Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made.

RESOLVED: That all items be considered in public.

Councillors Jane Palmer and John Hensley attended the meeting and each spoke as a Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         There had been an increase in large commercial vehicles using Harvill Road. This presented a particular risk as there were three blind crests on the road.

·         Works vehicles had been observed to pull out from premises located along the road in front of oncoming traffic.

·         Rubbish and mud falling from moving vehicles was a problem. This caused both safety and environmental issues for local residents and other road users. Rubbish could build up on verges after falling from vehicles and due to fly tipping.

·         An incident had taken place where a cement bag had fallen off a lorry and landed on the windscreen of a car. This highlighted the need for lorries to secure their loads and the need for enforcement activity in the area.

·         The number of goods operator licenses issued had increased. This should be scrutinised.

·         It was unsafe for large vehicles to be travelling at 50mph along such a narrow road, especially given the blind crests and bends in the road.

·         The speed limit signage was contradictory along parts of the road and was sometimes in the wrong location or was obscured. Better signage should be provided, including the use of flashing signs.

·         Although there were no bus stops on the road, buses stopped unofficially. This posed a safety risk given the 50mph speed limit on the road.

·         Drivers often ignored solid white lines and performed illegal overtaking manoeuvres.

·         Traffic increases of 275% north bound and 400% south bound were forecast, post construction, in the event the event that the HS2 rail link was built.

·         The petitioners were seeking a reduction in the speed limit on Harvil Road from 50mph to 40mph, better signage and more stringent enforcement of highway related regulations.

·         The petitioners had collected 200 signatures rather than the 75 signatures stated in the officer report. The lead petitioner had attempted to contact Council officers to advise of the additional signatures, but had received 'out of office' responses.

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

·         The Ward Councillors commended the petitioners for their petition and the information provided.

·         Cllr. Palmer had requested, in the week before the meeting, that Harvil Road be cleaned, due to the build up of mud. The mud presented a danger to motorists, who were at risk of skidding.

·         It was difficult for any cleaning schedule to cope with the approximate 800 lorries using the road in a 24 hour period.

·         There was a problem with vehicles speeding in the road, particularly at night, which could cause a serious accident.

·         The Dogs Trust was an asset to the community, but the current road conditions made it unsafe for buses to stop in the vicinity.

·         Harvil Road and nearby Moorfield Road were under siege from lorries.

·         There was a wider issue with speeding motorbikes in the Harefield area. The Ward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Councillors Jem Duducu and Alan Kauffman attended the meeting and each spoke as a Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners included the following:

·         Ruislip Gardens Primary School was trying to encourage children to walk to school, but the speed of traffic in the area was a concern that threatened this aim.

·         The petitioners were requesting that a 20mph speed limit be introduced on the Ruislip Gardens Estate. The School's Travel Plan also supported this aim. The roads of most concern were Stafford Road, Bedford Road and Clyfford Road.

·         Cars frequently parked on both sides of roads in the area. This reduced visibility.

·         A serious collision had occurred on the estate in July 2014. A child had been knocked down by a van and had needed to be transported to hospital by air ambulance.

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

·         Any changes to the speed limit should be made to the whole estate, although it was noted that vehicles were only likely to be able to pick up speed on Stafford Road, Bedford Road and Clyfford Road.

·         There was only one road in an out of the estate, so by definition, it would not be used as a thoroughfare. Traffic on the estate would either be travelling to or from a residence or to or from the school.

·         A 20mph speed limit should be considered, while bearing in mind the need to keep costs down.

·         Installation of speed bumps should be considered in Clyfford Road and Bedford Road and possibly, also in Stafford Road.

·         Signage could be considered to remind motorists that the estate is a residential area, but signage in relation to this and the speed limit was not likely to be effective without other measures also being taken.

·         The provision of dropped curbs on a road did not preclude the use of speed bumps.

·         There were approximately 600 houses on the Ruislip Gardens Estate.

The Cabinet Member, Councillor Keith Burrows, listened to the concerns raised and agreed that signage alone was not likely to significantly reduce vehicle speeds within the Ruislip Gardens Estate. The Cabinet Member advised that accident data provided to the Council by Police had not included the serious accident in July 2014 that had been referenced by the petitioner. Officers were asked to investigate this further.

Cllr Burrows advised that, in order for the Council to consider reducing the speed limit or installing speed bumps within the Ruislip Gardens Estate, it first needed to obtain evidence that there was evidence of excessive speed in the area. The most effective and nationally recognised method for obtaining such evidence was through the undertaking of a speed and vehicle survey on the Estate.

The petitioners and Ward Councillors present were asked to help identify locations on the estate for the survey to be carried out at. Following discussion, four locations were agreed. It was confirmed that the survey would provide data on vehicle speeds, time of day and vehicle size.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Cabinet Member deferred the hearing of the petition to a future meeting as the lead petitioner was unable to attend.

