year.
• The works would also be governed by the weather so no date could be given as to when the works would be undertaken. .
• The issues raised in relation to the Parking Management Scheme and yellow lines needed to be raised with the Ward Councillor, so this could be raised with officers.
• If residents were in favour of a PMS scheme it would need to go through the normal process of consultation and advertising and would be considered when roads in the surrounding PMS scheme came up for review.
• An additional recommendation would be added to ask officers to undertake an Inspection of the pavement and kerbs in Bushey Close and report back to the Cabinet Member and Ward Councillors the findings and any remedial work required.

The Cabinet Member asked the petitioners whether they would be happy for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.