Agenda item

Two petition requests had been submitted.  Concerns, comments and suggestions raised at the meeting (by the one petitioner that was present) in respect of these included the following:

• There had been a substantial increase in traffic in the road with people coming from the Grapes Public House, Kingshill Avenue and Charville Lane had resulted in a serious problem of speeding.
• There had recently been a major accident in Grosvenor Avenue, which had resulted in two garden walls and a parked car being damaged.
• Requested installation of speed humps in the road to reduce traffic speed.

A Metropolitan Police Local Safer Neighbourhood officer added that a new Policing Module was introduced on 24 June 2012, where Safer Neighbourhood Teams focused on clusters of wards in the Local Police areas, with each ward having its own dedicated police constable, but only one dedicated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) which had resulted in a stretch in officers covering areas.  Suggested that the problem in Grosvenor Avenue stemmed from cut-through speeding traffic, although generally, it was possible to have a two-way traffic flow in Grosvenor Avenue during the day; however, this was not the case during the evenings.

It was noted that a 12 weeks summer initiative had been introduced in the area (starting on the 3 June 2013) looking at all various issues (not just anti-social behaviour).  It was considered that the outcome of this venture was likely to have a long term effect on some of the issues that had been raised by petitioners.

The Ward Councillors of the area spoke and raised the following points:

·        Expressed concerns about the increase in the volume of traffic in Grosvenor Avenue and the issue of speeding in the road.

·        Expressed reservation about the Vehicle Activated Signs Programme, as suggested that motorists would ignore this after a period of time.

·        Suggested that there was also the issue of young people on mopeds speeding and carrying out ‘wheelies’ in the road and  expressed great concerns about the dangers to young children living in the area.

·        Concurred with petitioners that Grosvenor Avenue was used as a cut through and that there had been an increase in the level of traffic.

·        Stated that in 2009, this issue had been raised with the Cabinet Member and a traffic survey had been undertaken regarding speeding vehicles speed in the area at the time. It highlighted that the problem occurred during the evenings, whilst there were no issues of speeding vehicles during the day time.

·        Urged the Cabinet Member that urgent action was needed to address the problem and that it was imperative for some form of traffic calming measure to be installed.

Councillor Burrows listened to the concerns of petitioners and responded to the points raised. It was noted that two traffic surveys had been undertaken in the area, in 2009 and 2012 when some high speeds had been recorded. However, Councillor Burrows advised that a certain percentage would need to be taken into account to establish whether the road could be classed as ‘dangerous’ by looking at the Killed Seriously Injured (KSI) and balancing it against the whole of Hillingdon.

Petitioners were advised that recommendation 2 would be extended to instruct officers to conduct a further 24-hour seven day traffic speed and volume survey to be reported back to the Cabinet Member, as the results of the previous survey had not been provided enough justification to merit traffic calming measures in Grosvenor Avenue.

The Cabinet Member stated that where the Council’s Vehicle Signs Activated Programme had been used, evidence showed that they had been effective.

1.         Met with both petitioners and considered their requests for         traffic calming measures on Grosvenor Avenue, Hayes.

2.         Noted the outcome of previous traffic surveys in Grosvenor

            Avenue in 2009 and 2012, but instructed officers to            undertaken a further 24-hour seven day traffic speed and        volume survey and report back to the Cabinet Member.

3.         Subject to the above asked officers to place these requests on             the Council’s Road Safety Programme for subsequent       investigation and the development of possible options.

4.         Subject to the above asked officers to investigate the        feasibility of adding Grosvenor Avenue to the Council’s   Vehicle          Activated Signs Programme.

Reasons for recommendation

The petition hearing will provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from both petitioners of their concerns and suggestions.

4BAlternative options considered / risk management

These were discussed in greater detail with petitioners.