Agenda item

The Cabinet Member considered a petition requesting various traffic calming measures and road safety initiatives in Ducks Hill Road, Ruislip. The petition organiser was in attendance and informed the Cabinet Member of the primary reasons for submitting their petition which included:

• They felt that the 50 miles per hour speed limit on Ducks Hill Road should be reduced;
• A safe form of pedestrian crossing is vital for families attending the Ruislip lido; and
• Vehicles were failing to sufficiently reduce their speed when travelling from the 50mph section of Ducks Hill Road to the 30mph section.

The petitioners commended the support of their West Ruislip Ward Councillors in the formation of the petition and went on to note recent incidents of people struggling to cross Ducks Hill Road safely and a road traffic accident whereby a bollard was damaged. The lead petitioner suggested potential locations of traffic calming measures which they believed would most beneficial to residents and pedestrians.

Councillor Philip Corthorne attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor for West Ruislip in support of the petition. Councillor Corthorne informed the Cabinet Member that the petitioners had contacted him for support in advancing their petition. He stated that residents had suffered harrowing experiences with regards to road traffic accidents on Ducks Hill Road, including damage to property. Whilst fully endorsing the petition, he noted that implementing traffic calming measures can be a lengthy process and emphasised the importance of keeping residents informed of the process.

Councillor John Riley attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor for West Ruislip in support of the petition. Councillor Riley highlighted the section of Ducks Hill Road where the speed limit is reduced from 50mph to 30mph as a cause for concern; he understood that the road was not densely populated; hence the 50mph limit but pointed out that the reduction in speed to 30mph was not always adhered to. Councillor Riley suggested relocating the 30mph sign further up Ducks Hill Road and noted the importance of a safe pedestrian crossing for families attending the Ruislip Lido in summer.

Councillor Devi Radia attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor for West Ruislip in support of the petition. Councillor Radia noted four road traffic accidents that had occurred on Ducks Hill Road in recent years as justification for exploring traffic calming measures. She also noted the need for a pedestrian crossing on roads popular with people attending the Ruislip Lido, such as Breakspear Road.

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling noted the difficulty in hearing a petition following a recent fatality on the road in question. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of rigorously investigating feasible locations of any potential pedestrian crossings; taking into account the Ruislip Fire Station and areas with the most footfall to ensure the public safely adhered to using any crossing, and didn't cross where it was just convenient to do so. He also explained to the petitioners how traffic surveys are conducted and that, dependant on the data collected from the surveys, it could justify expenditure on traffic calming measures.

The Cabinet Member informed petitioners that the installation of speed cameras did not come under the Council's control but he was happy to investigate the feasibility of a pedestrian crossing, vehicle activated signs and a review of the posted speed limit, should the data from the traffic surveys warrant it.

The Head of Transport and Town Centre Improvements informed those present that HS2 had made available a road safety fund for the Council to utilise and that the findings from traffic surveys would feed into a separate HS2 study. He also highlighted that the traffic surveys should focus on the area of Ducks Hill Road where the speed limit changed from 50mph to 30mph.

The Cabinet Member, lead petitioner, Ward Councillors and the Head of Transport and Town Centre Improvements, then agreed the precise locations of the traffic surveys.

RESOLVED:

Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling:

1)    Listened to their request for various traffic calming measures and road safety initiatives in Ducks Hill Road, Ruislip;

2)    Noted the dialogue between the Council and the Metropolitan Police Service and London Fire Brigade;

3)    Asked officers to undertake traffic surveys, at locations agreed by the petitioners, to report back to the Cabinet Member, and to feed in to the separate HS2 study;

4)    Asked officers to undertake an assessment of pedestrian crossing demand at the site; and

5)    Asked officers to add this section of Ducks Hill Road to the Vehicle Activated Signs programme.

Reasons for decision

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.