Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  That all items of business be considered in public. 

Councillors Allan Kauffman and Steve Tuckwell attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors for South Ruislip. 

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

·         Although there had always been an issue, it had been getting progressively worse.  Over the last twelve years, demand for parking spaces in West Mead had increased to such an extent that residents were regularly unable to park anywhere near their own houses.  Petitioners estimated that 90% of the vehicles parked in West Mead during the day belonged to non-residents;

·         As is was the nearest unrestricted road, the majority of parking congestion was being caused by drivers that were parking their vehicles in West Mead, walking to South Ruislip station and not coming back until the evening.  Individuals attending the nearby church were also parking in West Mead and there were often larger vehicles / vans / lorries parked there whilst the drivers went into the local cafe;

·         Although on-site parking was available at the old dairy, cinema goers would often park in West Mead.  It was suggested that, with the new cinema, Aldi and B&M, residents would benefit from a parking management scheme;

·         It was noted that a previous petition had been submitted which had encompassed West Mead (Cavendish Ward) and Victoria Road (South Ruislip Ward) but that the consultation responses received by the Council had not supported taking any further action;

·         It appeared that only residents in the western end of West Mead currently experienced challenges with non-resident parking which would be why the eastern end had not supported the proposed changes;

·         There were some West Mead residents that had young children who were having to park a long way from their houses in places such as Torcross Road and Hartland Drive;

·         West Mead residents often found that drivers had parked in such a way that the vehicles overhung their driveways making it difficult to enter / exit their properties.  Drivers were also inconsiderate in that they sometimes parked across two spaces preventing others from parking there.  Residents had left notes on some of these cars but there was little else that they could do; and

·         It was recognised that recent building developments had had an impact on the junction with Victoria Road and that residents were experiencing parking and access issues.  South Ruislip Ward Councillors felt unable to support the petition unless Victoria Road was included in any consultation undertaken to ensure that displacement issues were addressed.

Councillor Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised.  He advised that issues associated with Victoria Road were already being investigated separately by officers.  Following receipt of the first petition, a design had been produced and circulated for consultation with residents.  Design options had been limited as there were a significant number of dropped kerbs in West Mead.  Residents had not liked the design and had therefore previously rejected it. 

It was agreed that the Cavendish Ward Councillors would be contacted to determine whether or not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Councillors Allan Kauffman and Steve Tuckwell attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillors in support of the petition. 

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

·         Deanesfield Primary School and Queensmead Secondary School were located in the vicinity of Princes Way.  Residents had found that parents were often using Princes Way as a cut through to the schools;

·         Sometimes, the traffic was so congested that it was impossible for drivers to speed.  However, there were other times when it was less busy and vehicles roared down the road;

·         Concern was expressed that, at school drop off and pick up times, there were lots of school children on the pavements and therefore an increased chance that someone would get hurt by a speeding vehicle;

·         As Princes Way was close to the border with Harrow, many of the vehicles using the road as a cut through were not from Hillingdon.  It was estimated that approximately 60% of the children attending Queensmead were non-residents;

·         The upcoming installation of a parking management scheme in Diamond Road and Jubilee Drive was likely to exacerbate the issues currently faced by residents in Princes Way in that the roads would have fewer parked cars which would tempt drivers to increase their speed;

·         Concern was expressed that there had recently been an incident where a Year 7 child had been knocked over by a vehicle in Queens Walk and badly injured.  There had been a second incident where a car had been speeding and the driver had lost control and had had hit two parked vehicles;

·         It was suggested that the installation of two raised tables in Princes Way would reduce vehicle speeds to an acceptable / safer level; and

·         It was queried whether the Council could install some form of vehicle activated sign depending on the outcome of the traffic surveys.

Councillor Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised.  He advised that the Council needed evidence from the traffic survey to support the installation of traffic calming measures before any further action could be taken.  The locations for two traffic surveys were agreed with the Ward Councillors and petitioner present. 

