Minutes:
The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting traffic calming measures on Derwent Drive, Hayes. A representative from the petition was in attendance and made the following points:
Councillor Darran Davies attended the meeting as Ward Councillor and supported the petition and comments made by the petitioners. It was added that Park Lane had had traffic surveys undertaken before its traffic calming measures were installed, and that these surveys showed that 80% of vehicles at the time travelled along Park Lane at speeds between 30 and 35mph. Given the claim that traffic had now diverted from Park Lane to Derwent Drive, it was suggested that similar levels of speeding took place on Derwent Drive. Since Derwent Drive was a main walking route to and from the shops and a nearby green space, it was emphasised that the speeding problem had to be tackled quickly.
Councillor Riley listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised. Regarding the request for double yellow lines by the junction with Welwyn Way, Councillor Riley cited a general policy of implementing double yellow lines by junctions. Following the concerns raised regarding HGVs, it was suggested that traffic surveys would be useful to measure the movement of HGVs on the road, with the possibility of tailoring any future traffic calming measures to combat this problem. The petitioners emphasised that the speed of vehicles was the main issue of the petition. They were concerned that efforts to tackle speeding might be diluted by efforts to reduce HGV driving on the road. It was noted by the Head of Transportation and Town Centre Projects that speed surveys were an important step in the process leading towards the possibility of installing traffic calming measures like traffic cushions, because the evidence gathered, which it was stressed would provide data on all types and sizes of vehicles, could be used to ensure there was proper justification to underpin the request for the relevant funding to be made available for their installation. Therefore, the petitioners and the Ward Councillor were asked to advise the best places along the road to put the surveys to gather the most insightful evidence.
In considering the matters, Councillor Riley made the following decisions.
RESOLVED:
Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport:
Supporting documents: