Agenda item - Pedestrian Crossings Priority List

Report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture (copy attached).

1)           That the Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee approves the priority crossing list and grants permission for Officers to begin implementing the prioritised pedestrian crossing locations where funding has been identified. Where crossing points require higher funding levels these should be acknowledged and identified as part of future work plans

2)           That the Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee authorises officersto construct the prioritised pedestrian crossings for which funding has been identified within the financial year 2016/17, subject to Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) being advertised prior to implementation of crossing points.

30.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that presented the findings of the pedestrian crossing assessments of locations requested up to January 2016 and identified priority crossing points to be delivered over the next 12 months subject to availability of funds.

30.2      Councillor Wares noted the pedestrian priority list detailed on page 103 of the agenda and asked when an assessment of each location was carried out.

30.3      The Transport Planning Officer clarified that assessments were carried out in January and February 2016.

30.4      Councillor Wares noted that there were discrepancies between table on page 98 of the report that listed the top ten priority crossings and the top ten crossing locations listed on the longer list at page 103. Councillor Wares asked if that meant Marine Drive/Rifle Butt Road would be taken as one of the ten locations to be assessed for a crossing thereby replacing Millers Road/Highcroft Villas in that top ten.

30.5      The Transport Planning Officer clarified that Marine Drive/Rifle Butt Road would be a further location taken forward in addition to the ten sites listed on page 98 having been identified by the Road Safety Team and would potentially be a joint funded scheme.

30.6      Councillor Wares noted that assessments were made in January and February 2016 and risks for varying locations could change over six months. Councillor Wares noted that on the table listed on page 103, Winfield Avenue near Carden Avenue scored 12 and of the ten priority sites to be taken forward, the lowest score was 12.5. Councillor Wares noted that regretfully, there had been an accident at Winfield Avenue in the past two weeks. On that basis, its assessment score of 12 would likely be higher and it should therefore be brought into the top ten crossing sites to be taken forward, replacing Millers Road/Highcroft Villas.

30.7      The Chair noted that the Pedestrian Crossing Priority List was an annual report so the incident referred to would be analysed and included in the next report in 2017.

30.8      The Transport Planning Officer confirmed that the assessments were carried out annually and ranked over a three year period and it would be very difficult to be reactive as it would make all locations difficult to compare and prioritise. The current methodology, agreed by the council allowed officers to deliver road safety improvements in a co-ordinated and fair manner to set criteria.

30.9      The Assistant Director, City Transport confirmed that accidents and other factors were examined over a three year period rather than in isolation. Each location was assessed with scientific and technical rigour. Furthermore, it was unlikely that a single accident would be so significant to bring the location in question into the top ten priority listings. The Assistant Director, City Transport added that a comprehensive briefing on the pedestrian crossing assessment process could be provided.

30.10   Councillor Wares stated his disagreement with that analysis and it was clear from the scoring on page 102 that the recent incident at Winfield Avenue would bring the location into the top ten based on the scoring system and current score.

30.11   The Chair stated that Winfield Avenue may well be considered for a pedestrian crossing in 2017 but she was very concerned that a fair, robust, scientific and technical process not be unpicked by committee.

30.12   Councillor Miller noted that some information regarding funding detailed on page 105 was blank and asked how the locations would be funded.

30.13   The Assistant Director, City Transport confirmed that this was because data was missing but all locations had obtained funding or funding was being pursued.

30.14   Councillor Greenbaum noted in the assessment scoring, certain speed limits added a plus mark in terms of safety and asked whether 20mph limits could feasibly determine a minus score as it made roads safer. Councillor Greenbaum noted her support for the comments made by the Chair that it would be inappropriate to review a technical and scientific process on an ad-hoc basis and that it was very important to have a consistent system.

30.15   The Transport Planning Officer clarified that the methodology had been agreed prior to the introduction of 20mph speed limits in the city.

30.16   On behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor Wares moved a motion to include Winfield Avenue in the top ten priority crossing locations for 2016/17, replacing Millers Road/Highcroft Villas.

30.17   The Chair stated that it would be very difficult to move to a vote on the matter as the resource implications were not before the committee and it was likely that every site on the priority list would have to be re-assessed and a revised report returned to committee.

30.18   The Principal Transport Planner noted that the pedestrian crossing priority list was not the only budget that road safety measures could be introduced and the committee had previously provided remit to officers to examine Winfield Avenue for the introduction of 20mph and other road safety measures. Once online data for the area for Winfield Avenue had been collected, discussions with stakeholders and ward councillors about possible solutions would commence.

30.19   The Road Safety Projects Officer added that the Safer Routes to Schools also had its own budget and could provide funding for any improvements on Winfield Avenue should that be deemed required. Furthermore, the Road Safety Projects Officer noted that the police report into the recent incident on Winfield Avenue had not yet been received and the final conclusion of their investigation was awaited.

30.20   Councillor Wares stated that he would be withdrawing his motion on the information provided and would welcome a briefing on the matter.

30.21   RESOLVED-

1)            That the Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee approves the priority crossing list and grants permission for Officers to begin implementing the prioritised pedestrian crossing locations where funding has been identified. Where crossing points require higher funding levels these should be acknowledged and identified as part of future work plans

2)            That the Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee authorises officersto construct the prioritised pedestrian crossings for which funding has been identified within the financial year 2016/17, subject to Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) being advertised prior to implementation of crossing points.