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.