Subject: HALIFAX ROAD/SHORE HILL, LITTLEBOROUGH

Subject: HALIFAX ROAD/SHORE HILL, Status: For Decision LITTLEBOROUGH – PROPOSED WAITING RESTRICTIONS: OBJECTION REPORT

Report to : Pennines Township Committee Date: 10 th July 2012

Report of: Service Director – Highways & Author Email: Engineering [email protected]

Author: Colin Crabtree Tel: 01706 924561

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 This report outlines the proposals for waiting restrictions on Halifax Road and Shore Hill that were advertised for public consultation.

1.2 Objections were received to the proposals and the Highways & Engineering Service’s responses to these objections are stated in this report.

1.3 The purpose of this report is to inform he Committee of the proposals so that they can make a decision to approve, reject or alter the restrictions following consideration of the objections and responses.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 That the Committee approve the proposals.

3. MAIN TEXT INCLUDING ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED/ CONSULTATION CARRIED OUT

Background

3.1 Impact Partnership has been commissioned by Pennines Township to promote restrictions at the junction of Halifax Road and Shore Hill following complaints from residents that visibility for drivers exiting Shore Hill is currently very poor due to parked vehicles close its junction with Halifax Road junction.

3.2 The proposed restrictions would prohibit parking at the junctions of Halifax Road with Shore Hill, Durn Street, Egerton Street, West View and Blackstone Edge Old Road to improve visibility for drivers. This would allow for the introduction of parking bays adjacent to no.59 to no.79 Halifax Road and also on the opposite side of the road near to The Rake.

3.3 Halifax Road (A58) is a Principal Road and forms part of the strategic network linking Littleborough with West Yorkshire. 3.4 There have been three recorded accidents with in the immediate area since 2007. All accidents resulted in slight injuries.

Detailed Proposals (see attached plans)

3.5 To amend the Borough of Rochdale (Civil Enforcement of Traffic Contraventions) (Various Streets) (Pennines Township) Order 2008 by inserting the following:-

Schedule No 1.1 No Waiting At Any Time

Durn Street, Littleborough Lakeside Ward n(i) Both sides from its junction with Halifax Road to a point 10 metres north- east of its junction with Halifax Road.

Halifax Road, Littleborough Lakeside Ward n(i) The north-westerly side from a point 15 metres south-west of its junction with Shore Hill to a point 107 metres north-east of its junction with Shore Hill.

n(ii) The north-westerly side from a point 15 metres south-west of its junction with Durn Street to a point 15 metres north-east of its junction with Durn Street.

n(iii) The south-easterly side from a point 15 metres south-west of its junction with Egerton Street to a point 15 metres north-east of its junction with West View.

n(iv) The south-easterly side from its junction with Blackstone Edge Old Road for a distance of 15 metres in a south-westerly direction.

Blackstone Edge Old Road, Littleborough Lakeside Ward n(i) The south side from its junction with Halifax Road for a distance of 9 metres in an easterly direction.

Shore Hill, Littleborough Lakeside Ward n(i) Both sides from its junction with Halifax Road to a point 10 metres north- west of its junction with Halifax Road.

3.6 Revoke that part of the Borough of Rochdale (Civil Enforcement of Traffic Contraventions) (Various Streets) (Pennines Township) Order 2008, as follows:-

Schedule No 2.11 No Waiting, 11am – 11pm

Halifax Road, Littleborough Lakeside Ward The west side from its junction with Shore Hill to a point 107 metres north-east of its junction with Shore Hill.

Alternatives considered

3.7 None

Consultation proposed/undertaken

3.8 Public notices were posted on site and a notice was published in the Rochdale Observer on 7th March 2012 allowing 28 days for written objection.

Objections and Response from Highways & Engineering

3.9 Seven written objections were received from:

• Mr Glyn Thomas, 79 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL • Mrs Smith, 45 Stonehill Drive, Rochdale, OL127JN • Kathy Hamilton, 59 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL • Judith & Lawrence Millward, 77 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL • Mrs Flounders, 71 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL • Carolyn Tansey, 67 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL • Jane Lunney, 65 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

3.10 There was also one letter of support from:

• John Kay, Bent House Cottage, Littleborough, OL15 0JB.

3.11 Mr Kay agrees that the strategic network should be kept clear of obstruction and that the restrictions should be increased to resolve the obstruction between Durn and the railway arches.

3.12 The objections are summarised as follows:

Mr Glyn Thomas, 79 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

Mr Thomas objects to the proposals overall on the following grounds:

• Mr Thomas agrees that visibility is poor when exiting Shore Hill onto Halifax Road and that waiting restrictions on Halifax Road for 15 metres in each direction should be introduced. Mr Thomas feels that the proposed restrictions to the north-east of the junction are excessive and will cause problems for staff and visitors to the care home.

Response of Highways & Engineering

There insufficient carriageway width to allow for parking on both sides of Halifax Road without obstructing traffic flow.

The existing restrictions on the northerly side of Halifax Road prohibit parking 11:00am to 11:00pm. We have had no complaints from users, staff or visitors from the care home that these daytime restrictions have adversely affected them.

It is still possible to load/unload and pick-up/drop-off people on “No Waiting At Any Time restrictions”.

The proposed waiting restrictions on the north-westerly side of Halifax Road allow for parking bays to be located on the south-easterly side.

• Durn Street is more of a track than a road and is not used by traffic. Mr Thomas would be interested to see how yellow lines would be applied.

Response of Highways & Engineering

Durn Street has been included in the scheme as it is public highway and has the same rights as all of the other affected roads in this scheme.

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

• Cars parked on Shore Hill do not restrict visibility when accessing Halifax Road or vice versa and if it is felt that restrictions are needed on Shore Hill then they should be limited to 5 metres to reduce the effect on parking.

