Agenda item

The Cabinet Member considered a petition requesting parking permits and traffic calming measures on North Road, West Drayton.

Councillor Jan Sweeting addressed the Cabinet Member as Ward Councillor for West Drayton, and noted the following points:

There were two issues affecting North Road, speeding and parking.

The issue of parking had three facets: firstly, parking had been adversely affected by the new Elizabeth Line. North Road currently offered free parking for commuters wanting to use the Elizabeth Line and also offered a route through Drayton Garden Village and Holly Gardens to West Drayton Station. Secondly, there were people parking in West Drayton and travelling to Heathrow Airport, avoiding existing strict parking restrictions elsewhere in the area. For example, Porters Way had an existing Parking Management Scheme and Mulberry Parade had a partial Parking Management Scheme. Thirdly, there was a large development in Drayton Garden Village which had its own parking spaces, whereby visitors were not allowed to park, which had led to people parking in nearby roads such as North Road. The Ward Councillor supported the residents, and noted that North Road was a long road, and so any consultation on a Parking Management Scheme should seek to split the road into parts, as was the case in Mulberry Crescent.

On the issue of speeding, there were two roundabouts and a sharp bend close by and North Road was used as a cut through from Porter’s Way to Sipson Road. Residents had met with their MP a year previously, at which the main issue presented was speeding. Previous speed and traffic surveys had been carried out over a week, and it was suggested that any future surveys be conducted over a longer period of time. It was noted that speed tables may not be suitable for North Road, but signs such as Vehicle Activated Signs may be appropriate.

The Cabinet Member noted Parking Management Schemes often creeped onto other roads, and that there were concerns around the Drayton Garden Village area, especially with regard to visitor parking. Residents needed to park somewhere and traffic surveys could look at different areas of the road. It was noted that residents would be aware of the charge for parking permits, and it was also acknowledged that parking for Heathrow Airport was getting worse.

Officers clarified that previous speed and traffic surveys has been undertaken in October 2022, and that these were conducted 24 hours a day over seven full days.

It was noted that speed activated signs were a possible solution; speed cameras were not under the Council’s authority; ‘rumble strips’ were often not popular with residents; and speed bumps were also often unpopular due to unintended consequences such as increased noise.

Councillor Scott Farley also attended as Ward Councillor, and made the following points:

There was also an issue of motorcycles speeding in the area. The option of a give-way section or chicanes in the road was suggested, although suitability was highlighted as a consideration. It was requested that, if traffic surveys were to be undertaken, that they are completed over a longer period than 7-10 days, such as 14 days.

The Cabinet Member noted that Parking Management Schemes often had the unintended consequence of reducing the amount of available parking, and noted the consideration of how much reliance there was currently on on/ off-street parking.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport:

1)    Listened to petitioners’ request for the Council to implement traffic calming measures and a Parking Management Scheme in North Road;

2)    Noted the results of the previous 24/7 independent speed and traffic surveys undertaken in North Road;

3)    Noted the results of previous consultations on options to manage parking in North Road; and

4)    Asked officers to commission independent 24/7 traffic and speed surveys on North Road at locations agreed with petitioners and Ward Councillors, and to add the request for a Parking Management Scheme programme to the Council’s extensive forward programme.