Agenda and minutes

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

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• The bollards placed directly in front of the frontage to No.46 Lansbury Drive, Hayes were preventing use of the drive
• The owner could not park on the footpath and was prevented from parking on the road, due to a traffic island
• The bollards prevented any kind of parking even to load or unload
•  Parking on either side of the bollards was not an option, as it would obstruct the entrances to the neighbours’ drives
• The petitioner would like to be able to use the space in front of his house to park
• A pedestrian crossing point had been in place for some time prior to the recent instalment of the bollards.

Councillor Anthony Way attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor in support of the petitioner and asked the Cabinet Member to consider allowing the petitioner to be able to park in his driveway, just as other residents in the locality had been allowed to. 

Councillor Sid Garg Ward Councillor from a neighbouring Ward also attended and spoke with the agreement of the Chairman.

The Cabinet Member listened to the issues raised and examined photographs circulated. 

Officers advised that the petition organiser was entitled to apply for a crossover, and the issue of the island would then be considered.

 The Cabinet Member commented that:

·        The bollards had been installed for road safety reasons to prevent vehicles parking in the existing pedestrian crossing

·        Once an application had been made, officers would look at the application sympathetically and investigate the feasibility of options to help

Officers were asked to notify and invite Councillors Way and Sid Garg to any visits made to the site.

Resolved

That the Cabinet Member:

1.                  Listened and discussed the petitioner’s concerns.

2.                  Recommended that the petition organiser contact the Council’s Highway Department to discuss the installation of an authorised footway crossover to No. 46 Lansbury Drive.

Reasons for recommendation

It is not clear what the petitioners are asking the Council to do and this can be clarified in discussion between the Cabinet Member and petitioners in accordance with their request.

Alternative options considered

These can be determined as a consequence of discussions with the petitioners.

Relevant Ward:

Barnhill

Concerns and suggestions made at the meeting by the petitioners included the following:

• Commuters parked in Bedford Road, which was close to Ruislip Gardens Underground Station, (Served by the Central Line service to inner London) as well as the Chiltern Line
• Bedford Road was very close to Ruislip Gardens Station and yet did no benefit from residents’ parking scheme
• The cones in West End Road associated to the ongoing development at RAF Northolt, which had been in place for 20 weeks had compounded the parking problems
• Some cars remained parked even when cones had been placed on the days prior to the sweeping of gulleys
• Parking for emergency services and delivery of goods
• Weekend parking was also severe with shoppers parking to catch the trains to Westfield shopping centre
• The junction of Bedford Road and Clifford Road, used by lorries approaching from Ruislip to do u-turns
• Damage to tarmac by lorries in the summer
• The issue of lorries blocking the roads, particularly during school runs in the mornings.

Councillors Allan Kauffman and Judy Kelly attended the meeting as Ward Councillors and supported the petitioners’ views. Councillor Kauffmann pointed out that parking schemes could create parking problems for residents living just outside of the scheme.

The Cabinet Member listened to the issues and concerns raised by the petitioners, and responded to the points as follows:

·        Acknowledged that there was a high level of parking in the area due to the train lines

·        That the Council would not impose Residents’ Parking Schemes unless they had been requested

·        Would instruct officers to investigate and design a scheme that would be most appropriate in alleviating the parking issue in the area

·        Would ask officers to liaise with Ward Councillors on the possible scope of a scheme

·        A draft of the proposed scheme to be shown to the Ward Councillors for discussion with residents

·        Petitioners to note that only a majority response to a consultation would be considered.

Resolved

That the Cabinet Member:

1)     Noted and discussed with petitioners’ their request for the introduction of parking controls in Bedford Road.

2)     Instructed officers to investigate and design a scheme that would be most appropriate in alleviating the parking issue in the area.

Reasons for recommendation

It is not clear what the petitioners are asking the Council to do and this can be clarified in discussion between the Cabinet Member and petitioners in accordance with their request.

Alternative options considered

These can be determined as a consequence of discussions with the petitioners.

Relevant Ward:

South Ruislip

Councillor Elizabeth Kemp attended the meeting and spoke as a Ward Councillor in support of the petitioners.

There were no petitioners present for this application.

The Cabinet Member noted the petitioners’ concerns outlined in the officer’s report and agreed the officer’s recommendation.

Resolved that:

1.                  The petitioners’ concerns with parking on Violet Avenue be noted.

2.                  Subject to above, asked Officers to design a limited time waiting restriction scheme for the service road on Violet Avenue between Nos. 53 and 65 and consult the occupiers if they would like the restrictions or a “Stop & Shop” scheme or retain the existing arrangements.

Reasons for recommendation

It would appear there is significant support for the introduction of parking controls outside the shopping parade in Violet Avenue and that in accordance with the Council’s usual procedures to consult those most affected on options to introduce limited time waiting restrictions, a “Stop & Shop” scheme or no change to the existing arrangements.

Alternative options considered

These would form part of any further consultation with shopkeepers and residents of Violet Avenue.

Relevant Ward:

Yiewsley

Concerns and suggestions made at the meeting by the petitioners included the following:

• The safety of children attending Coteford  Infant School
• That Fore Street was currently being used as a ‘rat run’ by speeding drivers
• The safety of the high proportion of elderly and disabled residents in nearby sheltered accommodation wanting to cross the road
• That drivers did not appear to recognise the current raised  platform as a crossing
• The poor condition of the road surface in that section of the road
• Suggested that fifty percent  of the children either walked or rode their bikes/scooters to school
• Requested the installation of a zebra crossing, as it was deemed safer than the existing raised table

Councillor Bruce Baker attended the meeting in support of the petitioners and expressed concerns about:

• The surface area outside Coteford Infant school and the junction of Eastcote High Road and Wentworth Drive being in a poor state of disrepair
• That the reduced 20 mile per hour speed limit did not prevent drivers from speeding
• That drivers disregarded the 20 mile per hour signage due to poor visibility.

The Cabinet Member listened to the issues and concerns raised and announced that the Council’s bid to TFL for funding local schemes had been successful. As a result, the installation of a pedestrian crossing outside Coteford Infant School was one of the schemes already agreed to be funded from the TFL Local Transport Fund budget.

Resolved

That the Cabinet Member:

Reasons for recommendation

The petition requests are acknowledged and before deciding on whether a pedestrian crossing can be provided, the Cabinet Member will need to be advised on both feasibility and estimated cost.

Alternative options considered

None as the petitioners have made a specific request for a pedestrian crossing on Fore Street.

Relevant Ward:

Eastcote & East Ruislip and Northwood Hills

Councillor Michael White attended the meeting and spoke as a Ward Councillor in support of the petitioners.

There were no petitioners present for this application.

The Cabinet Member noted the petitioners concerns outlined in the officer’s report and agreed the officer’s recommendations.

Officers advised that the Council’s successful bid for funding from TFL would now allow for the petitioners’ request for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on Queens Walk, near the junction with Mount Pleasant (within the medium and long term financial year).

Resolved

That the Cabinet Member:

1.      Acknowledged the petitioners request for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on Queens Walk, near the junction with Mount Pleasant.

2.      Confirm that the Council had been successful in its bid to TFL for funding and instructed officers to investigate the installation of a suitable scheme.

          Reasons for recommendation

To pursue a funding source for the provision of Cycle / Pedestrian facilities which form part of Field End school’s Travel Plan.

Alternative options considered

The petitioners have made a specific request

Relevant Ward:

South Ruislip