Agenda and minutes

None.

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

There were no petitioners or Ward Councillors in attendance, however, Councillor Philip Corthorne had emailed the Cabinet Member directly to inform him that he supported the petitioner's request.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Keith Burrows, discussed the report with officers.

Resolved - Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member:

1.         Considered their concerns regarding vehicle speeds in Sharps Lane, Ruislip.

2.         Noted the moderate speeds recorded during a previous traffic volume and speed survey which was undertaken in September 2013.

3.         Asked officers to undertake classified traffic volume and speed survey(s) at location(s) to be agreed with the petitioners and the relevant Ward Members.

4.         Instructed officers to add Sharps Lane to future phases of the Council's Vehicle Activated Signs programme and the Council’s Road Safety Programme for further investigation in liaison with Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         Parking restrictions had  been implemented in surrounding roads such as Tavistock Road, which had pushed  the parking problem into Heathcote Way.

·         Local businesses were using the road to park, including a vehicle repair workshop.

·         Some people were parking inconsiderately, which was not safe.

·         The refuse lorries were unable to access Heathcote Way.

·         Residents were concerned that Emergency Services would have trouble gaining access to the road.

·         Some vehicles were parked for over 2 weeks at a time.

·         It was difficult to find a parking space at night.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Keith Burrows, listened to the concerns and responded to the points raised.  Cllr Burrows highlighted that a Ward Councillor had submitted an email supporting petitioners concerns which read as follows:

"The expansion of the parking management scheme in Yiewsley is continuing to have a displacement effect on those roads presently outside the scheme. I do not doubt the difficulties expressed by the petitions and I support their application. It should be noted that in the petition reference is also made to Peplow Close (off Heathcote Way) and it may be prudent to include this short road in the scheme as well.

All Ward Councillors supported the statement made and Cllr Burrows agreed that it would make sense to include Peplow Close, as this road would be affected if residents of Heathcote Way were to be included in a Parking Management Scheme.  Cllr Burrows informed petitioners that he was unable to give them a timescale as to when residents would be consulted on options to address the parking in their road; however, he was confident that the issues raised would be addressed at the earliest opportunity. 

Resolved - Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member:

1.            Considered the concerns raised by petitioners regarding parking in Heathcote Way, West Drayton.

2.         Asked officers to add the request to the Council’s extensive parking programme for further investigation and to include Peplow Close.

Councillors Peter Davis attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         Taxis and minicabs were using the road to park.

·         Sometimes there were as many as 12 minicabs parked on the road.

·         The taxi drivers were giving residents grief and abuse.

·         Other roads had Parking Management Schemes, as a result the parking had transferred to Old Orchard Close.

·         Enforcement had started to give Penalty Charge Notices to vehicles parked on the grassed verges, which were being ruined by inconsiderate people who parked there.

·         The refuse lorries could not access the road.

·         Litter was often left by the mini-cab drivers.

·         Car dealers were also leaving their vehicles in the road.

A Ward Councillor spoke in support of the petitioners’ request and raised the following issues:

·         Old Orchard Close was a nice area.

·         Had seen the issues raised by petitioners.

·         Supported petitioners concerns, along with the other Ward Councillors.

·         Parking had transferred from other roads that had parking restrictions.

·         Customers from the local pub were thought to be using the road to park.

·         There had been issues with the refuse lorries accessing the road.

·         Supported petitioners' request.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Keith Burrows, listened to the concerns and responded to the points raised.  Cllr Burrows read part of an email from another Ward Councillor, who also supported petitioners' views.

Cllr Burrows explained that waiting restrictions applied to everyone, including residents. Parking was an emotive issue and as parking schemes developed other roads were now experiencing a transfer of parking.  Cllr Burrows also informed petitioner of how the resident parking permits worked and how much they cost.

Resolved - Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member:

1) Considered the concerns raised regarding parking in Old Orchard Close, Uxbridge.

2) Decided that the request for parking restrictions in Old Orchard Close be added to the Council’s future parking scheme programme for informal consultation with residents as soon as resources permit.

Councillors Lynne Allen and Peter Curling attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         Would like parking bays that are formalised.

·         Currently residents were able to park with 2 wheels on and 2 wheels off.

·         The only places where people could not park was across shared driveways.

·         Driveways were often partially blocked.

·         Contacted enforcement, but they were unable to issue Penalty Charge Notices.

·         The signs were old and outdated.

·         Would like a scheme that worked for residents.

Ward Councillors spoke in support of the petitioners’ request and raised the following issues:

·         Fully supported petitioners request.

·         Would like information on dropped kerbs to be provided to residents.

·         Residents who pay for a dropped kerb, should be able to use it.

·         Would like residents to have a formal scheme.

The Cabinet Member, Cllr Keith Burrows, listened to the concerns and responded to the points raised.  Cllr Burrows agreed that the scheme needed to be formalised so that residents and non-residents were clear on where they were able to park.

Resolved - Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member:

1) Considered the concerns raised by petitioners with footway parking in Stirling Road, Hayes.

2) Asked officers to add the request for a formalised footway parking scheme in Stirling Road, Hayes on to the Council's forward programme for the rationalisation of existing footway parking schemes.

Councillors Susan O'Brien and Douglas Mills attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         Petitioners thanked Councillors and staff for suspending the proposed works at such short notice to allow them to present their objections to the scheme.

·         A significant number of residents objected to the proposals and petitioners were prepared to assist the Council to help determine alternative measures.

·         Petitioners stated that they would like the status of the suspension to be permanent, not temporary.

·         It was suggested that the proposal would turn Cornwall Road from a residential road to a main road, here would be a negative impact on house prices and residents would lose parking spaces.  As such, residents did not want a Parking Management Scheme.

·         If petitioners had more time, more signatures would have been obtained supporting petitioners' request.

·         A report had been made by Mr T. Harvey for Southampton and Leeds Universities which suggested the design would result in increased traffic speeds.

·         It was noted that not all residents had been consulted.

·         Residents wanted the scheme to be permanently stopped.

Ward Councillors spoke in relation to petitioners’ request and raised a number of issues which included the following:

·         Ward Councillors thanked petitioners for attending the hearing.

·         It was noted that a Cabinet Member decision had been made in February/March 2015.

·         Although there were approximately 380 residents who were on the electoral roll that lived on Cornwall Road, less than half of these residents had signed the petition.

·         The Council had been trying to resolve the issues on Cornwall Road for a number of years.

·         The speed of vehicles travelling on Cornwall Road had gotten faster and faster and local Councillors had been on site visits with the Local Police Team to target those who were speeding.

·         It was noted that speed bumps were not considered a suitable solution as residents living in other areas where speed bumps had been implemented had often complained about the noise they had created as well as the vibration effects. 

·         Emergency Services would not be keen on chicanes or speed bumps.  It was not a pleasant experience to travel in ambulance when going over speed bumps.

·         There was a width restriction on West End Road to protect Torrington Road.

·         All 3 Ward Councillors had received representations from residents, who were equally as passionate as petitioners, for the proposals to be implemented.

·         In response to the comment made by petitioners, Ward Councillors advised that they had not heard of house prices being reduced in value as a result of traffic calming measures being implemented.

·         It was suggested that other options, such as chicanes, would not be appropriate for Cornwall Road and would reduce parking further than the current proposals.

·         Ward Councillors believed that something needed to be done before there was an accident or someone was killed and had witnessed a motorbike travelling at over 60mph.  Two drivers had also been seen speeding at between 34mph and 39mph with children in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.