Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/051

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE16).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to provide traffic calming give way layouts on the B4020 at Alvescot put forward by Alvescot Parish Council who have undertaken to fund the project subject to approval being given to proceed with the scheme.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed introduction of traffic calming give way layouts on the B4020 at Alvescot.

Approved

The Cabinet Member considered a report (CMDE16) presenting responses received to a statutory consultation to provide traffic calming give way layouts on the B4020 at Alvescot put forward by Alvescot Parish Council who have undertaken to fund the project subject to approval being given to proceed with the scheme.

The local member Councillor Ted Fenton had submitted the following comments. Not being an expert in traffic management he felt these things seemed to two drawbacks:

1. Some drivers hurried to get through the ‘chicane’ before they had to wait, increasing the danger.

2. Everyone who had to slow down or stop at one of these was therefore automatically accelerating as they moved through them so even though it was from a slower start or even a standstill they were necessarily getting faster when we would prefer that they were slowing down. Some, of course, took their foot “off the gas” as they reached a reasonable speed but he felt   that many didn’t.

He would far prefer to see visible and tactile speed reduction measures such as bright yellow “rumble strips” at the entrance to villages.

Officers advised that the parish council had been advised to do a local informal consultation which they had done and which had received a lot of support.  They had suggested alternatives as part of that consultation.  Chicanes were generally received favourably and were used throughout the county and seen as being more effective than rumble strips, which had maintenance costs due to wearing out.

Noting the objections which had been on the grounds of necessity but also the strong support for a scheme initiated by the parish council and funded by them following a lot of consultation the Cabinet Member having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations made to her at the meeting including confirmation that chicanes had proved to be effective when used elsewhere she confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve the proposed introduction of traffic calming give way layouts on the B4020 at Alvescot.

Signed………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………..