Agenda and minutes

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

No interest was disclosed at the meeting.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 January 2018, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 January 2018 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The report before the Committee updated Members on funding cuts announced to the 2018/19 Local Implementation Plan and how the Council would change it’s 2018/19 Delivery Plan to take into account the cut in the funding.

Havering’s LIP submission for 2018/19 LIP was submitted to Transport for London (TFL) in October 2017 as required by TfL Guidelines.

As a result of Transport for London undertaking a transformation and looking at reducing its operating costs. TfL have written to all London Boroughs to set out the direct implications on borough LIP allocations.

The report informed the Committee that Havering’s 2018/19 LIP settlement for ‘corridors’ would be cut from £2.247m to £1.9182m for 2018/19 financial year. The figure represented a cut in LIP Corridors funding to the borough by £0.329m about (15%).

Havering had been requested to reprofile its funding submissions in order to accommodate the revised funding allocations.

Following a meeting attended by the Deputy Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety, the deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety and officers to review Havering’s original submission and to discuss how to accommodate the reductions in funding, the following outcome was reached:

·         Given the cut in Havering’s Corridors Funding of around 15%, it was considered that the fairest and most equitable way of reprofiling the programme was to reduce the budgets of most of the schemes by 15%. Thereby allowing for the vast majority of the proposed Corridors programme to still be progressed;

·         Exceptions to the 15% cut were made to safety related, multi-year schemes and staff resourcing;

·         £0.1m Local Transport Funding would be retained for “patching work” on the Principal Road Network;

·         Two schemes that were put forward to the Committee; Wood Lane  speed reduction scheme and a speed table at the junction of Alma Avenue and Standen Avenue were to be taken out from the main submission and placed in the reserve list, with priority given to both of them for the 2019/20 LIP Submission.

The Committee was informed that the changes to the programme would be made via an Executive Decision signed by Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety in line with the signing off of the original submission to TfL.

During the debate, a Member expressed his concerns over the removal of the Wood Lane scheme from the submission. The Member sought clarification from officers for the reasons for the removal of the scheme.  For clarification officers confirmed that the reduction to funding was out of the Councils control; that all programmes had a 15% cut other than casualty-reduction schemes and staff-related projects; that the Alma Avenue/ Standen Avenue scheme was put back on the reserve list with priority given to the implementation of both schemes for the 2019/20 LIP Submission.

A Member questioned why the revised LIP submission list was not presented to the Committee for further consideration. In response officers explained that the original list was not discussed by the Members of the committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 160.

The report before the Committee detailed the responses to a statutory consultation for a proposed Bus Gate in St. Clements Avenue, Kings Park Harold Wood between Elderberry Close and Scot Spine Lane where access would be limited to local buses, refuse vehicles, emergency vehicles and cycles only. The proposal to be implemented was to satisfy the requirements of Condition 30 of the planning consent ref. P0702.08.

Following the introduction of the item a Member suggested that it should be deferred in order to allow a site visit by members of the Committee.

Another Member stated that a deferral was required for further clarification / information on the following:

• the bus route, and position of bus stops, specifically in relation to the polyclinic site;  the bus service time-table or frequency;
• the position and effect of the bus gate

Following the debate, the Committee RESOLVED to defer the proposal.

The voting to defer with the scheme was 10 in favour and 1 abstention.

The report before the Committee detailed the responses to the public advertisement of proposed banned right turns into and out of a supermarket site development at 31 High Street, Hornchurch. The bans were sought in pursuance of a condition of the site’s planning consent.

The Committee was informed of a late letter addressed to the Chairman. The content of the letter outlined an objection to the planning consent for the development and did not relate to the matters now before the committee for consideration. 

With its agreement Councillors John Wood and Reg Witney addressed the Committee.

Councillor Wood stated that ward councillors felt the original decision of the Regulatory Services Committee to ban the right turns was a good idea, but on reflection, there were now concerns. Councillor Wood had concerns that the new layout could confuse car users and undermine highway safety. Councillor Wood stated that ward councillors wanted the matter deferred and for the traffic issues to be reviewed once the store was opened.

In response, officers reiterated that the issue raised was embedded in the planning consent for the development at the site.

Councillor Witney stated that the way forward in planning terms would be for Lidl to submit a planning application to remove the condition.

