Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2022/136

Contact: Ryan Moore , Senior Engineer, Road Agreements Team, 07557 082568

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM18).

NB Additional documentation Annex 5: Copy of Unilateral Undertaking is published separately as a Supplementary Document.

This report presents responses received to a consultation on a proposed 30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures on the A4155 at Shiplake.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to

approve:

a)       The proposed 30mph speed limit in place of the current 40mph speed Limit

b)       The following proposed traffic calming measures:

•         Visual road narrowing achieved using white lining and coloured textured surfacing at one new location south of the development entrance

•         Renewal of existing red coloured textured surfacing area.

•         A new vehicle activated sign (VAS)

•         ‘SLOW’ road markings

•         30mph roundel on the carriageway

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management APPROVED:

a)    The proposed 30mph speed limit in place of the current 40mph speed                Limit

b)    The following proposed traffic calming measures:

·       Visual road narrowing achieved using white lining and coloured textured surfacing at one new location south of the development entrance

·       Renewal of existing red coloured textured surfacing area.

·       A new vehicle activated sign (VAS)

·       ‘SLOW’ road markings

·       30mph roundel on the carriageway

The Cabinet Member received a report presenting responses received to a consultation on a proposed 30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures on the A4155 at Shiplake.

Before considering the report the Cabinet Member agreed to hear speakers.

Councillor David Bartholomew, Sonning Common, stated that the speed limit had been 30 mph previously but was largely ignored and led to tailgating.  The Parish Council asked for it to be raised to 40 mph which was implemented in 2019.  When the planning application for the retirement village was considered, Council officers agreed 40 mph was safe.  No reason has been given for the Council’s change of mind on this.  He asked for a decision to be deferred until proper consideration could be given to the response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request submitted by Shiplake Parish Council.

Parish Councillor David Pheasant stated that he had travelled the stretch of road in question with a Council officer who had agreed that 40mph was safe.  Scant information had been provided to justify the Council’s change of mind.  The FoI request from the Parish Council had not been responded to within the statutory deadline and they did not have enough time to consider it.  He called on the Cabinet Member to reject the proposal.

Councillor Gant responded that he had deferred the item from the last meeting to clarify some points that arose in the discussion.  When the Parish Council asked for a 40mph limit, the County Council decided not to oppose.

His understanding was that the Council officers’ opinion had been that 30 or 40mph were both acceptable.  He agreed that 30mph was not a requirement due to the retirement village development but officers were now advising that it would ensure that it would be safer and more pleasant for residents walking to Shiplake village.

With regard to the late response to the FoI request, Councillor Gant had consulted the Monitoring Officer and she was clear that it was not grounds on which to defer a decision.

The recommendation included limited traffic calming measures and he was minded to ask officers to consider including more.  He had considered the responses to the consultation.  There were clearly different opinions and it was his role to decide.  Councillor Gant was satisfied that the issues that led to the deferral had been addressed.

DECISION

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management APPROVED:

a)              The proposed 30mph speed limit in place of the current 40mph speed                Limit

b)              The following proposed traffic calming measures:

·             Visual road narrowing achieved using white lining and coloured textured surfacing at one new location south of the development entrance

·             Renewal of existing red coloured textured surfacing area.

·             A new vehicle activated sign (VAS)

·             ‘SLOW’ road markings

·             30mph roundel on the carriageway

This report presents responses received to a consultation on a proposed 30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures on the A4155 at Shiplake.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management AGREED to defer the item to a future meeting.

The report presented responses received to a consultation on a proposed

30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures on the A4155 at Shiplake to permit safe access including for pedestrians to residential development (a retirement village) adjacent to the A4155 for which consent was granted by the Planning Inspectorate following an appeal by the developers to a decision by South Oxfordshire District Council not to approve the development.

Cllr Andrew Gant invited the speakers to address the meeting (as per Appendix 1 of the minutes) and responded to issues and comments made.

Cllr Gant indicated that this issue needed  a lot of consideration and outlined the history of the proposal and previous decisions that had been made. It was suggested that there was conflicting information and opinions and the evidence to reverse the decision that implemented the 40mph limit was not clear.

The planning and subsequent appeal decisions were outlined and the injury accident data highlighted. Cllr Gant asked about the unilateral undertaking and its legal standing. In response it was explained that this was an agreement between the County Council and the developer but a definitive answer on the status of the document could not be given. It was noted that a response to the Freedom of Information request mentioned had not been forthcoming as yet.

Cllr Gant advised that there were a number of issues outstanding and that he would defer consideration to a future meeting. It was requested that the next report should include information regarding speed data, the visibility splay, reduction of trees, the details of the unilateral undertaking and maps showing the proposed development.

DECISION:

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management AGREED to defer the item to a future meeting.