Agenda item

Report attached

The Committee considered a report that detailed responses to a consultation for the provision of fully accessible bus stops along Squirrels Heath Lane.

The report informed the Committee that improvements to the bus stop environment such as raising kerbs, relaying footway surfaces, providing short footway links to stops and (in exceptional circumstances) providing pedestrian crossing facilities would help with making bus stops fully accessible to all people.

The introduction of bus stop clearways improves the accessibility of bus stops by providing sufficient space for buses to pull in close to the kerb. It is important with the provision of buses in London that are fully wheelchair accessible, because the benefits of low-floor/ kneeling buses are considerably reduced (if not removed) if the bus cannot positioned next to the kerb.

The proposals for accessibility improvements had been developed for various bus stops along Squirrels Heath Lane as set out in the table.

The report detailed that at the close of consultation on 9 July 2014, seven responses were received as set out in Appendix I to the report.

London Buses and the Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit did not raise any concerns with the proposals. Four residents raised the following concerns in connection with the existing bus stop outside Nos.82 to 88.

·                     Concerns about safety of bus stop position being on a bend,

·                     Difficulties residents have pulling off driveways because of visibility, especially where passengers are standing at the stop,

·                     Concerns that the footway is too narrow for passengers and passing pedestrians,

·                     Parking opposite residents mean that full road width is not available for drivers to overtake buses and residents to safety pull off their driveways,

·                     The bus stop should be removed completely or relocated (sites to the east and west of the current position being suggested).

·                     Concerns about the impact on vehicle access to residents’ properties.

A resident supported the proposals for the existing stop outside Nos.82 to 88, but cited more general concerns with the increase in commuter parking in the local vicinity of the stop proposed for accessibility improvement and the stop opposite which was improved in the previous year.

In officers’ view, the existing bus stop outside Nos.82 to 88 had been in place for many years and although residents had raised concerns about its position in response to the consultation, Staff were content that the layout was reasonable.

The report stated that if the Committee was minded that the stop should be relocated, officers would suggest that moving it towards Ardleigh Green Road (east) would be preferable as it would equalise the distance between the preceding and following stops. It should be noted that the footways to the east are no wider than the current location.

Officers were reluctant to the proposal for the relocation of a bus stop because of the impact on residents not currently affected and likely objections arising, but where accessibility and/or safety was considered better at an alternative location, such an alternative would be explored.

In response to the concerns about access to properties, officers had adjusted the layout in order to accommodate access needs as shown on drawing QN008-OF-A63-B.

In response to the local parking issues, officers recommended that a consultation was taken forward to consider the extension of the existing part time restriction which ends near Hardley Crescent. It was proposed that this restriction be extended to a point just west of the David Lloyd Centre access which would leave the area either side of this bus stop and the one in the opposite direction clear and in order to assist residents in leaving their driveways.

During the general debate Members spoke in relation to recommendation 2 of the report deliberating on whether an all-day restriction was required to deal with the issue of commuter parking.

The Committee considered the report and RESOLVED:

1. To recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the bus stop accessibility improvements set out in the report and shown on the following drawings be implemented:

·         QN008-OF-A60-A

·         QN008-OF-A61-A

·         QN008-OF-A62-A

·         QN008-OF-A63-B

Following a motion to have parking restrictions operational between 12:00 hours and 13:00 hours Monday to Friday the Committee considered the report and RESOLVED:

2. That the Head of Streetcare proceeds with the design and public consultation on proposals to implement a parking restriction from the junction Squirrels Heath Lane and Hardley Crescent to a point east of the access to the David Lloyd Sports Centre access operational between 12:00 hours and 13:00 hours Monday to Friday and that the outcome of the consultation be reported to a future committee meeting.

3.  That it be noted that the estimated cost of £8,500 for implementation would be met by Transport for London through the 2014/15 Local Implementation Plan allocation for Bus Stop Accessibility.