Agenda item

Concerns and suggestion raised by the petitioners at the meeting included the following:

• Although the new zebra crossing installed had helped, it had not calmed the traffic on the junction of Eastcote Road and Fore Street approaches to the zebra crossing.
• There had been many accidents which had not been reported to the Police and these had led to this petition being organised.
• Expressed grave concerns about the dangers for children from Coteford Junior School walking home by themselves being involved in an accident, as motorists were unaware of the zebras crossing being there.
• Suggested that there was a danger of the situation potentially resulting in a ‘pile up’.
• Advised that the main concern of the petitioners was to prevent drivers from speeding around the corner.
• Suggested that installing a round about would help to slow down motorists.
• Advised that as the roads were very narrow with uneven surfaces and tilting pavements, motorists driving with excessive speed around the bend posed a significant danger to pedestrians.
• Explained that speeding motorist had resulted in driving into electrical junction box (the green cabinet) on the corner of Fore Street and into residents’ garden walls.

Councillor Bruce Baker attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor and made the following Points:

• Advised that this issue had been discussed in the past and there had been a considerable amount of objection about installing a roundabout (as part of the proposal for a new access road to the former Minister of Defence site(MOD)); which was considered would solve the problem.
• That it was concluded that the ‘knock on’ effect of installing a roundabout would be horrendous.
• Explained that it had been proposed to install two sets of traffic lights, one controlling the traffic to the new RAF Eastcote estate and the other at the junction of Fore Street.   
• Transport for London (TfL) arranged for this new junction to be built (a pelican crossing was also planned, but TfL decided not to go ahead with this).
• Suggested that accident statistics for this area was no higher than other busy junctions in the area.
• Suggested that main problem occurred during peak times and would use Wentworth Drive and Fore Street as a ‘rat run’, which in turn would result in the increase of traffic flow and become a danger to children.
• That drivers being able to easily turn into Fore Street resulted in causing a tail back on Joel Street.
• Requested that a wider consultation be conducted in the whole area to establish what measures would be acceptable to all affected residents.
• Suggested officers and Ward Councillors should consider available options and report suitable options back to residents.
• Suggested that following consultation, if it was established that the new zebra crossing was not working, TfL had indicated that they would install pelican crossing lights instead.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of petitioners and responded to the points raise.

• It was noted that as a result of the proposal in 1991 to put a roundabout for a new access road to the former MOD site, vehicular movements in High Road Eastcote had been affected.
• Appreciated that there had been a number of accidents in the area, and stated that the Council was obliged to look at the road statistics reported by the Police.
• Advised that two lights had been proposed for the zebra crossing.
• That the developer of the former MOD site had agreed to install two Vehicle Activated signs (VAS) (which flashed up if motorist went over the speed limit) in the area, which would remain in place permanently.
• Did not consider that a roundabout would be suitable for this area, as the aim was to try and avoid any proposal that would result in increasing traffic in the area.
• Suggested that options for some form of traffic calming measures would be devised for the area.
• Advised that an additional recommendation would be added to instruct officers to look at the current signage in the area and, if additional signage was required, to report back for inclusion in the Council’s Road Traffic Programme.

Resolved - That the Cabinet member:

·        Met with the petitioners to discuss in greater detail their concerns with road safety at the junction of High Road Eastcote and Fore Street.

·        Subject to (1), asked officers to place this request on the Council’s Road Safety Programme for subsequent investigation and the development of possible options. 

·        Subject to (1), instructed officers to liaise with the Police and local Safer Neighbourhoods teams to investigate and, if appropriate, undertake some local enforcement.

·        Instructed officers to look at the current signage in the area and, if additional signage was required, to report back for inclusion in the Council’s Road Traffic Programme.

Reasons for recommendation

The Petition Hearing will provide an extremely valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners of their concerns and suggestions.

Alternative options considered / risk management

These can be discussed in greater detail with petitioners.