Agenda item - Public Involvement

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions presented by members of the public to the full Council or at the meeting itself.

 

(i)            Denmark and Vale Road Speeding

 

(b)          Written Questions: To receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 30 September 2014.

 

(i)            Traffic in Poets Corner

 

(ii)          Bakers Bottom controlled parking spaces

 

(c)          Deputations: To receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 30 September 2014.

(a)          Petitions

 

(i)            Denmark and Vale Road speeding

 

29.1      The petitioner was not present at the meeting therefore a formal response was provided in writing as follows:

 

Thank you for your petition regarding speeds in Denmark Road and Vale Road and for raising your concerns. It is extremely important to the monitoring and evaluation of the 20mph limits that we receive feedback from local residents on how they feel their roads have (or have not) changed since the new limits were introduced as this can help target not only monitoring but any remedial or enforcement action that might be needed to support the limits.

Speed surveys undertaken earlier this year (March 2014) show that current average speeds on Vale Road are 20.6 mph.  As such the data does not indicate a need for further physical traffic calming measures, at this location at this time. I appreciate that things may have changed in the area since the last monitoring was undertaken and officers are in the process of undertaking further monitoring on these roads, the results of which will be presented to this committee in November. I also appreciate that the perception of speeds can be just as important as the actual recorded speeds and that this is an important issue in making our streets feel safer and more pleasant and this is something we do factor into our reviews and monitoring of individual streets and areas.

Should it become necessary, the programme does allow and have some budget for, traffic calming measures to be introduced where they are needed most. We are working closely with Sussex Police on the implementation and monitoring of the 20mph limits and we will, this year, be undertaking further promotional and educational work with them that will include road side speed surveys and pulling over drivers who are found to be speeding.

I appreciate that this information may not answer your concerns immediately but I do hope it will reassure you that speed management and the lowering of traffic speeds where people live remains a priority for the council and one which we are working hard with partners, including Sussex Police, to deliver. Monitoring results from the 20mph programme are showing that traffic speeds in the city are reducing and that this is seeing a reduction in the number and severity of collision and casualties but we acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Petitions such as yours are extremely helpful in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the programme in identifying areas of concern and I will ensure that your concerns and your road continue to be reviewed.

 

29.2      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(b)         Written Questions

 

(i)            Traffic in Poets Corner- Alison Donaldson

 

29.3      Alison Donaldson asked the following question:

 

“What recent evidence of traffic volumes is there from Council monitoring of Poet's Corner, and what specific plans are there to discourage rat-running in the area, given planned developments around Hove Station?

 

Some background:

1.    The redesign of the Portland Road - Sackville Road junction has encouraged rat-running (and traffic-light jumping)

2.    20mph limits and humps reduce speed but volumes remain high in peak periods.

3.    The Head of Transport Planning, David Parker, thinks one-way traffic would increase speeds.

4.    Closing off selected streets might help but wasn’t popular in the last traffic calming consultation. Further consultation may be needed”.

 

29.4      The Chair provided the following response:

 

“The Council undertakes traffic monitoring at intervals to determine changes and impacts arising from local development, traffic schemes and traffic growth in general.

With regard to land use development proposals, measures to reduce traffic impacts are usually brought forward in response to specific proposals, since it can be quite some time between applications being submitted and any traffic impacts being realised.  Frequently, development characteristics change as proposals are revised and for this reason the Council’s development control officers liaise with developers over suitable mitigation for affected streets and this is currently the case with developments in the Hove Station area.

As you will be aware, the Council has introduced measures to deter rat-running and reduce speeds in the Poets Corner residential area and the introduction of one-way traffic systems is acknowledged to encourage both of these characteristics. Similarly, the effects of street closures on through-traffic are to increase traffic flows on other roads and reduce permeability through an area.  For these reasons they tend to be unpopular with residents and are not therefore something that officers feel are beneficial in residential areas. 

However, officers are engaging with local residents in the Poets Corner area, over measures to limit traffic use of certain routes, as part of a pilot street management programme and I will also ask them to specifically look into the operation of the traffic signal junction at Portland Road/Sackville Road and determine the effects of any rat-running through surrounding streets as well as traffic-light jumping by drivers and I will ask officers to respond to you directly on these concerns”.

