Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting Members present were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last City Strategy Executive Member Decision Session held on 5 October 2010.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last Decision Session – Executive Member for City Strategy, held on 5 October 2010 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme. The Executive Member had also granted one request to speak received from a Council Member details of which are set out under the individual agenda items.

This report advises the Executive Member of the proposed response to receipt of a petition requesting a 20mph zone for Almsford Drive. The petition requests an extension of the existing 20mph zone covering the Danebury Drive area to reduce through traffic attempting to avoid the traffic calming around Carr Infant School.

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees:

i)       That no further action should be taken at the current time in relation to Almsford Drive but that it should be taken forward for consideration against other priorities in 2011/12.

ii)     To await further guidance from the Department for Transport before determining whether it should be progressed as a wider 20mph speed limit or as an extension to the 20mph zone.

REASON:            To progress requests and petitions against agreed criteria to ensure that limited funding is allocated consistently

The Executive Member considered a report prepared in response to a petition requesting the extension of the existing 20mph zone covering the Danebury Drive area. Residents had requested this in order to reduce traffic taking a shortcut to Wheatlands Drive, attempting to avoid the traffic calming around Carr Infant School.

In answer to comments recently received from Cllr Simpson-Laing, Officers confirmed that, unlike Portsmouth, without any city wide mandate on 20mph zones they had to continue to following existing policy. Confirmation that the Ostman Road area did have traffic calming in the form of tables/cushions and that the original petition had requested an extension to the current zone, athough officers were aware that residents may have been referring to a 20mph speed limit instead, hence the reference to both in the report. It was also pointed out that this scheme would be considered against other priorities in the next financial year.

The Executive Member confirmed that as this scheme had relatively low support and in the absence of any accidents, that it would have to be prioritised according to the agreed methodology and not advanced above those schemes already scheduled for implementation.

With this in mind he then considered the following options:

Option one – Agree that an extension to the 20mph zone should not take place during 2010/11 and consider the scheme against other priorities coming forward for delivery during 2011/12. The scheme could be considered through two processes, either as a 20mph zone or as part of a wider 20mph speed limit already requested by residents on adjacent streets.

Option two – Do not agree to delay any consideration of the scheme and agree to proceed with implementation (subject to wider consultation) during 2010/11 and direct officers to halt an existing scheme in order for it to progress.

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees:

i)       That no further action should be taken at the current time in relation to Almsford Drive but that it should be taken forward for consideration against other priorities in 2011/12.

ii)     To await further guidance from the Department for Transport before determining whether it should be progressed as a wider 20mph speed limit or as an extension to the 20mph zone. ^1.

REASON:            To progress requests and petitions against agreed criteria to ensure that limited funding is allocated consistently

To advise the Executive Member of the proposed response to receipt of a petition requesting a 20mph speed limit for Fulford Cross and Danesmead near the Steiner School, the Danesgate and Bridge Centre.

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)Note the relative priority of the petition set out in the table (Annex A) in relation to other petitions and requests received.

ii)No further action being taken at the current time in relation to Fulford Cross and Danesmead but that the streets be considered with others on the list when the resources for 2011/12 are being allocated.

REASON:                  To progress requests and petitions against the agreed criteria and in priority order and to enable those requests that do not comply with key elements of the criteria to be considered through other processes.

Consideration was given to a report, which had been prepared in response to the receipt of a petition requesting a 20mph speed limit for Fulford Cross and Danesmead near the Steiner School and the Danesgate and Bridge Centres.

Officers referred to the previously agreed criteria for prioritising petitions and requests for 20mph speed limits on residential roads in the city. The criteria had specified that petitions would be included in a list of schemes to be prioritised rather than dealt with separately.

The Executive Member confirmed that this scheme could legitimately be moved up the priority table as a section of each road was close to a school. However speeds in the area were generally low and the priority was to deal with those locations where there had been casualties.

With this in mind he considered the following options:

Option one - Agree the prioritisation position for the petition and delay implementation to a future year, subject to funding and await the outcome of the LTP3 consultation before undertaking any further implementation in relation to Fulford Cross and Danesmead.

Option two – Do not agree the current prioritisation but still await the outcome of the LTP3 consultation process.

Option three – Do not agree the current prioritisation and position the petition request higher up the table ahead of other schemes currently planned for delivery during 2010/2011.

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)Note the relative priority of the petition set out in the table (Annex A) in relation to other petitions and requests received.

ii)No further action being taken at the current time in relation to Fulford Cross and Danesmead but that the streets be considered with others on the list when the resources available for 2011/12 are being allocated. ^1.