Response of Highways & Engineering

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

The above conditions exist at this location and it is the Councils opinion that the restrictions are required to maintain the safety of the highway for all users.

• Mr Thomas points out that the accidents mentioned in the statement of reason were recorded around the junction of Halifax Road and Blackstone Edge Old Road, not Shore Hill.

Response of Highways & Engineering

The scheme covers an area of Halifax Road from Durn Bridge to a point approximately opposite Blackstone Edge Old Road. The recorded accidents occurred within this area and were noted in the statement of reasons.

Mrs Smith, 45 Stonehill Drive, Rochdale, OL127JN

Mrs Smith objects to the proposals overall on the following grounds:

• Mrs Smith’s mother has limited mobility and is a resident of the care home where ‘No Waiting At Any Time’ restrictions are proposed. Mrs Smith is concerned that her mother will not be able to easily walk to her car when she collects her. She currently parks on Halifax Road outside the care home which means her mother has a short distance to walk from the front door.

Response of Highways & Engineering

There insufficient carriageway width to allow for parking on both sides of Halifax Road without obstructing traffic flow.

It is still possible to load/unload and pick-up/drop-off people on “No Waiting At Any Time restrictions”.

The proposed waiting restrictions on the north-westerly side of Halifax Road allow for parking bays to be located on the south-easterly side.

Kathy Hamilton, 59 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

Kathy Hamilton objects to the proposals overall on the following grounds:

• The proposed restrictions to the north-east of the junction are excessive and will cause problems for staff and visitors to the care home.

Response of Highways & Engineering

There insufficient carriageway width to allow for parking on both sides of Halifax Road without obstructing traffic flow.

It is still possible to load/unload and pick-up/drop-off people on “No Waiting At Any Time restrictions”.

The proposed waiting restrictions on the north-westerly side of Halifax Road allow for parking bays to be located on the south-easterly side

• Durn Street is not used by a large amount of vehicles, if at all, and that the restrictions are unnecessary.

Response of Highways & Engineering

Durn Street has been included in the scheme as it is public highway and has the same rights as all of the other affected roads in this scheme.

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

• The waiting restrictions will discourage tourism in Littleborough as visitors park along this stretch of Halifax Road and walk along the Rochdale Canal into Littleborough centre.

Response of Highways & Engineering

The waiting restrictions are allowing the creation of parking bays on both sides of Halifax Road.

• The lack of parked cars will lead to an increase in the speed of traffic from Blackstone Edge.

Response of Highways & Engineering

The speed limit will remain the same and there will be parking bays on both sides of Halifax Road at different point.

Judith & Lawrence Millward, 77 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

• Mr & Mrs Lawrence feel that the proposed restrictions to the north-east of the junction are excessive and will cause problems for staff and visitors to the care home.

Response of Highways & Engineering

There insufficient carriageway width to allow for parking on both sides of Halifax Road without obstructing traffic flow.

It is still possible to load/unload and pick-up/drop-off people on “No Waiting At Any Time restrictions”.

The proposed waiting restrictions on the north-westerly side of Halifax Road allow for parking bays to be located on the south-easterly side.

• Durn Street is a dirt road, is little used and never used for parking and so to extend restrictions into it seems like an over-use of council powers.

Response of Highways & Engineering

Durn Street has been included in the scheme as it is public highway and has the same rights as all of the other affected roads in this scheme.

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

• Limiting parking will lead to disputes between neighbours.

Nobody has the right to park on the public highway and the Council do not have a duty to provide parking on the highway; it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to provide suitable parking facilities.

Mrs Flounders, 71 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

Carolyn Tansey, 67 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

Jane Lunney, 65 Halifax Road, Littleborough, OL15 0HL

The above objectors all submitted identical objections on the following grounds:

• The objectors agree that visibility is poor when exiting Shore Hill onto Halifax Road and that waiting restrictions on Halifax Road for 15 metres in each direction should ne introduced. The objectors feel that the proposed restrictions to the north-east of the junction are excessive and will cause problems for staff and visitors to the care home.

Response of Highways & Engineering

There insufficient carriageway width to allow for parking on both sides of Halifax Road without obstructing traffic flow.

It is still possible to load/unload and pick-up/drop-off people on “No Waiting At Any Time restrictions”.

The proposed waiting restrictions on the north-westerly side of Halifax Road allow for parking bays to be located on the south-easterly side

• The objectors feel that Durn Street is not used by a large amount of vehicles, if at all, and that the restrictions are unnecessary.

Response of Highways & Engineering

Durn Street has been included in the scheme as it is public highway and has the same rights as all of the other affected roads in this scheme.

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

• Although the objectors can see the point of restrictions on Shore Hill, they feel that restricting parking on one side would be sufficient.

Response of Highways & Engineering

The Highway Code states that you should not park opposite or within 10 metres of a junction, near the brow of a hill or on a bend.

The above conditions exist at this location and it is the Councils opinion that the restrictions are required to maintain the safety of the highway for all users.

• The objectors point out that the accidents mentioned in the statement of reason were recorded around the junction of Halifax Road and Blackstone Edge Old Road, not Shore Hill.

Response of Highways & Engineering

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1 None

5. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1 Under the scheme of delegation, if it decided to alter or reject the proposals then the report would be referred to for Cabinet decision as it affects a road of strategic importance.

6. PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

6.1 None

7. CORPORATE AND TOWNSHIP PRIORITIES

7.1 The Pennines Township Plan has set targets for the Township in the coming year.

7.2 Point 17 of the action plan is to work with the Impact Partnership to make improvements to local roads, reduce congestion and increase road safety.

7.3 The proposals meet these priorities by increasing road safety. .

8. RISK ASSESSMENT IMPLICATIONS

8.1 There are no specific risk issues for members to consider arising from this report.