Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to present Members of the Task Group with the further information they had requested. They are also presented with a draft final report and are asked to begin to formulate the recommendations arising from this review.

Members received a report presenting them with a draft final report and the further information that they had requested at the previous meeting of the Task Group on 23 March 2010. This report asked them to formulate recommendations arising from the review.

The further information provided in the report, was attached as a series of annexes. These annexes included; a briefing note providing analysis of the junction, the modelling output of the junction, an update on cycle flow statistics and traffic counts from the area affected. Also provided was a draft final report collating all the information provided and discussion that had taken place throughout the review.

Members focused their discussion around Annexes A, C and F of the report.

Annex A-Briefing Note-Junction Analysis

The Task Group welcomed the briefing note at Annex A to the report. They felt that paragraphs 14 and 15 of this note were particularly pertinent.

Discussion of the note illustrated that point closure would not work due to the physical limits of the junction. If there were to be a point closure this would need to be made in conjunction with a partial reinstatement of the left hand filter lane. The Task Group did not want to lose the cycle lane in order to reinstate the left turn filter lane.

Widening the road could be difficult because of the village green on one side and the cobbled area on the other. Also widening of the road would affect the conservation area around Clifton Green detrimentally.

They requested that this Annex be included in the draft final report.

Annex C- Cycle Flow on Clifton Bridge

The Task Group considered Annex C to the report and again asked for this information to be included in the draft final report.

Officers highlighted difficulties in monitoring cycle usage. They stated that any study must take place at least over a period of a year, due to seasonal fluctuations in results.

Annex F- Draft Final Report

Members discussed the Draft Final Report of the Task Group and reached the following conclusions that Annexes A and C of the agenda and the previously received information on air quality statistics in the vicinity of the junction should be included within the report.

They stated that it was clear that there were exceptional and unique circumstances at Water End.

An email was circulated outlining some findings and possible recommendations arising from the review. These were as follows;

• As a consequence of the Water End highway project, traffic levels in Westminster Road and The Avenue have increased substantially.
• These consequences were unforeseen during the testing of the future traffic flows using the macro traffic model which did not include Westminster Road, The Avenue or other side streets.
• The consequences were also unforeseen by the large number of agencies, councillors and residents who were consulted about the proposals.
• The junction arrangements were undertaken as part of a longstanding, well considered cycleway strategy and funded by the government grant for Cycling City.
• The increased use by cyclists sought has been achieved.
• The delays encountered by other traffic using the junction have not been greatly increased.
• However, the increase in cycle movements and absence of delays has been achieved by the diversion of other traffic by their drivers along Westminster Road/The Avenue route.
• On its own, point closure of Westminster Road/The Avenue would lead to substantial congestion at Water End.

The possible recommendations set out were;

(i)                 The Council’s Officers urgently develop new, comprehensive proposals for the Water End junctions to improve the current junction capacity and reduce greatly traffic flows in Westminster Road/The Avenue.

(ii)               The Council should in future, use traffic models, which incorporate side streets when assessing and designing junction improvements.

(iii)             The present policy of reviewing new highway schemes only after a period of twelve months should be modified to enable a review after three months when unforeseen consequences have arisen and when Ward Members request.

Discussion amongst the Task Group took place regarding the proposed recommendations. Proposed recommendations (ii) and (iii) were agreed and proposed recommendation (i) was agreed with the removal of the word capacity.

RESOLVED:            (i) That subject to minor amendment the following draft recommendations should be included within the draft final report with the deletion of the word capacity in the first of the proposed recommendations.

(ii)               That Annexes A and C of the report dated the 14 April 2010 be included within the Draft Final Report.

(iii)That the Draft Final Report be presented to the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 17 May 2010.