Agenda and minutes

It was confirmed that the meeting would take place in public.

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.

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

• Mr Terrance Holmes spoke on behalf of the petition submitted to the Council. He had been a resident on Perth Avenue for over 40 years.
• That the residents of Perth Avenue had been asking for traffic calming measures to be put in place outside of Brookside School for over 40 years.
• That a large proportion of schools in the Borough had traffic calming measures and that this should be extended to Brookside School as the current situation with traffic was extremely dangerous for children from the school.
• That the road outside of Brookside School was used as a “rat run” by those avoiding traffic on the A312 during busy periods.
• That there was a lot of high speed traffic on Perth Avenue during the evenings.
• Mr Holmes suggested that there were no “School” signs on the road warning motorists of the danger of children crossing ahead.
• The school had recently grown significantly and an even higher number of children were running across Perth Avenue from parks on either side of the road.
• The Council not implementing traffic calming measures was indefensible given the risk to children from the school.
• Residents of the area were not satisfied with the Council’s response to this issue to this point.

Councillor Keith Burrows advised that Councillor David Allam and Councillor Janet Duncan were unable to attend this petition hearing but had submitted their support for the implementation of traffic calming measures via email.

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

• Not all schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon had traffic calming measures in place.
• The implementation of traffic calming measures on Perth Avenue has been moved to the top of the Council’s Road Safety Programme.
• The proposed traffic calming measures in question were already in an advanced stage of implementation and draft designs had been drawn up.
• That the 7 day, 24 hour classified traffic speed and volume survey would be undertaken prior to and after the implementation of the traffic calming measures to help assess how successful the scheme had been. It was noted that this would not delay implementation.
• The implementation process involved sending proposed schemes to Ward Councillors for comment, a period of statutory consultation and a final approval by the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation & Recycling.

Officers advised that:

• Funding for the project had been sought from Transport for London (TfL) and there was a possibility of a match funding.
• Funding would be available from the Council through S106 funding.
• If results of the classified traffic speed and volume survey indicated that there were regular problems with speeding at specific times of the day, the Police could be informed and asked to investigate.
• It was likely that the consultation period would start in January 2013.
• The issue of enhanced signage for the school would be investigated by Officers and that better signs were being proposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

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

• Mr Ahmad Ghaffary spoke on behalf of the petition submitted to the Council.
• The petitioner circulated photographs to show the condition of the road and pavement surface on Cottage Close.
• Residents had raised concerns about the condition of the road over a long period of time and felt that these concerns had fallen on deaf ears.
• Council Officers had not conducted a site visit for Cottage Close and would therefore not have first-hand knowledge of the condition of the road surface.
• Petitioners had been informed that the re-surfacing of the road would take place but that this work was not likely to be undertaken until March 2013. Petitioners stated that this had previously been agreed for October 2012.
• The pictures provided showed that both the road surface and the pavement were in a state of disrepair. It was noted that the area around a fire hydrant was particularly dangerous for pedestrians.
• The elderly had to walk on the road due to the poor condition of the pavement.

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

• A site visit had taken place at Cottage Close. This was standard practice for Officers writing reports on the condition of road surfacing and determining whether pot holes are deeper than the emergency intervention level of 40mm.
• The site did not exceed the emergency intervention level of 40mm so Cottage Close would not be considered as in need of immediate repair. However, the road did have a number of fretting areas.
• The projected date of March 2013 for the surfacing of this road was partly due to an issue with the provider of a new type of road surfacing. The new surfacing could only be laid in temperatures over 5°C which meant that laying would have to stop between November 2012 and March/April 2013. The Council was in the process of sourcing a new product that could be laid in colder temperatures. If this could be sourced, it might be possible for the road to be resurfaced earlier than March.
• Prior to the re-surfacing of the road, the Council would monitor the condition of the road to assess whether it fell within the emergency intervention levels.
• It was noted that although the pavement was not part of the petition, the photographs provided by the petitioners to show the poor condition of the surface were of enough concern for officers to investigate immediately. A damaged area around a fire hydrant was of particular concern.

Officers advised that:

• Cottage Close would be resurfaced with Micro Asphalt but that the road would not be entirely resurfaced; some areas would be planed back and given a new surface but others would only be patched.

RESOLVED - That the Cabinet Member:

1.            Considered the petitioners’ request and discussed with them in detail their concerns regarding the condition of the carriageway surface.

2.            Instructed officers to place Cottage Close on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

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

• Mr Ray Rapp spoke on behalf of the petition submitted to the Council.
• The petitioner circulated photographs to show the condition of the road on Farthings Close.
• The petitioner noted that the Council was doing a good job considering the current economic climate.
• The state of the road had got so bad that a resident had undertaken his own repairs.
• An Ambulance had had to “take it easy” on the road due to the number and depth of pot holes.
• Repairs on the road had been consistent but patching work no longer made economic sense as the road was in need of a full resurface.
• Some of the pot holes on the road were up to 2 inches deep.
• The poor quality of the road surface was causing damage vehicles and was an unsafe environment for residents.
• The petitioner noted that the condition of the pavement was also very poor and dangerous. It was requested that the Council also undertake work to repair this.
• 90% of residents of Farthings Close had signed the petition; 34 out of 36 residents.