 

(ii)          Bakers Bottom controlled parking spaces- Sally Anne Taylor

 

29.5      Sally Anne Taylor asked the following question:

 

“I live in the basement flat and my only entrance which is street level is situated on Livingstone Street, also on the same side I have 2 below street level windows which one half is above pavement level. Any parking outside these windows has wellbeing and noise related poor effect on my living conditions, and restricts access to my main entrance, due to narrow pavement. I would like council to reconsider the parking plan. The other side of the road doesn’t have these same issues and would create less disruption”

 

29.6      The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your comments.

These matters are being discussed in a report later in the meeting when members of the Committee will decide on the way forward.

However, I would like to assure residents that if a scheme goes ahead, vehicles will not be parking on the pavements anymore and the amount of daylight will hopefully be increased due to this”.

 

(iii)         Area U resident parking scheme extension- Roy Pennington

 

29.7      Roy Pennington asked the following question:

 

“The Council’s controlled parking zone development is piecemeal and apparently confusing to some people (see ETSC Oct 7th 2014 agenda item 35, para 5.28 in the report),  in which light-touch  such as Zone U adjoins full-touch such as the larger Zone C and in both of which there is no waiting list : what financial  costs would there be now to consult and implement a partial transfer of the new extended light-touch Zone U (to consist of Bakers Bottom streets plus Dawson Terrace and Cuthbert Road)  into the current full-touch Zone C?” 

 

29.8      The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your comments.

These matters are being discussed in a report later in the meeting when members of the Committee will decide on the way forward.

As stated in the report the Bakers Bottom area is being proposed as an extension to Area U as it adjoins this parking scheme and it would be confusing to extend it to another zone such as Area C. We would have to re-consult residents in other roads within Area U to become part of Area C instead and this is unlikely to be popular as there are not currently any issues within this zone.

Residents in Area U were consulted in 2010 on whether they would like a full scheme such as Area C and 95% were in favour of retaining the existing light touch Area U scheme. This Included 100% of respondents from Dawson Terrace, 92% of respondents from Cuthbert Road and 82.5% of respondents from Sutherland Road which adjoins the proposed area”.

 

(c)          Deputations

 

(i)            Old Town transport scheme- Olivia Reid

 

29.9      The Committee considered a Deputation that set out a case in support of proposals to close East Street to traffic between the hours of 11am and 7pm.

 

29.10   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your comments and presenting your Deputation all of which the Committee will consider when it comes to discuss the item later in the agenda”

 

29.11   RESOLVED- That the Deputation be noted.

 

(ii)          Church Road, South Portslade traffic and road safety improvements- Rae Powers

 

29.12   The Committee considered a Deputation that set out community consensus and initiatives in support of a crossing location at the junction of St Peters and Church Road.

 

29.13   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you Rae for your continued drive in support of local residents in South Portslade and the parents of children attending the St Peter’s Community Primary School.

As you will note, a report is being brought before today’s Committee for members to deliberate and consider the results of work undertaken by officers and we shall certainly include the comments you have made today in our debate”

 

29.14   RESOVLED- That the Deputation be noted.

 

(iii)         Support for Area J extension- Sarah Smith

 

29.15   The Committee considered a Deputation that urged the approval of the traffic order associated with the implementation of the extension of Area J in the Lewes Road Triangle area.

 

29.16   The Chair provided the following response:

 

"Thank you for your comments. As one of your ward councillors I'm acutely aware of the parking problems faced by the area, and it is very pleasing to see the amount of support received for the parking scheme. This scheme is being discussed in a report later in the meeting when members of the Committee will decide on the way forward”.

29.17   RESOLVED- That the Deputation be noted.

 

(iv)         Old Town proposals- Stuart Wilkie

 

29.18   The Committee considered a Deputation that requested the Committee to reject the proposals for Old Town in their current form.

 

29.19   The Chair provided the following response:

 

“Thank you for your comments and presenting your Deputation all of which the Committee will consider when it comes to discuss the item later in the agenda”.

 

29.20   RESOLVED- That the Deputation be noted.