Agenda item - Items referred from Council

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Agenda item

Items referred from Council

To consider the following matters referred from the Full Council meeting held on 6 April 2017:

 

(a)          Petitions:

 

(i)            A259 South Coast Road

 

(ii)          Surrey Street Traffic Alleviation

 

(iii)         Bus Shelter, Hazeldene Meads

 

(iv)         Reclaim our amenity space

Minutes:

(a)          PETITIONS

 

(i)           A259 South Coast Road

 

6.1         The Committee considered a petition referred from the Full Council meeting of 6 April 2017 and signed by 5188 people requesting the council, alongside East Sussex County Council and Lewes District Council, to carry out a joint traffic evaluation study on the A259 South Coast Road between Newhaven and Brighton Marina as well as carrying out an economic impact study of the detrimental effects caused by traffic congestion on the A259 on the local economy for this area as well as air quality studies. Once the results of these studies have been reviewed, that the councils clearly identify what new physical road infrastructure improvements will be required to meet any identified capacity shortfall, along with a schedule of works for when those improvements will need to be implemented before any further development takes place.  

 

6.2         The Chair provided the following response:

 

Thank you for your petition to this committee on behalf of SAFE and the people who have signed it. As you know, we received the petition and debated it at our Full Council meeting in April, and the summary of that debate can be found in today’s agenda.

In that debate, I did refer to the transport and planning studies that have already been done, and the ongoing, local monitoring and reporting of air quality within the area that you are concerned about.

To summarise for the members of the public attending today’s meeting:-

-       those studies have not concluded that significant, new transport infrastructure is required to address future, planned growth; and

-        the monitoring is showing improvements in air quality in Rottingdean High Street and we have also approved funding for a local scheme to manage traffic flows there, through dialogue with the Parish Council and local councillors.

 

I also outlined the significant success of the existing priority lanes on the A259 in terms of increased bus passenger numbers and service frequencies that are in use, and would add that they also benefit other public transport users such as taxi and coach passengers.

In my view, therefore, there appears to be sufficient ongoing research and results involving all these councils to indicate what each council needs to know to be able to plan in a strategic and cross-border manner, co-operating at both a Strategic Planning level and with respect to Transport Planning and this information is regularly added to. This information is used when considering any changes or improvements to the sub-regional transport infrastructure such as the A259. This council's Strategic Transport Assessment was produced to support our City Plan Part 1 and the technical modelling used was validated using nationally recognised and recommended techniques. The data collected and put through the modelling process for the STA also included traffic growth factors to 2030 and allowed for local growth, again using nationally recognised estimating methods. An examination in public was held on the City Plan and its supporting documentation. The Planning Inspector concluded that it was sound. When preparing their own Local Plans, our neighbouring council's would have undertaken a similar process, so this information has been gathered.

I am aware that your petition has been received by our neighbouring councils to the east and that the progress of the petition is that,

-       The District Council will discuss it either at a full council meeting or an appropriate committee and

-        The County Council may be preparing a response for its next Lead Member Meeting in the Autumn.

 

Therefore, at this stage, we are not yet aware of the views or discussions that our neighbouring councils may have. However, I am sure that your petition will have raised a greater awareness of these issues and I know that, for example, the main local bus company is looking at the possibility of increased services connecting with the A259 that will help to relieve the pressure in that area”.

 

6.3         Councillor West stated that the Committee should respect the views of residents and Members should be made fully aware of the current position and what more could be done. Councillor West added that there was sufficient concern from residents that when the information became available from the partner authorities, the committee should receive an officer report.

 

6.4         Councillor Wares agreed with the observation made by Councillor West noting that a more considered view would be available once the partner authorities had provided input. When the council received that information that would be the time to prompt informed dialogue and take decisions.

 

6.5         The Chair stated that it was the intention that the committee would receive a report once all information was known.

 

6.6         RESOLVED- That the Committee note the petition.

 

(ii)          Surrey Street Traffic Alleviation

 

6.7         The Committee considered a petition referred from the Full Council meeting of 6 April 2017 and signed by 83 people requesting the council address congestion by taxi traffic on Surrey Street and surrounding roads with use of Double Red Lines and increased CCTV coverage to assist enforcement.

