Agenda item

Report attached

The report before the committee detailed the outcome of a consultation on the provision of pedestrian improvements in Harwood Hall Lane, outside the Oakfields Montessori School, Upminster.

The school has a narrow gate in its perimeter wall opposite the exit to the Corbets Tey School. This position was ideally placed for use as a pedestrian access. It would require widening and creation of a footpath within the school grounds. If the highway proposals were not approved, the school would lose its funding for the pedestrian route within its grounds.

The report explained that the highway verge outside the school gate was less than 1 metre wide and totally inadequate for a footway. In order to create an area large enough to accommodate pedestrians waiting to cross the road, it was proposed to build out the footway into the carriageway, opposite the exit from Corbets Tey School.

This would double as a continuation of the traffic calming pinch point to the west, but with reversed priorities, requiring west bound traffic leaving Upminster to give way to opposing traffic.

This pedestrian facility could be used by both schools when they had a critical incident evacuation, a drill for which they took place once a year when one school evacuated to the other.

Appendix B of the report detailed a summary of responses received at the close of the consultation. Apart from ward councillors and the schools, all other respondents were parents of Oakfields Montessori School who were all in favour of the proposal. Many commented that they currently take the risk and walk to school and would benefit from the proposals. Other comments indicated that it would also enable children in year six to walk to school independently, preparing them for secondary school.

The Head Teacher of Corbets Tey School accepted the benefits the scheme would bring to the schools, pedestrians and as regards traffic calming. She commented however that the large Havering coaches that drop off and collect children at the school would have difficulty exiting their site. Subsequently, adjustment was made to accommodate left-turning coaches from Corbets Tey School. This would result in the coach drivers being better able to see westbound traffic that might be on the ‘wrong’ side of the road passing the new build out.

Any further alteration to any of the proposal would be borne out during the detailed design stage.

The ward Councillors, although in favour of pedestrian safety improvements, objected to the proposal on the grounds that it might be confusing to drivers to have a mix of driver priorities. They were also concerned that the crossing may not be well used by the school parents but this was not reflected in the parent responses received.

Officers considered that the location of the proposed build out had good visibility on both approaches, west bound traffic would have just left the pinch point where it would have to slow down or stop and east bound traffic had excellent forward visibility.

With its agreement Councillor Linda Hawthorn addressed the Committee. Councillor Hawthorn explained that she was speaking on behalf of the Upminster ward councillors and that they supported the principle of a walking route to the school, but had concerns that drivers would be confused with the priority working arrangements, although the positive responses from the parents had made ward members more positive about the scheme.

During general debate Members of the Committee discussed:

the length and width of coaches, raising concern over the ability of a coach to make the exit from Corbets Tey School with the proposed build-out in place;

the safety of motorcyclists where a coach was committed to a turn;

the need for the build out to be so wide;

concerns over traffic competing to beat each other through the restriction;

alternatives to the proposed scheme such as the construction of a 1 meter wide footway on same side of the road as Oakfields School;

A Member also raised concern about the build-out area, specifically that it would create a situation whereby drivers tried to beat each other through the restriction.

Officers explained that the service could not design a 1 metre wide footway as it was a very substandard width,1.5m was recognised as a minimum. It was explained to the Committee that a narrow footway on a street with a known speeding issue would put pedestrians at risk.

Officers explained that the build-out was needed to give space for pedestrians waiting to cross to the Corbets Tey School side of the road and that this scheme was the only realistic way of allowing pedestrians to cross safely.

A Member raised concerns over school children congregating in the vicinity of the build-out. A Member suggested that the pinch point be moved further back. Another Member  suggested that the school could make space available within its site boundary to provide a waiting area for children to cross from the road.

The Committee was informed that that there was a planning application pending for a new car park for Oakfields and that they might be putting in a new entrance.

In reply officers informed the Committee that they were aware of work to create a new vehicle entrance for Corbets Tey School, were not aware of any at the Oakfields site.

Other Member views were that the school entrance could be put in a concealed location and that a controlled crossing could replace the build-out

In reply officers explained that the gate location was at the edge of the school site and could not go further towards Corbets Tey Road and that the build out allowed pedestrians to see and be seen. Officers suggested that this was a poor location for the installation of a controlled crossing. 

Following the debate, Councillor Kelly proposed a motion that the scheme be deferred for officers to check the planning position and to review scheme in light of Members comments f this was seconded by Councillor Breading.

This was AGREED by 8 votes in favour to 1 abstention.