Agenda item

Councillors Eddie Lavery and Michael White attended the meeting and each spoke as Ward Councillors. Ward Councillors were sympathetic with residents and supported them and the officer's report. They were impressed with the petitioner's packs and the petitioners open mindedness to alleviate the problem. Ward Councillors agreed with the proposal to conduct a formal exercise to monitor speeds.

The Petitioner provided information packs for the Cabinet Member. The Concerns and suggestions from the petitioner in SUPPORT included the following:

·         54 signatures had been  obtained from the 44 dwellings on the road.

·         Teams of residents had worked to develop evidence based data, one resident was a former traffic policeman, lecturer on traffic related matters at the Metropolitan Police training and consultant to Local Authorities and he had developed the data gathering process which had been employed.

·         The pack included - a paper on Traffic Calming Options, a questionnaire on neighbours' opinions and analysis, and a study of traffic flow.

·         The Petitioner reported that the traffic flow from both directions which had been suggested from the study that vehiclesavoided waiting to turn at the Elm Avenue / Field End Road traffic lights by using Hawthorne Avenue and Meadow Way or Hawthorne Avenue and Morford Way to continue their journey.

·         The study measured vehicle speeds over a distance of 100 metres, which was about half the length of Morford Way. 

·         The studies found that speed differed dramatically at different times of the day. Morford Way had limited width with parking down one side of the road; vehicles had to stop or slow down to give way at certain times of the day.  

·         On 7^th September 20% of vehicles had travelled at between 45 and 55 mph

·         On 8^th September 30% vehicles had travelled between 45 and 55 mph

·         10^th September 20% vehicles did so.

·         Other vehicles at peak times overall were travelling within the speed limit, but often vehicles for a proportion of the 100 meters were travelling faster than the speed limit.

·         On 17^th September at non-peak times there were fewer on-coming vehicles and 50% of vehicles were travelling in excess of 40 mph.

·         This pattern had not been  observed in Hawthorne Avenue as the road was wider, but the Cabinet Member was informed that on Boxing Day there had been an accident.

·         The lead petitioner welcomed any advice from officers including an independent vehicle speed and traffic survey, but suggested that a whole neighbourhood approach including Hawthorne Avenue and Meadow Way was required.

·         From the survey of residents there was a preference held by residents but not a uniform view that a tri-lateral approach was suitable.

·         It was requested that a well-signed 20 mph speed limit through the neighbourhood be introduced.

·         Also that a re-working of the timings of the traffic lights be implemented so that cars were encouraged to use them.

·         The installation of two shallow and wide speed bumps on Morford Way and at levels in Hawthorne Avenue and perhaps Meadow Way.

 The Cabinet Member, Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns raised and was impressed by the detail of the pack provided. The Cabinet Member commended the petitioner and residents for their hard work.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member:

1. Discussed with the petitioners their concerns.

2. Asked officers to arrange a speed and vehicle survey at locations suggested by petitioners and that this be reported back to the Cabinet Member and local Ward Councillors.

3. Asked officers to undertake further investigations under the Road Safety Programme and report back. 

4. Asked officers to check the current traffic lights for vehicle and pedestrian movement and report back to the Cabinet Member.