Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/044

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director of Community Operations (CMDE6).

The former Nielsen’s office site on the south side of the A40 is being redeveloped for residential use and it is considered advisable on road safety grounds as a result of the revised use of the land to close the existing gap in the central reserve that currently enables vehicles to turn right from the development site to the A40 eastbound carriageway as part of a planned major maintenance scheme in the summer of 2019.

This matter was considered and deferred by the Cabinet Member for Environment at her delegated decisions meeting on 31 May 2019 in response to concerns raised to a statutory consultation on the closure proposal and also raised at that meeting by County Councillor Glynis Phillips and for this matter City and Parish Councillor Roz Smith. 

The 19 May report is attached to the latest report to this meeting at Annex 1.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed closure of the central reserve gap which currently permits the right turn to the A40 eastbound carriageway from the former Nielsen’s office site on the south side of the A40, as advertised.

In response to proposals to redevelop the former Nielsen’s office site on the south side of the A40 it had been considered advisable on road safety grounds as a result of the revised use of the land to close the existing gap in the central reserve that currently enabled vehicles to turn right from the development site to the A40 eastbound carriageway as part of a planned major maintenance scheme in the summer of 2019. The matter had been considered by the Cabinet Member for Environment at her delegated decisions meeting on 31 May 2019 but deferred by her in response to concerns raised both to a statutory consultation on the closure proposal and at that meeting by County Councillor Glynis Phillips and for this matter City and Parish Councillor Roz Smith. Those concerns had centred on the need to consider the matter in the wider context of traffic movements in the area, including the Risinghurst area and delays in progressing an options study for improvements to the A40 in the vicinity of the Collinwood junction, including hazards faced by pedestrians crossing the A40 dual carriageway at the uncontrolled crossing point immediately east of this junction.  The Cabinet Member now considered the matter again in the light of a further report from officers addressing those concerns.

Councillor Phillips accepted that there now seemed little option other than to close the gap but posed three questions.  Would the right turn at the bottom of Collinwood Road be permanently closed;  would the dropped tactile kerbs at the current pedestrian crossing be retained when resurfacing work was carried out and was there any possibility of dedicating some finance for a signalised crossing if favoured by the Skanska report.

Mr Kirkwood confirmed that the right turn would be permanently closed; that tactile kerbing would be retained and regarding dedicating finance for a signalised crossing could give no guarantee for that but officers were aware of the problems there.

Councillor Roz Smith had been unable to attend due to an emergency but had sent in an email that morning to the Cabinet Member with a number of detailed questions mainly seeking information on numbers of additional vehicle movements.  Officers had been unable to provide figures nor best estimates in time for the meeting but at the request of the Cabinet Member would respond to Councillor Smith.

The Cabinet Member accepted the conclusion that there would be no adverse impact on the situation at Collinwood Road and having driven past recently on two occasions remained of the view that closure of the A40 gap as proposed presented the best solution on safety grounds. Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations made to her at the meeting confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve closure of the central reserve gap currently permitting a right turn to the A40 eastbound carriageway from the former Nielsen’s office site on the south side of the A40 as advertised.

Signed………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………