Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 September 2015, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered the report and without debate RESOLVED:

To recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the installation of a bus gate and an enforcement camera were agreed as follows:

1.         Implementation of a bus gate located at a distance of 85 metres in Oldchurch Rise from the southern kerb line of Oldchurch Road. The gate would permit use in both directions by the following classes of traffic ie  public transport buses, cycles and emergency service vehicles. The proposals were shown in drawing no. QO019-01, attached in appendix 1 of the report.

2.      It was noted that the estimated cost for implementation was £22,000 of which £12,000 would be met by Transport for London through the 2015/16 Local Implementation Plan allocation for improving the reliability of public transport package and a £10,000 contribution provided by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust.

Councillor Mylod was absent during the presentation of the item and did not take part in the vote.

The report before Members set out the responses to consultations for the creation, extension or alteration of taxi ranks in Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster.

Two schemes were considered by the Committee.

One in Collier Row Road, Collier Row and one in Upminster Road, Upminster.

During a brief debate Members discussed the possibility of taxis ranking at night and creating noise and disturbance at the Upminster Road site.

Members also discussed the possible loss of parking bays at the Collier Row site and suggested that the rank might have been better sited in Melville Road. In response officers replied that TfL’s Public Carriage Office were interested in a town centre site as passengers were more likely to be elderly or disabled people who could not easily get to locations further away from the shopping area.

Officers suggested that pay and display parking could be investigated for the Melville Road area which could offset the loss of parking spaces.

Having considered the report and representations it was RESOLVED:

1.            To recommend to the Cabinet member for Environment that the proposals for the taxi ranks set out in the report and shown on the following drawings attached to the report were implemented.

Collier Row Road, Collier Row

QN017/09/01.A

Upminster Road, Upminster

QN017/10/01.B

2.            Noted that the estimated cost of £1,000 for implementation would be met by Transport for London through the Taxi Rank Provision Review.

The Committee considered the report and the representations and without debate RESOLVED to;

1.            Recommend to the Cabinet Member for environment that the implementation of a zigzag marking extension at the existing zebra crossing along Avon Road by Severn Drive as set out in the report and shown on drawing number QO033 be implemented.

2.            Noted that the estimated cost of £1,000 for implementation would be met from the Council’s Revenue Budget for Minor Safety Schemes.

The report before Members set out the responses to a consultation for the provision of fully accessible bus stops on Brentwood Road near the Frances Bardsley Academy and sought a recommendation that the proposals be implemented.

During the debate Members sought clarification on a number of issues including ownership of the footway outside the school and whether it could be widened onto the school site, possible visibility issues for children accessing the proposed arrangements and possibility of installing signalised crossing.

In response officers clarified that the school was unlikely to extend the footway as the Chairman of the Governing Body had cited concerns regarding the proposed arrangements.

Members also noted that zebra crossings were flexible and where there were lots of pedestrians, they could take priority, whereas signals let groups cross and many pupils wouldn’t wait for the next green man signal to cross and would cross the road at their earliest convenience which could prove dangerous.

Following the debate it was RESOLVED that;

1.            To recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the bus stop accessibility improvements near the Frances Bardsley Academy on Brentwood Road as set out in the report and shown on the following drawing (contained within Appendix I) were implemented;

·         QO001-OF-A90&A91-A

2.         Noted that the estimated cost of £15,000 for implementation (all       sites) would be met by Transport for London through the 2015/16 Local          Implementation Plan allocation for Bus Stop Accessibility.

The vote for the resolution to recommend for implementation of the scheme was carried by 9 votes to 1.

Councillor Chapman voted against the resolution for recommendation of the implementation of the scheme.

The report before Members set out the responses to a consultation for the relocation of a bus stop from outside 347 Elm Park Avenue to outside 379-387 Elm Park Avenue, together with making the bus stop fully accessible in the proposed location and sought a recommendation that the proposal be implemented.

During a brief debate Members discussed the re-location of the bus stop and its close proximity to a busy junction and the possible congestion that this could cause.

Members also sought clarification of the Mayor of London accessibility target and in response officers advised that the target was 95% by the end of 2016/17.

Members commented that this particular site might be one that would have to remain in the 5% as there were very few alternatives to what was being proposed.

Following the debate a motion was put forward and seconded that the recommendations in the report be rejected.

It was RESOLVED that;

1.            Recommends to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the bus stop currently outside 347-349 Elm Park Avenue remain in the same location with the addition of a 37 metre bus stop clearway and no footway works to be carried out. As shown in drawing number QN008-OF-A114/2-A.

2.         Noted that the estimated cost of £1,000 for implementation would be met by Transport for London through the 2015/16 Local Implementation Plan allocation for Bus Stop Accessibility.

The Committee is requested to consider the report relating to work in progress and applications - Report attached

The Committee considered a report showing all the new highway scheme requests in order for a decision to be made on whether the scheme should progress or not before resources were expended on detailed design and consultation.

The Committee had considered and agreed in principle the schedule that detailed the applications received by the service.

The Committee’s decisions were noted as against each request and are appended to the minutes.

The Committee is requested to consider the report relating to minor traffic and parking schemes - Report attached

The report before the Committee detailed all Minor Traffic and Parking Scheme application requests in order for a decision to be made on whether the scheme should progress or not before resources were expended on detailed design and consultation.

The Committee had considered and agreed in principle the schedule that detailed the applications received by the service.

The Committee’s decisions were noted as against each request and are appended to the minutes.