Agenda item

The safer neighbourhood team will give an update on police operations in the area and answer any questions you have.

3.1 PCSO Louise Harness gave an update on the police operations in the ward. Statistics for the ward shows drop of crime below the average over October 2010. A slight increase of crime was recorded in November and beginning of December, mainly due to shoplifting in Tesco. Since the beginning of January the number of offences have reduced.

3.2 Operation plan against anti-social behaviour gave great results last summer and Police will be continuing with the scheme over this year also. The success depends on the local community involvement and cooperation with Police.

3.3 Offenders who are coming from neighbouring wards are tracked by the Police; stop and search is carried out where appropriate. It helps to deter the offenders and prevent the crime.

3.4 Shed and garage alarms along with information leaflets are continually being given out to residents, to educate on how to increase their security.

Residents were given the opportunity to raise questions.

Q – Is there any update regarding speeding issues in the ward? It was discussed during the last meeting, I would like to know if there is any update?

A – Our traffic department is looking at the speeding issues on Tadcaster Road and across the whole ward. Unfortunately the process of tackling those issues is time consuming. We will come back to you with the updates on the next meeting.

Q- There are issues with speeding on Moor Lane as well. Sometimes parents are speeding while lifting their children’s to school. It is very irresponsible and dangerous.

A- This can be monitored but report the issue by submitting 95 Alive forms, which are processed by traffic management and the tasking officers to the area is possible.

Q- There is an issue with traffic lights at the junction of St Helen’s Road and Tadcaster Road. The filter light to turn right into St Helen’s Rd does always seem to function?

A – There are sensors in the road, which activate the filter for traffic lights. It may be that the senor doesn’t always pick up vehicles or that motorists sometime stop in front of where the sensor is placed. The issue will be raised with traffic management.

Cllr Reid followed up this with CYC Transport system team. The explanation was

Right turn arrows of the type found at this location only appear if the junction detects a vehicle wanting to turn right. The junction detects such a vehicle by sensors (loops) in the road. These loops are positioned in the centre of the junction, at a point where right turning traffic should be waiting.

Occasionally, some drivers are not 'enthusiastic' enough, and will not pull forward to the centre of the junction when wishing to turn right. As such, they do not cover the sensor and the junction doesn't detect anything wishing to turn right.

As you state that this is an intermittent problem, I would conclude that my explanation is the likely cause rather than any equipment failure (which would cause a permanent loss of the filter arrow)

Our usual advice in these cases is to inform drivers of the need to position themselves in the appropriate location in the junction. To aid in this, you should be able to see the sensor in the road surface, so aim to be at least as far into the junction as this sensor, ahead of it if possible.

Should the problem persist I can pass it on for investigation of improved road lining, though this is not the most desirable solution.