Issue - meetings

This report reviews access and parking issues in narrow streets across the city and proposes a coherent policy to deal with them.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to:

(i)                 Note the content of the report;

(ii)               Approve the decision making process as outlined in Annex 3 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To comply with current Council policy and ensure that the Highway Maintenance Budgets are expended in the most cost effective way whilst at the same time freeing access for vehicular traffic to the road network where streets are equal to or less than 5 metres wide.

Members considered a report which followed on from a report previously considered by Members at the meeting of 15 January 2007, where residents from Langholme Drive, Acomb were calling for highway improvement works in the street to make access and egress of the street easier for vehicular traffic. At this meeting, Members resolved to review access and parking issues in narrow streets across the city and formulate a coherent policy to deal with them.

The report presented four options:

Option 1: Seek residents support to park in a more resident friendly, controlled manner to improve access and egress and reduce damage to grass verges and footways;

Option 2: Introduce a traffic regulation order to limit waiting to sections or the whole of the street and thereby improve access and egress for all;

Option 3: Where there is a grass verge convert it to a hard landscaped area using block paving, eco-blocks, bituminous macadam or similar, to widen the street to at least 5.5 m;

Option 4: Widen the road, on one or both sides depending on the severity and nature of the problem to 5.5 m in residential areas and 7.2 m where there is regular use by HGV’s or buses.

Members discussed the importance of consulting with local residents on any proposals.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to:

(i)                 Note the content of the report;

(ii)               Approve the decision making process as outlined in Annex 3 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To comply with current Council policy and ensure that the Highway Maintenance Budgets are expended in the most cost effective way whilst at the same time freeing access for vehicular traffic to the road network where streets are equal to or less than 5 metres wide.