Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 September 2016, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 September 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

A Member sought clarification on the issue raised by the Fire Service to the proposal to install speed table on Hornchurch Road as it would impact on attendance times. In response Officers informed the Committee that the alternative to traffic calming was speed cameras which the council would be unable to fund and maintain. 

The Committee was informed that the proposed flat-top humps would be “bus friendly” and so should be compatible with the requirements of the Fire Service.

A Member asked if there was any indication that any of the ward councillors had responded to the consultation as the report only mentioned that local Members commented on the scheme.

A Member raised concerns over the policy of installing speed humps on main roads, questioning whether any reviews had been undertaken into the effectiveness of existing humps. The member stated that installing speed humps could have an adverse effect on safety in neighbouring roads (such as the concerns raised by the Fire Service).

Another Member was of the opinion that schemes involving the installation of speed humps had been effective in other parts of the borough. 

Another Member stated that the proposals for Hornchurch Road were needed as part of the scheme was near a school which supported the scheme.

Having considered the proposal and the representation made by the Fire Service, it was RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the safety improvements detailed in the report be implemented as follows:

(a)  Hornchurch Road between Albany Road and Cheviot Road

    (Plan No:QP001-1)

-       Speed table as shown

-       Humped zebra crossing as shown

(b)  Hornchurch Road between Hyland Way and Harrow Drive

    (Plan No:QP001-2)

-       Speed tables (2No.) as shown.

(c)  Hornchurch Road between Elmhurst Drive and Lyndhurst Drive

    (Plan No:QP001-3)

-       Humped zebra crossing as shown

-       Speed table as shown

       (d)        the bus stop clearway, high kerbs area and red block pavement area opposite to St Mary’s Primary School be extended as shown on Plan No:QP001-1. Guardrails would be provided between entry and exit accesses outside the school and

       (e)        the existing traffic island at the zebra crossing along Hornchurch Road outside Nos. 96 and 98 would be retained including humped zebra crossing.

That, it be noted that the estimated costs for the scheme was £85,000, which would be met from the Transport for London’s (TfL) 2016/17 Local Implementation Plan allocation  for Accident Reduction Programme.

The voting was 8 in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention.

bstention.

The report before the Committee detailed responses to a consultation for the provision of a two metre width restriction in Faircross Avenue which had been implemented on an experimental basis and the Committee was now beeing asked to consider whether or not the restriction should be made permanent.

At its meeting in August 2015, the Committee had considered a request for implementation of a width restriction in Faircross Avenue. The request was made by Councillor Best supported by a 62 signature petition from local residents.

Funding had been made available for the implementation of the scheme on an experimental basis in order for the proposal to be tested and for residents and highway users to provide comments on a ‘live’ scheme. The experimental process had been a matter delegated to the then Cabinet Member for Environment.

The report detailed that Staff recommended that a 2 metre (6 feet, 6 inches) width restriction would physically prevent passage of all HGV traffic along Faircross Avenue. The regulations surrounding width restrictions required that the actual space available should be 150 millimetres (6 inches) wider than the posted restriction.

The report informed the Committee that traffic counts were undertaken on Faircross Avenue, Lawns Way and Gobions Avenue at the beginning of February 2016 just before the experiment came into force and late May 2016 when the experiment was in force, so that any issues of traffic reassignment to parallel roads could be ascertained.  A summary of the data was provided as an appendix to the report.

By the close of consultation, 60 responses had been received and summarised in the Appendix to the report. Nine respondents indicated support for the restriction to be made permanent and 48 respondents objected.

A petition signed by 95 people requested that the council take steps to reduce the size and volume of vehicles using Lawns Way which had significantly increased since the installation of the width restriction in Faircross Avenue in February 2016, thus causing increased noise and pollution in their road.

A ward councillor made comment about the temporary road layout and also suggested that a more extensive scheme was needed with a restriction at each end of Faircross Avenue. Havering Cyclists indicated support for the restriction. The Metropolitan Police made no comments, but indicated that other emergency services may have issues.

Those in favour of a permanent width restriction mainly commented that the restriction had dealt with the lorry issue in Faircross Avenue. Other comments detailed that the restriction should be at each end of the street, more signs were suggested and that houses no longer shook. The report summarised other issues in the appendix.

Those objecting to the scheme raised a wide variety of issues. The significant concern was that traffic had reassigned to other streets in the area, especially HGVs and vans. There was concern about speeding; an increase in noise, pollution and vibration in those streets where traffic had been reassigned; the safety of children and other people accessing Lawns Park, that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

The Committee noted that the report had been withdrawn and would not be considered. 

The Committee considered the report and without debate RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions with the individually marked advisory residents parking bays and the placement of signs in the car park at Gabriel Close be implemented as advertised.

Members noted that the estimated cost for the proposals in Gabriel Close as set out in the report was £2000, which would be met from the 2016/17 Minor Parking Schemes budget.

The report before Members outlined the responses received to the informal consultation undertaken with the residents of Fairholme Avenue and recommend further course of action.

OnFebruary 2015, the Committee had agreed in principle to review the parking restrictions in Fairholme Avenue following complaints on the level of parking in the road and the implementation of new waiting restrictions between the junction of Balgores Lane and the property at No.2 Fairholme Avenue.

The responses to a questionnaire and consultation were appended to the report. In officers’ view, the most popular option would be to implement a residents parking scheme, operational from Monday to Saturday 8am to 6.30 pm.  It was noted that the proposed residents parking provision would limit the long term parking issues in Fairholme Avenue and provide residents and their visitors somewhere to park within the restricted period.

As the area was close to the Gidea Park railway station and businesses and restaurants, any agreed scheme would have to be monitored to measure to effects of the new scheme. 

In accordance with the public speaking arrangements the Committee was addressed by an objector. The objector commented that over the last five years there had been a significant increase in the pressure for parking spaces caused by customers of a local  licensed premises . The objector raised concerns over the effect on highway safety and stated that there had been a lack of enforcement..  

During a brief debate Members were informed that it was a convention to include all those potentially affected by a scheme in the consultation process, including businesses; the scheme if implemented would likely result in the creation of a new CPZ.

A number of members stressed the importance of having effective enforcement in the area.

The Committee resolved to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the proposals to introduce a residents parking scheme in Fairholme Avenue, operational Monday to Saturday 8.00am to 6.30pm inclusive be designed and publicly advertised.

That it be noted that the estimated cost of the scheme was £4000, which would be met from the 2016/17 Minor Parking Schemes Budget.

The voting in favour of the proposal was 10 votes to one abstention.

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

The Committee noted the highway scheme proposals on hold for future discussion or seeking funding.

The Committee was informed that all proposals on hold had been put forward as part of the Council’s 2017/18 TfL- funded programme.

Councillor Brian Eagling informed the Committee that following a site visit with Traffic and Parking Officers to the area around Lister Road which identified significant increases in parking he was requesting that Officers be authorised to undertake a review of the Lister Road and the following surrounding roads:

Lister Avenue

Fleming Gardens

Bartholomew Drive

Chadwick Drive

Ormond Close

Whitmore Avenue

Ward Gardens

Mason drive

Nightingale Crescent

The Committee RESOLVED to recommend that Officers undertake an informal consultation of the above stated roads.