Agenda item

This item was rescheduled from the Petition Hearing meeting with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling held on 22 May 2013, due to the unavailability of a British Sign Language Interpreter.

Concerns, comments and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• Speeding cars could be seen from the petitioners’ home in Hillside Road, as they approached the junction at the start of Hillside Road, via Pinner Road, through Potter Street.
• Cars had been witnessed speeding down the hill at 55mph and often drivers had been forced to slam on their breaks, as they came off the sharp curve in the road (blind spot), only then realising that there were cars parked on the road. 
• From the other side of the road, residents experienced real difficulty in trying to cross the road and were very anxious about their safety when waiting at the bus stop.
• White stones had been placed on the verge area by residents to highlight and indicate the existence of the verge.
• Concerned that as motorists drove up the hill, they would be unaware of the blind spot and the loss of visibility of vehicles approaching from the other side of the hill.
• Suggested installation of the ‘raised tables’ device which control traffic, similar to those recently installed in Cuckoo Hill, Pinner. Compared to the number of houses in Cuckoo Hill, there were far more houses in Hillside Road, which had bungalows along both sides of the road with many of the residents were elderly people.

• Suggested also for consideration; a 30mph moving vehicle activated sign and issuing fines to drivers who exceeded the limit.

• Concerned that many residents had given up on finding an acceptable solution to the problem, as this had been an on-going issue for a long time.
• Urged the Cabinet Member for a satisfactory solution to be found to make the Hillside Road safe.

A Ward Councillor spoke and raised the following points:

• Thanked the Cabinet Member and officers for holding the petition hearing in Northwood Hills.
• Advised that the issue of finding effective traffic calming measures on Hillside Road had been a problem for many years, but acknowledged that the Council took road safety issues very seriously.
• Suggested that other solutions had been tried in the past, such as installing 30mph road signs on the road, which was approached from the boarder of Harrow through to Pinner Hill, dipping sharply, before coming up again and veering off to the right at the same time and bending round into a valley.
• Vehicles tended to speed, as they went down the hill and came into difficulty, as they approached a sharp bend as they drove up the hill.
• Access to St John’s school added to the traffic congestion during term time, as the main entrance to the school was via Hillside Road. Numerous petitions had been raised to address the issue of congestion and road safety in the area.
• The problem of congestion was further compounded with the road having a bus route and caused irritation to drivers, particularly during rush hour when the buses stopped at the bus stops and drivers had a tendency of driving irresponsibly around them.
• Highlighted that although Hillside Road had benefited from some road safety measures in the past, which had limited success; however, combing all the issues that had been raised at this meeting, it must be noted that the curve (blind spot) the road posed a particular danger to residents as well as properties.
• Stated that the Council had been proactive in addressing the road safety issues, which was why a separate fund had been allocated to the area.
• Expressed full support of the petitioners and urged the Cabinet Member to try and find an appropriate solution that would address the problem of irresponsible drivers, so that elderly people could stop living in fear of a car mounting the pavement. The situation called for being proactive rather than reactive and not centred on the number of KSI.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised. It was noted that the Council took the issue of road safety very seriously, and acknowledged that Hillside Road had a high number of elderly residents and a high volume of school children using the road.

Councillor Burrows advised that the Council endeavoured to be proactive where possible and did not wait for fatalities in order move things up the Road Safety agenda. The Council would do everything possible to make roads safe for residents.

The Cabinet Member stated that recommendation 2 would be amended to include a 24-hour seven day traffic and vehicle speed survey to be undertaken. Officers would also be instructed to carry out recommendation 4.  In addition, a further recommendation (5) would be added instructing officers to liaise with Harrow Council, as the bottom of Hillside Road was in the boundary with Harrow.

Resolved - That the Cabinet Member:

1.                  Met and discussed with petitioners their request for traffic           calming measures on Hillside Road.

2.                  Subject to the outcome of the above, asked officers to arrange a 24-hour seven day traffic speed and vehicle survey at locations suggested by the petitioners and report the results back to the Cabinet Member and local Ward Councillors.

3.                  Subject to 1 and 2, asked officers to undertake further       investigations under the Road Safety Programme and report back      to him.

4.                  Subject to the above, instructed officers to deploy one of the      Council’s Vehicle Activated Signs on Hillside Road.

5.                  Instructed officers to liaise with Harrow Council to discuss          possible joint initiative in addressing the speeding in Hillside                 Road.

Reasons for recommendation

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.

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