 

6.8         The petitioner was unable to attend the meeting in person. The following reply was read by the Chair and the meeting and provided in writing:

 

“I am very much aware of the issues regarding the impact on residents of Surrey Street as a result of taxis queuing to access the rank in Brighton Station and shortly after forming administration of the Council, moved very quickly to set up meeting with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), with the bus companies, with the taxi representatives as well as Highways officers to look to see how we could address this unfortunate consequence of the Brighton Station Gateway Scheme.

GTR is responsible for the overall management of Brighton Station and taxis within the station. Please be assured that Officers have been liaising with the managers of GTR in order that agreement can be reached to improve the flow of taxis in and around the station.

In regard to your specific request to introduce double red lines and CCTV, Officers did look at a range of these traffic management options when developing the original Station Gateway proposal but Officers believe the solution now lies in providing taxi access to the rear of the station, thereby reducing the numbers of taxis in Surrey Street and Queens Road.

However, in terms of the rear of the station GTR are the landowners and are central to proving a solution. Very recently, GTR contacted the Council requesting a meeting at which they will update Officers on the progress they are now making in providing better provision and access for taxis in and out of the station. I will ask Officers to contact you with an update once this meeting has taken place”.

 

6.9         Councillor West stated that congestion on Surrey Street had become a citywide issue and was affecting a major transport hub. Councillor West noted that whilst he was pleased to hear that GTR were now less resistant to a rank at the back of Brighton Station, an officer report would give an opportunity for a stronger response.

 

6.10      Councillor West moved a motion to call for an officer report on the matter.

 

6.11      Councillor Littman seconded the motion.

 

6.12      The Chair stated the council were giving through consideration to the issue that was a result of the flawed Gateway Station scheme introduced by the previous administration where the taxi rank should have moved to the back of the station. The Committee had received a Deputation to an earlier meeting where a very detailed response had been given and meetings with all interested partners were continuing. The Chair noted that the land in question was private land and would mean working closely and carefully with GTR. If and when an agreement with GTR was reached, a report would be considered by the Committee by necessity outlining any implications for the council. The Chair stated that it was her preference that officers be allowed to continue the work already in progress rather than be occupied writing reports for the committee.

 

6.13      Councillor Littman stated that the current situation was causing significant distress for local residents. The issue was both long and short term and it was his preference the committee receive a report to understand what measures could be taken.

 

6.14      The Chair put the motion to the vote which failed.

 

6.15      The Chair moved a motion to note the petition that was agreed.

 

6.16      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(iii)         Bus shelter, Hazeldene Meads

 

6.17      The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council on 6 April 2017 signed by 80 people requesting a bus shelter at the southbound Hazeldene Meads bus stop that had been on the waiting list since 2010.

 

6.18      The petitioner was unable to attend the meeting in person. The following reply was read by the Chair and the meeting and provided in writing:

 

“Senior Officers from City Transport, Legal and Procurement have spent much of the last 18 months in very difficult and complex negotiations regarding bus shelter contracts for the city.

I am pleased to say that a positive outcome has been reached and a new contract will be in place by January 2018.

There are approximately 300 requests for new shelters on the current list and this would equate to more than £2 million in expenditure.

Therefore, officers will review and prioritise the request list according to a formal criteria that will be brought to this committee for approval this Autumn.

One the new contract is in place, a realistic programme of new shelter installations can start, based on available resources. Until that time officers will continue to use funding secured through the planning process wherever possible.

I realise that this response is not particularly helpful to you in relation to Hazledeane Meads but felt it important to set out the overall position.

It is the aim of the council to get to a point where every bus stop which has the physical space to accommodate a shelter, has one”.

 

6.19      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(iv)         Reclaim our amenity space

 

6.20      The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council on 6 April 2017 signed by 91 people requesting the council to reinstate the green at the junction of Court Farm Road and Nevil Road to public use and remove the food van directly outside the school that was inappropriate and contrary to local health guidelines.

 

6.21      The petitioner was unable to attend the meeting in person. The following reply was read by the Chair and the meeting and provided in writing:

 

“The Council is not currently registered as the owner of the land. It has made an application to the Land Registry to be registered as the owner based on its maintenance of the land over a number of years.

The Council has considered all the options available to it to remove the van from the site but until it is registered as the owner, is unable to take any further steps.

The Council is in regular contact with the Land Registry and hopes that they will make the decision in the next few weeks. Once the Council is the registered owner it will promptly take legal action to remove the van”.

 

6.22      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

Supporting documents:

 


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