Agenda item

The report before the Committee detailed a request from businesses of Chesham Close to relocate the recent road closure in Cedar Road to a new position to allow the drivers of larger vehicles to reverse into Chesham Close and sought the recommendation of the Committee whether or not the request moves to public consultation.

The report detailed that an experimental traffic scheme to close Cedar Road to through motor traffic was made permanent, on 14 December 2016, following an Executive Decision (16/137) by the Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services and Community Safety.

Following this decision a request had been received from a number of businesses with access from Chesham Close requesting that the position of the approved closure be relocated further southwest to assist with deliveries to Chesham Close.

The businesses suggested that the relocation of the closure position would allow the drivers of large vehicles to drive past the end of Chesham Close (arriving from North Street) and then reverse into Chesham Close.

Following the request a site meeting was held on 16 March 2017 with representatives from the businesses, the Cabinet Member and staff from the Street Management Service. The meeting covered a range of issues, including the position of the closure.

Officers stated that requests for new schemes not already on the Council’s funded programme were generally added to the monthly “highway schemes requests” report schedule with a standing recommendation that they be rejected because of a lack of funding, although the Committee could otherwise decide to move the request to a “reserved” list.

The report confirmed that works on the Cedar Road closure had not been commenced so there was an opportunity to consult on a new closure location at limited additional cost.

The Committee was asked to consider the request from the businesses’ and then delegate to the Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods to proceed with the consultation with a substantive report brought to the Committee for consideration in the usual way following formal consultation.

During the debate, a Member questioned why the item was being brought back to Committee following a recent committee resolution to proceed with an approved scheme. The Member questioned whether the Committee was now being asked to reverse its original decision following the site meeting.  The Member stated that the whole scheme should be consulted on again.

Officers confirmed that the Committee was only being asked to consider the position of the closure not the principle of the closure itself which had already been decided.

A Member stated that as the businesses were consulted the first time and failed to make representations the request should be rejected.

A Member raised concerns that reversing Lorries into Chesham Close could present dangers. The Member asked for the views of Ward Councillors.

Officers confirmed that two of the three Ward Councillors were supportive of the proposals while one was against the principle of the closure itself.

Officers confirmed that the current position of the closure would prevent an articulated vehicle from reversing into Chesham Close.

A Member asked requested information on the number of deliveries to the business and expressed concern that the residents on the corner could be disturbed.

A Member felt strongly that the request should be rejected because Lorries should not be reversing all the way along Chesham Close.

A Member reiterated that the whole area and scheme be re-consulted, but if the new position was being consulted on, it should be a wider consultation. In reply officers mentioned that the consultation would be limited to the businesses and those directly affected, but anyone could respond to the public notices.

A motion to reject the proposal was tabled but lost by 7 votes to 3.

Following a motion to approve option (b), the Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services and Community Safety that the Assistant Director of Environment proceeds with a public consultation to relocate the existing closure from outside 15a/17a to 21/23 as shown on Drawing QQ031-OF-301.

Members noted that in the event the layout was made permanent, the estimated cost of £3,500 for would be met by the Council’s capital allocation for Minor Highway Improvements.

The vote to recommend the proposal was carried 7 votes to 3.