Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/144

Contact: Roy Newton, Service Manager – Infrastructure Planning Tel: (01865) 815647

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial) (CMDE5).

The Cabinet Member for the Environment considered proposals for new and replacement bus stops on Reading Road, Henley using section 106 funding and in the light of a public consultation on the proposals.

Mr Murton was a resident in a ground floor flat at Henley Gate directly behind the proposed shelter which would effectively block the only source of light into his property.  His objection was not to do with privacy abut a loss of amenity.  Alternative sites were available and he suggested a site outside the JET garage some 20 yards down the road which was not outside residential properties.

Henley Town Councillor David Silvester spoke on behalf of Lavinia Smith who lived at 89 Reading Road. There were a number of concerns regarding the proposal to site a stop at the junction of Reading Road and Upton Close.  The siting of the stop would seriously impair leftward vision when exiting from the driveway of number 89 making the manoeuvre considerably more dangerous and also from backed up traffic behind buses. There was also a perceived risk from children on bikes.  Moving the stop towards Upton Close would not help. Secondly the siting would have a serious negative effect on the value of the property the amenity of the garden.  He asked the Cabinet Member to consider alternative locations which would not impact so severely on local residences.

Mr Connick advised that although the majority of sites proposed seemed acceptable the southbound sites had created a number of problems.  The Cabinet Member had been petitioned regarding the Upton Close siting and although there might not be adequate space to resite the stop because of adjacent trees further investigations could be carried out to see if that was feasible.  The Quebec Road stop had  already been withdrawn following further investigations which had been carried out on site following objections received. With regard to the Henley Gate siting the flat now occupied by Mr Murton had been vacant at the time of the surveys but it would be possible to resite the stop to the right of the stop pole, which might help meet some of Mr Murton’s concerns bearing in mind there had always been a stop at this site and the current proposal had been made in order to improve what was already there and privacy. A minor objection to the siting at St Marks Road had been resolved.

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 the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed his decision as follows:

(a)       defer a decision on the final siting of the stop adjacent to 89 Reading Road to enable further consideration;

(b)               to relocate the shelter at the Henley Gate stop to the right of the existing bus stop pole.