RESOLVED:  Meeting with the petitioners, the Cabinet Member for Planning Transportation and Recycling:

1.      listened to their request for traffic calming measures in Princes Way, South Ruislip; and

2.      asked officers to undertake further traffic surveys, at locations agreed by the petitioners, and to then report back to the Cabinet Member.

Reasons for recommendations

The Petition Hearing will provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners of their concerns and suggestions. 

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

One of the two petition organisers advised that they had come up with a second proposal.  This second proposal had not been included as part of the original petition and had therefore not been considered by officers when writing the report.  The two petition organisers advised that they would like to withdraw their petition from this agenda and provide officers with additional information on the second proposal on Monday so that the petition report could be reviewed and revised as appropriate and included on the agenda for the Petition Hearing on 15 January 2020. 

RESOLVED:  That the item be deferred to the Petition Hearing with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling on 15 January 2020. 

[NOTE: Further to a request made by the petition organisers after the meeting, it has been agreed that their petition will be considered in February 2020.]

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that all proposals suggested by petitioners are considered at the Petition Hearing.

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

Councillor Jan Sweeting attended the meeting as a Ward Councillor in support of the petition.  As there were no petitioners present, Councillor Sweeting requested that the petition be deferred to the next available Petition Hearing (12 February 2020) so that the petition organiser was afforded one last opportunity to have their say. 

RESOLVED:  That the item be deferred to the Petition Hearing with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling on 12 February 2020. 

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that all proposals suggested by petitioners are considered at the Petition Hearing.

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

Although there were no Ward Councillors present, Councillor Burrows advised that Councillor Carol Melvin had emailed him stating that action needed to be undertaken to address the issues raised in the petition and advising that she was in full support of the petition. 

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

·         As drivers were aware that they would soon be entering a 50mph zone, they often travelled above the speed limit in the 30mph section.  This made it difficult for pedestrians to cross the road, especially if they were old and / or if it was dark;

·         Concern was expressed that it was becoming increasingly dangerous for people crossing the road for the bus;

·         It was suggested that the pedestrian refuge point by Jackets Lane would be an ideal place for a zebra crossing or a pelican crossing;

·         Petitioners recognised that flashing beacons associated with a zebra crossing might pose a potential concern for residents located nearby but these properties were generally set back from the road;

·         The hill was quite steep so some drivers increased their speed and momentum to get up the hill rather than dropping down through their gears.  Similarly, drivers coming down the hill tended to be travelling above the 30mph speed limit; and

·         Many of the large houses in the vicinity had been converted into flats which were now occupied by older residents.

Councillor Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised.  He advised that zebra crossings were preferable as pelican crossings involved a protracted process as Transport for London was responsible for all traffic signals across London.  However, proposals for zebra crossings still needed to be independently safety checked which sometimes resulted in amendments to the proposal.  It was noted that vehicle activated signs were used in the Borough. 

The Cabinet Member advised that speeds along Ducks Hill Road had decreased when the national speed limit had been taken away.  However, the road was relatively straight which exacerbated the speeding issue. 

It was agreed that traffic surveys would be undertaken to identify the type, time, speed and number of vehicles travelling along Ducks Hill Road.  An assessment of pedestrian crossing demand would also be undertaken and the results reported back to the Cabinet Member. 

Councillor Burrows noted that a study of traffic and traffic behaviour was being undertaken by HS2.  The findings from the traffic surveys and pedestrian assessment would be fed back to HS2 to inform their study which, it was hoped, would result in a reduction in the speed limit on Ducks Hill Road.  The findings would also be reported back to the Ward Councillors.

RESOLVED:  Meeting with the petitioners, the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling:

1.         listened to their request for the installation of a zebra crossing on Ducks Hill Road, Northwood between Northgate and Jackets Lane;

2.         asked officers to undertake traffic surveys and to report back to the Cabinet Member;

3.         asked officers to undertake an assessment of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.