Agenda item

This report asks Members to consider a Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) submitted by Councillors Scott, Douglas and King in relation to traffic issues at the junction of Water Lane and Clifton Green, Westminster Road, the Avenue and Clifton Green.

Members considered a Councillor Call for Action(CCfA) submitted by Councillors Scott, Douglas and King in relation to traffic issues at the junction of Water Lane and Clifton Green, Westminster Road, The Avenue and Clifton Green.

Members discussed whether all the usual avenues had been explored in relation to resolving the problems at Water Lane, Clifton Green, Westminster Road and The Avenue. Some Members suggested that the Executive Member Decision Session for City Strategy on 1 September 2009 was an opportunity that had not been used fully.  It was noted that a report on the residents’ petitions would go to the Decision Session. In light of this, discussion ensued around whether to concentrate on the problems after this meeting, when a decision would be made.

The Assistant Director for City Development and Transport summarised what he thought were the key components of the problematic traffic issues in the area:

• The reduction of the capacity at the junction
• A local water main bursting
• The speed cushions being removed from Westminster Road due to the work taking place at St Peter’s school
• Media coverage highlighting the area as a potential ‘rat run’.

He added that the traffic should settle down to a stable level approximately three months after the reintroduction of speed cushions on Westminster Road. 

Councillor Holvey moved and Councillor Hyman seconded an amendment to Option A, in that the decision to progress the topic to review should only be taken after the report of the Assistant Director of City Development and Transport had been presented to the Executive Member Decision Session on 1 September 2009.  On being put to the vote this motion was lost.

Councillor Scott moved and Councillor Watson seconded a motion to proceed with the next stage of the CCfA to review the topic as highlighted in Option A.  The original proposal was then voted on and was approved.

Councillor D’Agorne requested that his vote against this was recorded.

Members then agreed to form a task group to undertake the work.  Councillors D’Agorne, Holvey and Potter were nominated to be members of the group, with Councillor Potter taking the position of the Chair.  Councillor Scott expressed a wish to attend the task group meetings as one of the submitters of the CCfA.

Members suggested that the task group work should focus on two strands;

• Immediate solutions for the traffic problems faced by residents in Westminster Road and The Avenue. The task group would initially meet to feed comments to the Executive Member’s report ahead of the Decision Session for City Strategy on 1 September.

• If further improvements could be found in this area and whether any lessons could be learnt to assist in the implementation of further schemes in the city.

RESOLVED:             To progress this topic to review as per Option A.

(i)     That the task group reviewing the topic should be composed of Councillors D’Agorne, Holvey and Potter and that Councillor Potter be appointed as the Chair.

(ii)   That the task group shall meet twice before the next meeting of the Economic and City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee and further meetings to be arranged as required.

REASON:                  In order to address the issues of the recently raised CCfA.