Agenda item - Public Involvement

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Agenda item

Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

 

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions presented by members of the public.

 

(i)        Close Wolstonbury Road off to through traffic

 

(b)          Written Questions: To receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 17 January 2018.

 

(i)            West Hove Parking Scheme- Claire Sheriff

 

(c)          Deputations: To receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 17 January 2018.

 

Minutes:

(a)         PETITIONS

 

(i)            Close Wolstonbury Road off to traffic

 

48.1      The Committee considered a petition signed by 184 people requesting the council permanently close Wolstonbury Road off to traffic to prevent the road being used as a cut-through, to disperse parking by non-residents and to improve safety.

 

48.2      The Chair provided the following  response:

 

“Thank you for coming today to present your petition and for the information that you have sent by email.

As you may know, I met with one of your ward councillors last week, Councillor O’Quinn, along with the council’s Head of Traffic Management to look at the background to the problems you describe and to get an understanding of them. We discussed the problems of HGVs and other traffic taking circuitous routes through the area so as to double-back for deliveries to stores in Dyke Road and the issue of college staff parking and speeding traffic.

Any major change such as a road closure would have to be considered very, very carefully, particularly in relation to the impact of displaced traffic to nearby streets and there would need to be full consultation across the wider area.

Officers are looking into the situation and will make contact with the local stores in relation to the route that their delivery drivers are taking. We will also review the operation of the traffic signals at the BHASVIC junction to ensure their operation is optimised.

Alongside this, the issue of allocations of permit to schools and colleges is being looked at as part of the parking permit review that is due to start shortly.

We are also looking at some areas of the city where further measures may be needed to support the 20mph speed limit, although this budget is very limited. I will ask officers to look into the reported problems in Highdown Road in particular, in relation to speeding.

We will keep in touch with you via your ward councillors as this work progresses”.

 

48.3      Councillor Littman asked for clarification that the proposal was to note the petition.

 

48.4      The Chair clarified that research was being undertaken to consider the immediate short-term problems. A permanent closure would require a wide-ranging consultation and for funding to be identified. Therefore, the proposal at this stage was to note the petition with updates circulated as required and further communication with residents via the ward councillors.

 

48.5      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

 

(b)      Written Questions

 

(i)            West Hove Parking Scheme

 

48.6      Claire Sheriff put the following question:

 

“Why was the second consultation for the West Hove (Area L) worded as a Mon-Sun scheme rather than Mon-Fri (as the latter was voted for by the majority of residents -53%)?”  

 

48.7      The Chair provided the following reply:

 

 “Thank you for your question regarding the West Hove parking scheme which is currently being implemented.

The initial consultation was for approval for a further detailed design and the extent of the area which included various options for hours and days of operation.

The further consultation was undertaken to receive comments on the detailed design including suggested days of operation.

The reasoning for the days of operation (Monday to Sunday) was outlined in a report to this committee in March 2017. The officer recommendation was for a seven day scheme as it was felt that if a five day scheme was introduced it would lead to vehicle displacement at weekends particularly as other schemes nearby are all seven day schemes. Already in the new light touch Hanover parking scheme that operates Monday to Friday we are hearing from some residents about the difficulties parking at weekends due to no restrictions being in place so officer are quite alive to this possibility.

Although the West Hove respondents were originally slightly in favour of a Monday to Friday parking scheme they did have another opportunity to comment on this proposal when the detailed design consultation period was carried out, so they had another chance to think about the days of operation. And following that, the legal Traffic Order was advertised.

In the further consultation 75% of respondents supported the idea of a 7 days residents parking scheme. During the legal Traffic Order consultation period only one comment was received that a five day scheme would be preferred to a seven day scheme. This was reported back to this Committee on the 27th June and 10th October last year where it was agreed to proceed with the parking scheme as a seven day scheme”.

 

48.8      Claire Sheriff put the following supplementary question:

 

“We don't believe there will be a problem with vehicle displacement at the weekends, it’s a quiet area where we live, particularly at weekends with people not parking here to commute to Portslade station. Why can't we have a light touch Mon-Fri scheme such as the one proposed for the Hove Park area?”

 

48.9      The Chair provided the following reply:

 

“At each stage of the process, the results of the consultation came back to committee and we went out to reconsult on detailed designs and residents didn’t have anything taken away, they had a further chance to comment, in terms of the operation of days of the week that they wanted the scheme to cover. This final decision was based on the results that came back to us. I think the best thing to do now is get the agreed scheme up and running and if there are any significant problems with its operation in any area of the scheme, then these can be looked at”

 

(ii)          Controlled Parking Zone S

 

48.10   The question was withdrawn.

 

(d)      Deputations

 

(i)            Proposed 3G at Hove Park

 

48.11   The Committee considered a deputation outlining the benefits of the proposed 3G at Hove Park.

 

48.12   The Chair provided the following  response:

 

“It is really good to receive your views highlighting the positive side of the Councils decision to replace the worn out astro-turf surface with a 3G surface and to look through the range of groups that you think will be interested in using the facility.

We also believe that there will be a good demand for the facility and look forward to liaising with Hove Park Colts over the details of future use.

A contractor has now been appointed and it is hoped work will start on site in early February”

 

48.13   RESOLVED- That the deputation be noted.

Supporting documents:

 


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