Agenda and minutes

None.

It was confirmed that all items would be considered in public.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting resident parking permits and a potential one-way system on Cranmer Road, Hayes. The lead petitioner was  in attendance and made the following points:

• The main concern was the lack of available parking for residents on the narrow road. Vehicles from non-residents were sometimes left for weeks at a time.
• The road was too narrow for more than one car to pass at a time, requiring drivers to often reverse back up the road, a potentially dangerous manoeuvre.
• It was suggested that mirrors be installed at the end of the road, to help make such manoeuvres safer. The petitioners also suggested the possibility of parking permits for residents, and the potential for the installation of driveways for each household.

On the issue of mirrors, Councillor Burrows confirmed that these were not implementable, due to the potential for sunlight hitting the mirrors and blinding drivers. In addition, Highway mirrors were not legal.

Councillor Burrows also replied that, in principle, residents could apply for driveways to be installed, but that these required sufficient space at the front of the house.

It was confirmed that, if a residents' permit scheme was introduced, residents would receive one free parking permit, with additional permits available to purchase. Councillor Burrows clarified that these schemes were consulted on and specifically designed for each road, while taking into consideration existing dropped kerbs. While the petition organiser had concerns at the effectiveness of such as scheme in the road, it was highlighted that permits would prevent non-residents leaving their cars in the road for weeks at a time.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation:

1.    Met with petitioners and listened to their request for a residents' permit parking scheme and one-way working;

2.    Asked officers to add the request for a parking scheme to the Council's extensive parking programme for informal consultation in a possible area agreed with Ward Councillors; and

3.    Subject to consultation with Ward Councillors, requested officers undertake further detailed investigations on the request for a one-way working.

Reasons for decisions

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

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting a permanent solution to the speeding traffic using Corwell Lane. The two lead petitioners were in attendance and made the following points:

• The main points had previously been relayed to Council officers and the Cabinet Member via email correspondence, though it was reiterated that Corwell Lane was accessible from several roads, and as a result was often used as a cut-through, resulting in a high volume of speeding motorists.
• Petitioners were concerned at the potential for vehicle damage, and were particularly concerned regarding the safety of children and other pedestrians. On three occasions, vehicles had been hit onto the pavement as a result of speeding traffic colliding with parked cars.
• Petitioners noted that the current Covid-19 pandemic had resulted in reduced traffic, but highlighted that traffic volumes would increase as the current lockdown rules were further lifted, and the public returned to work and/ or social gatherings.
• Petitioners also noted two previous late-night occasions where drivers of large lorries with trailers had to ask residents to move their cars, so that the trailers could fit down the road.
• Petitioners also raised concerns that the Government was consulting on plans to ban parking on pavements, which would exacerbate these issues.

With regard to the potential for a pavement parking ban, it was clarified that in London, pavement parking was not allowed unless by exemption. The referred-to government consultation was to provide local authorities with the powers to determine their own parking rules and exemptions, in line with those powers afforded to London Boroughs.

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

1.    Listened to their request for a 'barrier' on Corwell Lane, Hillingdon;

2.    Advised petitioners that, following advice provided by the Highways Manager, the request for a further barrier in Corwell Lane close to its junction with Corwell Gardens was unfortunately not viable;

3.    Noted that this petition was previously deferred and that further information submitted by the lead petitioner was now included in this report; and

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

Reasons for decisions

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

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting a solution to rat-running in North Common Road, Uxbridge. The lead petitioner was  in attendance and made the following points:

• As traffic entered Swakeleys Road, where two lanes became one, vehicles chose to queue-hop by driving down South Common Road, West Common Road and North Common Road and re-emerging higher up on Park Road.

• The 'Duck Pond' junction (the junction of West Common Road and North Common Road) was closed in June 2019. It was determined that 171 vehicles used the road when the junction was open, and this reduced to 55 vehicles when the junction was closed.

• Solutions suggested included possible time restrictions, for example 1600-1900, with accompanying Automatic Number-Plate Recognition (ANPR). It was suggested that most residents were in favour of this. Alternatively, the Council could choose to implement a 20mph speed limit, which would reduce the risk to residents and pedestrians from speeding motorists

Councillor Goddard attended as Ward Councillor for Uxbridge North and spoke in support of the petitioner, whose points included:

• Studies indicated that there was a problem, as set out by the petitioner, which would only get worse due to the ongoing HS2 development, which would add further disruption, noise and air pollution onto Uxbridge Common (a green space) and would contribute to safety issues due to the lack of pavement on North Common Road.

• The only viable option was a closure of the exit of North Common Road onto Park Road, with an exemption for residents (via ANPR) of South Common Road, West Common Road, North Common Road, Norfolk Road, Colnedale Road, Gravel Hill and Water Tower Close.

In response, it was highlighted that although ANPR with permits had been trialled experimentally in another London Borough, they had proved highly controversial, had doubtful legality, and would not be viable in the present circumstances, as they had operated on the basis that every resident of the Borough in question with a parking permit was exempt from the ban.

It was also highlighted that ANPR required the creation and maintenance of a resident database which could prove unmanageable, and there remained questions over the legality of such a system.

On the possible implementation of a 20mph limit, David Knowles suggested that signs were often ineffectual without enforcement.

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

1.    Listened to their concerns with "rat running" in North Common Road and South Common Road, Uxbridge; and

2.     Asked officers to undertake an informal consultation with residents in the area on concerns outlined in the petition, and then report back to the Cabinet Member and Ward Councillors.

Reasons for decisions

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

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting traffic calming measures in Queen's Walk, South Ruislip. The lead petitioner was in attendance and made the following points:

• The request was for traffic calming measures between Long Drive and The Fairway, as Queen's Walk was often used as a cut-through by motorists.

• There were three schools, a children's centre, and a medical centre in the vicinity, regularly frequented by pedestrians, including children. The wide, straight nature of the road often encouraged excessive speeding, which was a significant safety concern to these pedestrians.

• Some parts of Queen’s Walk included traffic calming measures, but not in the areas highlighted by the petition.

Councillor Tuckwell attended as Ward Councillor for South Ruislip and spoke in support of the petitioner. Points raised included:

·         Queen's Walks connected Victoria Road to Long Drive and was often used as a cut-through; resulting in danger to pedestrians walking to the aforementioned three schools, children's centre and medical centre.

·         The petitioner's comments regarding the existing traffic calming measures in other parts of Queen's Walk, and the wide nature of the road encouraging speeding, were reiterated.

·         A serious incident in December 2019, involving a car and child, was highlighted.

·         Councillor Tuckwell noted that all three Ward Councillors were in support of the petition, and an email from Ward Councillor Kaufmann was read by the Cabinet Member, which reiterated support of the points set out above.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation:

1.    Met with petitioners and listened to their road safety concerns and suggestions; and

2.    Asked officers to undertake traffic surveys, at locations agreed by the petitioner, and then to report back to the Cabinet Member.

Reasons for decisions

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

Alternative options considered / risk management

None at this stage.