During the debate, a Member indicated that engineers working for the store were of the opinion that the ban on right turns was not required.

Another Member sought clarification on how the right turns would be prevented. The Committee was informed that the proposals would be enforced through a combination of physical layout and signage.

During the debate members considered uses of different signage and considered the pros and cons of alternative schemes such as the construction of a mini-roundabout or signalled entry to the new store.

A Member reminded the Committee of a similar situation at the KFC site at Gallows Corner which led to an increase in traffic issues following its opening but over time the issues were resolved. The Member accepted that the proposals should be implemented and was of the opinion that any issues would resolve themselves over time.

A Member suggested that the scheme should be rejected as drivers would look to avoid the ban on right turns undermining highway safety.

Officers reiterated the view of the Highways services that the scheme should be implemented as it was a condition of a planning consent.

Following the debate, the Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the banned right turns set out in the report and shown on drawing 16/0705/SK04B be implemented.

Members noted that the estimated cost of £0.002m for implementation would be met by the developer of 31 High Street, Hornchurch, through fees secured with an agreement made under S278 of the Highways Act 1980.

Members also noted that the banned right turns set out in the report would be enforced by the Council.

The voting to proceed with the scheme was 8 in favour of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.

The report before the Committee detailed responses to a consultation for the addition of an X-crossing pedestrian stage at the signalised A124 Upminster Road/ Hacton Lane/ Wingletye Lane junction.

The report informed the Committee that following a wideconsultation, 59 responses were received. 1 response was received from a Councillor, 23 responses were in full support of the scheme, 10 responses were in partial support for the scheme and 25 responses objected to the proposals. All comments received were summarised in the appendix to the report.

It was noted that the network performance team at Transport for London (TFL) had some concerns with the X-crossing arrangements, specifically the pedestrian crossing and the associated clearance time with the diagonal crossings. The performance team also had concern with the bus travel times through the junction but however noted the current lack of pedestrian crossing assistance at the junction.

The Committee noted from the report that TfL estimated that the introduction of a third stage for pedestrians could increase traffic delay by approximately 20%, however given that the site was within the wider SCOOT network, TFL would be able to mitigate the operation with a thorough timing review and fine-tuning the SCOOT operation.

Officers were of the view that the objectives of the scheme and the needs of pedestrians, the issues raised through the public consultation process and the advice of Transport for London, that a third pedestrian stage be implemented as shown on diagram  QQ025-DC-FS-GA-100-REV1 of the report.

During the debate, a Member commended officers for developing the scheme. The member stated that there was a sheltered residence on Hacton Lane and residents found it very difficult to cross the road at the junction. The Member did raise a concern over car users diverting to adjacent streets to avoid the junction.

In response the Committee was informed that if the scheme was agreed, officers would monitor adjacent areas to determine if there was any traffic reassignment and propose mitigation should it be considered necessary.

In response to a Member enquiry, officers stated that the pedestrian function of the light system would operate on a demand basis with a push-button.

A Member sought clarification if the light at the 6^th Form College had a push button crossing and questioned whether it needed. The Committee was informed that a push-button crossing existed at the crossing.

Following the debate, the Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the addition of a pedestrian crossing stage (with green man crossings on all arms) be added at the existing A124 Upminster Road/ Hacton Lane/ Wingletye Lane signalised junction as shown on drawing QQ025-DC-FS-GA-100-REV1 to be implemented.

That it be noted that the implication of Recommendation 1 is that the diagonal X-crossing elements of the scheme are abandoned.

Members noted that the estimated cost of £0.115m for implementation would be met by Transport for London through the 2017/18 (£0.090m) and 2018/19 (0.025m) Local Implementation Plan allocations for the A124/  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163.

The Committee considered the report and without debate RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the St. Andrews Avenue parking zone proceed to formal consultation as a ‘Permit Holders Past this Point’ Scheme operational Monday to Friday between 09:30 hours and11:00 hours and 14:00 hours and 15:30 hours.

·               That Members note that all existing ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions (double yellow lines) within the St. Andrews Avenue parking zone would be retained for junction protection.

·               Members noted that the estimated cost of the fully implemented proposals, including all physical measures and advertising costs, should a scheme be implemented was £0.01m and would be met through a virement from the revenue budget A24650 to capital(A2017), as there were no funds within the capital budget to fund the project.