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

• Residents undertaking repair work to the road surface on a public highway was dangerous and illegal. All residents should be reminded that any such work should be left to the Council.
• The report and the photos provided indicated that the pot holes in the road exceeded the emergency intervention level of 40mm. Officers would be asked to undertake an inspection of the road and any holes that exceeded 40mm would be patched immediately.
• The road would be added to the Council’s resurfacing programme.
• The Council’s resurfacing programme was determined on an annual basis by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation & Recycling. The prioritisation of roads to be resurfaced was based on an assessment of how dangerous the road surface was and on the outcome of the UK Pavement Management System structural condition surverys. The next resurfacing programme was going to be considered and in place by January/February 2013. Farthings Close would be included on this programme.
• Ward Councillors were keen to have the road resurfaced and were in support of the petition.

That the Cabinet Member:

1.            Considered the petitioners’ request and discussed with them in detail their concerns regarding the condition of the carriageway surface.

2.            Instructed officers to place Farthings Close on to the list for roads being considered for treatment in a future resurfacing programme.

3.            Instructed Officers to undertake an immediate inspection of Farthings Close and to carry out any immediate work as necessary.

Reasons for recommendation

The existing carriageway surface had started to show signs of deterioration to the extent that shallow fretting had taken place in isolated areas of the carriageway. The failure was due to the natural ageing of the bitumen surface, which was slowly disintegrating after an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Councillor Allan Kauffman, Councillor Judy Kelly and Councillor Shirley Harper-O’Neill attended the hearing and spoke as Ward Councillors.

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

• Mr Lewington spoke on behalf of the petition submitted to the Council.
• Photographs previously submitted by the petitioner were circulated to show the condition of the road on Mahlon Avenue.
• The road had not been resurfaced in over 28 years. Only minor patching work had been undertaken during this time.
• The poor condition of the road and pavement surfaces was dangerous especially with an infant school close to the road and with older residents using it to get to the local doctors surgery.
• The condition of the road had got worse since the petition was submitted in May 2012, and there were large pot holes.

Ward Councillors were of the opinion that the road needed to be resurfaced urgently. It was noted that 2 of the major roads in the area had been resurfaced and that the next stage of the programme should be to resurface the side roads. It was also noted that, due to traffic avoiding a barrier nearby, Mahlon Avenue had become a very busy carriageway. Ward Councillors also asked that the road be resurfaced rather than patched and that the pavements be brought up to a safe standard. Ward Councillors were in complete support of the petition.

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

• Officer would be instructed to inspect the pavements on the road as requested by Ward Councillors.
• Mahlon Avenue would be placed on the list for roads being considered in a future resurfacing programme. Immediate work would be undertaken on the road prior to full resurfacing.
• When the road was resurfaced it would be planed off and given a full new surface. 
• The Council’s resurfacing programme was determined on an annual basis by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation & Recycling. The prioritisation of roads to be resurfaced was based on an assessment of how dangerous the road surface was and on the outcome of the UK Pavement Management System structural condition surveys. The next resurfacing programme would be considered and in place by January/February.  

RESOLVED - That the Cabinet Member:

1.            Considered the petitioners’ request and discussed with them in detail their concerns regarding the condition of the carriageway surface.

2.            Instructed officers to place Mahlon Avenue on to the list for roads being considered for treatment in a future resurfacing programme.

Reasons for recommendation

The existing carriageway surface had started to show signs of deterioration to the extent that shallow fretting had taken place in isolated areas of the carriageway. The failure was due to the natural ageing of the bitumen surface, which was now slowly disintegrating after an estimated life of 5 to 15 years.  Past patching had filled some of the worst fretting but only as a medium term measure.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Councillor Roshan Ghei and Councillor Lindsay Bliss attended the hearing and spoke as Ward Councillors. There were no petitioners present. Ward Councillors raised the following point on behalf of petitioners:

§         The road surface on Barnhill Lane had deteriorated significantly in recent years.

§         Due to parked cars no the road, it was impossible for vehicles using the road to avoid hitting the underlay.

§         The road should be considered for early resurfacing.

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

§         Barnhill Lane would be added to the resurfacing programme when this was determined at the beginning of 2013.

§         Officers will inspect the road immediately and conduct patching work on pot holes that exceed the emergency intervention level of 40mm.

§         The Council’s resurfacing programme was determined on an annual basis by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation & Recycling. The prioritisation of roads to be resurfaced was based on an assessment of how dangerous the road surface was and on the outcome of the UK Pavement Management System structural condition surveys. The next resurfacing programme would be considered and in place by January/February 2013.

That the Cabinet Member:

1.            Considered the petitioners’ request and discussed with them in detail their concerns regarding the condition of the carriageway surface.

2.            Instructed officers to place Barnhill Laneon to the list for roads being considered for treatment in a future resurfacing programme.

3.            Instructed officers to undertake an immediate inspection of Barnhill Lane and carry out any immediate work as necessary.

Reasons for recommendation

The existing carriageway surface had started to show signs of deterioration to the extent that shallow fretting had taken place in isolated areas of the carriageway. The failure was due to the natural ageing of the bitumen surface, which was now slowly disintegrating after an estimated life of 5 to 15 years.  Past patching had filled some of the worst fretting but only as a medium term measure.  The road profile is “bumpy” in places and construction joints had opened at a number of locations.  Resurfacing would improve the visual appearance of the road and improve the ride quality.  Officers will also undertake isolated repairs to the footway, which fall within the Council’s intervention levels.

Alternative options considered / risk management

Further patching works: However, this option had been discounted given the level of deterioration and that it did not offer the most economic solution.  Delaying or not undertaking certain schemes may place additional pressure on the Council’s financial resources if highway permanent repairs were not implemented in a timely manner. In many instances, the delay of the scheme may also have had safety implications with possible consequent impact on the public liability insurance budget.

Officers considered that the carriageway surface was now beyond normal patching repair and that resurfacing was the only option available to restore a watertight smooth surface.