Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to present Members of the Task Group with information received to date for analysis, including a summary of the views received at a public event held on 18^th February 2010.

It also provides information on Key Objective (iii) of the review remit, statistics in relation to cycle usage along Water End and information on questions arising from a public event held on 18^th February 2010.

Members received a report on the information received to date on the Councillor Call for Action relating to traffic issues at the junction of Water End and Clifton Green and Westminster Road and The Avenue.

The information provided in the report included a summary of views received at a public event held on the 18 February 2010. It also included statistics relating to cycle usage along Water End, and responses to questions arising from the public event.

Members focussed their discussions around the new information contained within the report (Annexes C to E of the report refer) and made the following comments:

Annex C & C1 – Public Consultation Event & Written Representations

Members welcomed the views of the public who had attended the event on 18^th February. They also noted the written representations received from those who could not attend. They made the following observations on the information received:

Ø            That the views of the public had remained consistent since the alterations to the junction had been made

Ø            There were constraints on the junction design due to its position within a Conservation Area

Ø            The need for a citywide picture in terms of point closures

Annex C3 – Questions Arising from the Public Event

Officers tabled further information from the Principal Air Quality Strategy Officer in regards to Air Quality statistics for Clifton Green, Westminster Road and The Avenue.

Members considered this information and the responses to the questions arising from the public event and made the following observations:

Ø            Traffic queues could be difficult to model; whilst queues may be longer the delays might be shorter dependent on how the traffic lights were sequenced

Ø            Lessons needed to be learned in relation to modelling  - the possibility of including peripheral roads into master models when planning changes to the layout of road junctions needed to be considered

Ø            Air quality levels had increased in the Water End area, but not significantly more than any other part of the City

Officers said that traffic using Westminster Road and The Avenue as a through route was not a new situation but the impact that the increased volume of traffic had had may not have been accurately predicted.

Officers confirmed that a full year of monitoring cyclists’ use of the area was not yet complete; however an overall evaluation of the scheme was being undertaken and the results of this would be presented to the Executive Member for City Strategy at a forthcoming Decision Session.

Annex D – Consultation Processes for Highway Schemes

Members considered information that compared how the consultation process for two highway schemes had been undertaken, namely the Water End scheme and the A19 Fulford Multi Modal Corridor Improvement Scheme.

Officers circulated examples of various consultation documents sent to residents for each of the schemes. Further discussion between Officers and the Task Group highlighted the following points:

Ø            The consultation process for the Fulford Road Scheme appeared to be more thorough than that for the Water End Scheme

Ø            Approximately 4700 homes were sent the consultation documents for the Fulford Road Scheme. Approximately 25 homes in Westminster Road were consulted on the Water End scheme

Ø            Consultation for the Water End scheme appeared to be rushed (as did the implementation of the scheme)

Ø            Enough views were received back from the Fulford Road Consultation to judge what the representative views were

Ø            Consultation was pitched to each individual scheme, hence some of the differences between the detail in the documentation sent to residents for each of the schemes under discussion

Ø            A previous citywide consultation had highlighted the Water End area as one that needed improved cycling provision

Annex E – Trial Highway Schemes

Officers had prepared a briefing note for Members consideration on

trialling highway schemes. Discussion between the Task Group and Officers highlighted the following points:

Ø      Some of the features used for a trial scheme could take up more road space than the original proposed alterations.

Ø      That any temporary road measures would need constant maintenance.

Ø      There could be an opportunity for changing the phasing of the traffic signal timings, but that the process of this could be complex and may require more up to date equipment then the Council currently had.

Ø      The Council would have to finance any temporary road schemes, whereas a permanent road scheme would be paid for using money from the Local Transport Plan Grant.

Ø      Members of the Task Group felt that it would not be difficult to change the phasing of traffic lights, and it would be fairly simple to cordon off a portion of the road to make a temporary cycle lane

Ø      Whether it would be possible to install a temporary point closure at either Westminster Road or The Avenue

In light of the above discussions the Task Group requested the following further information from Officers for their meeting scheduled for 14^th April 2010

Ø            The impact that a point closure at either Westminster Road or The Avenue would have on the main highway

Ø            Off peak traffic flow data across Clifton Bridge

Ø            Any further available information arising from the ongoing evaluation of the scheme

RESOLVED:           (i)           That the report be noted.

                                (ii)            That the further information requested above and the Draft Final Report be presented for consideration at the next meeting of the Task Group on the 14 April 2010.

REASON:                              In order to address the concerns raised by residents and Members and to progress this review.