REASON:                  To progress requests and petitions against the agreed criteria and in priority order and to enable those requests that do not comply with key elements of the criteria to be considered through other processes.

This report reviews the improvement measures undertaken on the A19 Fulford Road corridor, which have generally been well received, but with one significant exception. The report also identifies additional measures that may be required to address other issues identified in the review.

Option 1 - Retain the existing scheme with minor amendments which in effect would be a few additional lane arrows to highlight correct lane usage.

Option 2 - To remove the bus lane and revert back to the previous layout whilst retaining the new northbound cycle lane as shown on the plan in Annex A.

Option 2A -  Similar to Option 2 but with an additional pedestrian refuge island crossing, primarily to cater for crossing movements between the barracks and the supermarkets.

Option 3 - To remove the bus lane and to reallocate the available road space to extend the southbound on-road cycle lane as shown on the plan in Annex C.       

Option 3A - Similar to Option 3 but with continuous cycle lanes in both directions as shown on the plan in Annex D.

A further variation on Option 3 and Option 3A would be to provide an additional pedestrian refuge island, as discussed under Option 2A above. 

RESOLVED:            That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)Note the contents of this report and its annexes.

ii)Implement Option 3A as detailed in the report.

iii)Extend the shared-use facility on the eastern side to the Heslington Lane junction.

iv)Implement At Any Time waiting restrictions on Moorland Road, Derwent Road and St Oswald’s Road in the vicinity of the crossing points.

v)Advertise any traffic orders associated with the proposed improvements and, subject to no objections being received, the order(s) be made.  Any unresolved objections to be referred to the Executive Member for consideration.

vi)Carry out further consultation as appropriate on the above in discussion with the Executive Member and respective ward councillors, and for any contentious issues to be referred back to the Executive Member for consideration.

REASON:                  To address safety issues and improve conditions on these parts of the Fulford Road corridor.

The Executive Member considered a report, which reviewed the improvements undertaken in the following areas on the A19 Fulford Road Corridor:

• Cemetery Road, Hospital Fields Road, Broadway and Heslington Lane junctions -Traffic monitoring cameras and Hospital Fields Road, Broadway and Heslington Lane junctions - new traffic signal controllers and signals
• Cemetery Road and Heslington Lane, pedestrian crossing facilities, on-road cycle lane and shared use off road facilities, bus lanes and retention of key parking facilities.
• Fulford Main Street -provision of a pedestrian refuge island crossing
• Selby Road northbound bus lane
• Naburn -gateways on the B1222

It was reported that the improvement measures had generally been well received other than for one exception. Concerns had been raised about the safety of the section of Fulford Road between Hospital Fields Road and Fulford Cross and as a number of people had called for the removal of the recently installed bus lane.

Officers reported receipt of late representations from Cllr K Aspden and Fulford Parish Council who indicated their support for the recommendations and Option 3A. Cllr Merrett, as Cycling Champion, had also confirmed his support for Option 3A and had asked if Officers could examine the widening of the road, adjacent to the refuge island into the verge, without any significant costs.

The Executive Member referred to six additional representations he had received from the Ward Member, local residents and the CTC since the deadline for representations, which he confirmed he had read.

Councillor D Taylor, as one of the Local Members, referred to the comprehensive Officers report detailing the improvement measures undertaken in the area and to their attendance at a number of Ward Committee meetings. He confirmed that both Local Members supported the majority of improvements made on the corridor which had benefited all users. However he pointed out that the puffin crossing was confusing and that the adjacent viewing panel, which confirmed whether it was safe to cross, could easily be obscured. He questioned whether a high level panel could be added similar to that provided at the Blossom Street crossing. He went onto refer to serious concerns regarding a number of issues set out in paragraph 35 of the report and to several near misses owing to the layout. He concluded by confirming that Options 2/3 or 3A or a variation of these would be acceptable to local residents. He also requested that further consideration should be given to the provision of an additional pedestrian refuge at a later date

Representations were also received from the Cyclists Touring Club, their representative confirmed their in principle support for the scheme and Option 3A, as this provided a continuous cycling route and would assist in preventing gridlock in future years.  Reference was also made to the issue of cyclists turning right at the Maple Grove and Aldi/Iceland junctions and for the need for drivers to allow this manoeuvre to be made safely. He also pointed to advice provided on right turn manoeuvres in the Cycling Handbook.

Officers confirmed that changes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.