Agenda item

Report to follow

The Committee considered a report on the Hornchurch Major scheme. The report outlined proposals for a 20mph Zone, Restricted Parking Zone, various speed tables and changes to pedestrian crossings following the completion of public consultation.

The scheme proposal included the following key features in the area:

·        Better pedestrian environment – removal of barriers to accessibility, including pinch points, inappropriately placed street furniture and aesthetic improvements to surfacing/materials

·        Rationalised pedestrian crossing points – siting pedestrian controlled crossings in more appropriate positions on pedestrian desire lines

·        De-cluttering of the town centre – removing pedestrian guard railing and rationalising signing/lighting onto as few columns as possible, along with the siting of street furniture, trees and lighting into consolidated strips along pavements

·        Better bus waiting areas – creation of fully accessible bus stops, with remodelling to provide space for more buses to stop simultaneously and bus stops to be better integrated into the street

·        Greening of the town centre – the use of street trees throughout the centre along with plants to create a more attractive, pleasant High Street

·        New lighting – renewal of lighting throughout the centre of Hornchurch to create a more efficient, elegant, white light for the highway, pavement and building frontages

·        Way finding and legibility – maps, information boards and pedestrian signing to better connect the centre of Hornchurch and its environs

·        Better provision of social spaces – identifying areas which can provide for social spaces, including seating and planting to allow people to enjoy time within the town centre

·        Signalisation of the North Street and High Street junction –  supporting smoother and more controlled traffic flow through the centre

·        High Street – a radical alteration to the core area of the High Street, with a speed controlled 20mph zone, provision of a continual central pedestrian crossing strip, including surfacing of carriageways to actively slow vehicles, creating a more balanced street, suited to the needs of pedestrians and providing a public realm heart to the town

·        Cycling facilities – a significant step change in cycling provision:

·        High Street from the ‘White Hart’ gyratory to North Street – dedicated on-carriageway cycle lanes

·        High Street from North Street to Billet Lane on-carriageway cycling

·        Town Centre – advance stop lines at traffic light controlled junctions, to allow cyclists to queue ahead of traffic

·        Town Centre – cycle parking provision in the most appropriate parts of the town centre, such as in main shopping areas and adjacent to areas where people congregate, providing additional security

·        Greening the town centre – the use of extensive planting, including street trees, planters with flowers and shrubs, climbing plants and working with local business and residents to encourage them to green their properties, to create a more attractive town centre and more habitat for birds and insects

·        High Street servicing – a single loading bay would be provided off the road to allow for deliveries such as post collection and security van cash collections, there would be no other on-street parking in the town centre, as this was rejected in the pilot public consultation

Following consultation, Staff were of the view that because of the substantial consultation and public engagement throughout the development of the scheme, local businesses and many residents were generally aware of the proposals.

The Committee considered the report and, following debate, RESOLVED:

1.         To recommend to the Cabinet Member for Community Empowerment that the bulk of the Hornchurch Major Scheme including 20mph Zone, Restricted Parking Zone, speed tables and pedestrian crossing changes as detailed in the report and be implemented.

2.         That it be noted that the estimated cost of £1.88m for implementation would be met by Transport for London through the Hornchurch Major Scheme allocation and from the balance of the Regeneration capital programme for Hornchurch.