Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/188

Contact: Aron Wisdom, Transport Planner Tel: (01865) 810454

10.40 am

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy - Highways and Transport (CMDT5).

The Cabinet Member for Transport considered proposals for transport improvements in the Highfield and Old Road area noting further representations made by City Councillor Ruth Wilkinson which had been tabled with the addenda at the meeting.

Mr McKenna referred to the campaign which had been undertaken by residents over many years to address problems experienced from excessive through traffic and speed in the Highfield and Old Road area. That had led to a comprehensive proposal being put forward last June.  However, the removal of key measures such as turning restrictions and speed reduction proposals meant that the scheme had been substantially reduced. This would have a huge detrimental effect and the community were seeking reinstatement of proposals for pinch points and parking revisions in order to reduce traffic speed. He asked why no speed reduction measures were being proposed for the full lengths of Stapleton, Bickerton and Latimer Roads and Lime Walk. The cost of reinstatement would only be £10,000 but the benefits to the community would be considerable.  Community representatives were happy to work with county officers to organise implementation in stages and develop the scheme as funds become available from future developments.

Councillor Darke endorsed Mr McKenna’s comments stressing that residents had felt let down by what was now being put forward and asked that elements of the scheme such as pinch points and parking revisions be reinstated. Local opinion also supported resiting of the proposed crossing point further away from the Stapleton Road junction. He also referred to the dangerous situation on Old Road, particularly the downhill cycle path.  He then advised that the City Council’s Strategic Development Committee would, that evening, be considering the development of Dorset House at the end of Latimer Road which, if approved, could potentially lead to the allocation of some S106 funding towards the county scheme for Highfield.  He enquired that if that was the case could the money be ring fenced in order to progress a more ambitious scheme for this area.

Mr Wisdom confirmed that the current scheme had been a combination of 2 previously separate schemes.  It had not been possible to reach a consensus but it was felt that the revised scheme presented the best available option in the light of the need for the County Council to review spending. It enabled a more strategic approach to be adopted which responded specifically to areas of concern such as accident statistics and displacement of traffic.

Mr Howell, responding to Councillor Darke, confirmed that if S106 funding were made available there could be no guarantee that it would be used specifically on replacing elements in this scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Transport considered it essential to get something in place now and then look to reinforce and develop it at a later date. Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him and the further considerations set out above he agreed as follows:

(a)          to implement the Highfield and Old Road Transport Improvements as shown on Drawing No H&T/A3/0931 and as set out in Annex 3 to the report CMDT5; and

(b)          to authorise that the lengths of footway highlighted in orange in Annex 2 to the report CMDT5 be removed under the powers in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980 and a cycle track constructed under Section 65(1);

(c)           to authorize the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy – Highways & Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, to make a final decision on the scheme elements to be removed from the design in the event that costs needed to be reduced to match the available funding resource.