Agenda item

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting speeding measures on Hercies Road and Honeycroft Hill.

A co-petitioner was present and made a number of points on behalf of the petitioners, including:

• Hercies Road was long and straight and led to the A40 and was used as a ‘rat run’.
• Some motorists were alleged to have been achieving perceived speeds of more than 70mph during the night, bringing serious danger but also loud noise for sleeping residents as well.
• The petitioner argued that they and other petitioners present had witnessed multiple accidents on the road in question as a result of speeding. The Cabinet Member was informed that a paper was sent out in April this year to the residents which detailed three accidents in the locality.
• These accidents were evidenced in the original petition submission, as provided in paragraph 2 of the officer report.
• Further to this, the petitioner added that there was also a follow up email in August where the residents were made aware of another accident in the vicinity; on this occasion a car crashing into a telegraph pole by Sweetcroft Lane.
• This speeding was made worse by the fact that this road was close to the walkway alongside the River Pinn and also the high pedestrian presence in the area as a consequence of it being a bus route and also having a nearby nursery.
• Residents were requesting that speed bumps be installed however they were minded to allow the method of traffic calming to be decided by the Council.

Councillor Farhad Choubedar, Ward Councillor for Uxbridge informed the Cabinet Member of his support for the petitioners.

The Cabinet Member, after acknowledging the points made by the Lead Petitioner and the Ward Councillor for Uxbridge, made the following comments:

• He noted the cautious approach the Council must take in order to avoid merely moving the issue present in one road to another nearby road.
• He expressed doubt in the effectiveness of speed tables or humps to combat this speeding as it could provide significant problems for the existing bus route as well as complications regarding the placement of speed humps outside residents’ properties.
• Noted that discussion with the police on this would be necessary, particularly when data had been acquired from the proposed speed surveys.
• Asked the Officer for timings on speed surveys and also for advice from petitioners on the most suitable location to administer these.

The Officer informed the Cabinet Member that the proposed speed surveys were generally carried out during school term time rather than the quieter holiday periods; it was hoped that they could be included within a batch prior to Christmas this year. Further to this, it was declared that the data from these surveys would be particularly useful considering that speed surveys had not been carried out in this locality for a relatively substantial period of time. The Officer also seconded the Cabinet Member’s assertation regarding the police and reiterated that the police, in contrast to the Council, hold jurisdiction and enforcement powers in this area.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport:

1)    Met with petitioners and listened to their request to introduce measures to reduce vehicle speeds on Hercies Road and Honeycroft Hill, Hillingdon; and

2)    Asked officers to commission independent 24/7 traffic and speed surveys on both roads at locations agreed with petitioners and ward councillors, and to report back to the Cabinet Member on the outcome.