RESOLVED: That:

1.    The hearing of the petition in relation to a request for a parking management scheme in Whitethorn Avenue, Yiewlsey be deferred to a future petition hearing with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling.

Following agreement from the lead petitioners, the Cabinet Member confirmed that the petition would be heard jointly with the petition for nearby Beechwood Avenue.

CouncillorShehryar Ahmad-Wallana attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners, in relation to the Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue petitions, included the following:

·         Residents first started finding it difficult to park in Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue around five years ago. The problem had got worse over time, which the petitioner felt was partly due to word of mouth.

·         The roads were close to Hillingdon Hospital, which resulted in hospital staff and visitors using them to park. There were also other none residents parking in the streets on a daily basis.

·         The hospital already advised staff and visitors not to park on local residential streets or, alternatively, to use public transport. However, this was not making a difference to the residents' parking difficulties.

·         Expansion to the Hillingdon Hospital Parking Management Scheme (PMS) into neighbouring streets had exacerbated the parking difficulties in Ashwood and Beechwood Avenue as hospital visitors that had previously parked elsewhere were now parking there. In particular, the extension of PMS into Moorcroft Lane had had a significant impact.

·         The petitioner had been having regular dialogue with the Council's Transport and Projects Team since 2010. This had generally been positive, but the parking difficulties had escalated and action, in the form of a Parking Management Scheme, was now needed.

·         The residents had previously taken steps to try to discourage non residents from parking in their streets. This had included the use of brightly coloured posters and the offering of a park and ride scheme. These measures had not been effective in reducing the number of none residents parking in the area.

·         The petitioners were facing opposition to parking restrictions from residents living at the other end of Beechwood Avenue. This was due to the houses at this end of the street having drop kerbs and driveways. By comparison, the part of the street in which the petitioners lived contained 14 houses, with just two drop kerbs. The petitioners were, therefore, requesting that consideration be given to introducing a PMS only at one end of Beechwood Avenue.

The Ward Councillor spoke in support of the petitioners and raised the following issues:

·         The Councillor had been visiting the area for a year and had been unable to park in the street.

·         He had witnessed none residents parking in the street and noted that some of them parked there on a regular basis.

·         Consideration should be given to extending the PMS to other neighbouring roads. This would ensure that parking difficulties were not displaced to other streets in the event that a PMS was introduced in Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue.

·         There had been incidents where inconsiderate parking had made it impossible for emergency services to gain access to the streets.

·         The Ward Councillor strongly supported the petitioners' request for the introduction of a PMS.

The Cabinet Member, Councillor Keith  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Following agreement from the lead petitioners, the Cabinet Member confirmed that the petition would be heard jointly with the petition for nearby Ashwood Avenue.

CouncillorShehryar Ahmad-Wallana attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions from petitioners, in relation to the Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue petitions, included the following:

·         Residents first started finding it difficult to park in Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue around five years ago. The problem had got worse over time, which the petitioner felt was partly due to word of mouth.

·         The roads were close to Hillingdon Hospital, which resulted in hospital staff and visitors using them to park. There were also other none residents parking in the streets on a daily basis.

·         The hospital already advised staff and visitors not to park on local residential streets or, alternatively, to use public transport. However, this was not making a difference to the residents' parking difficulties.

·         Expansion to the Hillingdon Hospital Parking Management Scheme (PMS) into neighbouring streets had exacerbated the parking difficulties in Ashwood and Beechwood Avenue as hospital visitors that had previously parked elsewhere were now parking there. In particular, the extension of PMS into Moorcroft Lane had had a significant impact.

·         The petitioner had been having regular dialogue with the Council's Transport and Projects Team since 2010. This had generally been positive, but the parking difficulties had escalated and action, in the form of a Parking Management Scheme, was now needed.

·         The residents had previously taken steps to try to discourage non residents from parking in their streets. This had included the use of brightly coloured posters and the offering of a park and ride scheme. These measures had not been effective in reducing the number of none residents parking in the area.

·         The petitioners were facing opposition to parking restrictions from residents living at the other end of Beechwood Avenue. This was due to the houses at this end of the street having drop kerbs and driveways. By comparison, the part of the street in which the petitioners lived contained 14 houses, with just two drop kerbs. The petitioners were, therefore, requesting that consideration be given to introducing a PMS only at one end of Beechwood Avenue.

The Ward Councillor spoke in support of the petitioners and raised the following issues:

·         The Councillor had been visiting the area for a year and had been unable to park in the street.

·         He had witnessed none residents parking in the street and noted that some of them parked there on a regular basis.

·         Consideration should be given to extending the PMS to other neighbouring roads. This would ensure that parking difficulties were not displaced to other streets in the event that a PMS was introduced in Ashwood Avenue and Beechwood Avenue.

·         There had been incidents where inconsiderate parking had made it impossible for emergency services to gain access to the streets.

·         The Ward Councillor strongly supported the petitioners' request for the introduction of a PMS.

The Cabinet Member, Councillor Keith  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.