Transportation Advisory Group
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BOROUGH OF POOLE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP 23RD FEBRUARY 2006 The meeting commenced at 7.00pm and concluded at 10.00pm Present: Councillor Burden (Chairman) Councillors Adams (substituting for Councillor Gillard), Mrs Lavender, Mrs Moore (substituting for Councillor Knight) Mrs Stribley (substituting for Councillor Leverett) Trent, White (substituting for Councillor Gregory) and Miss Wilson. Also attending Councillors Belcham, Mrs Butt, Eades, Mrs Hillman, Matthews, Parker and Rampton Members of the Public present – 16. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gillard, Gregory, Knight and Leverett (with the above substitutions). 2. MINUTES RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 8th December 2005 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. 3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Adams declared a personal interest in Item 4 as his daughter was a user of the Fourways Day Centre. Councillor Mrs Lavender declared a personal interest in Item 6 as a Ward Member. The Chairman declared a personal interest in Item 7 as a Ward Member. Councillor Mrs Moore declared a personal interest in Item 8 as a Ward Member. 1 4. PETITION FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THE SHAH OF PERSIA Steve Tite, Transportation Services, presented a report which considered a petition from the Poole Forum for people with learning difficulties for the provision of pedestrian crossing facilities at the Shah of Persia traffic signal junction referred from Council on 25th October 2005. The Petition had been co-ordinated by Poole Forum, which was a self-advocacy charity for people with learning difficulties. They were concerned that users of the Seaview Day Centre in Croft Road who wanted to travel independently on foot had to be transported by Social Services because of the risks associated with crossing at the Shah of Persia. Similarly, concerns had also been expressed in the past by users of the Fourways Day Centre on Constitution Hill Road and other students in the area. Background information was then provided on the history regarding this junction. Members were advised that pedestrian crossing facilities could only be introduced within the current road layout by means of an “all red” to traffic stage, as there were no refuges which would enable pedestrian crossing movements to be separated. Unfortunately, this type of arrangement had significant adverse effects on the capacity of the junction when there was a pedestrian demand. In addition, works necessary to provide this type of function would cost approximately £75,000. Further options were then detailed to Members in respect of how traffic could be controlled through the junction. In conclusion, Steve Tite, Transportation Services, stated that he felt the best way forward would be for officers to meet with the petitioners in order to determine an alternative way forward. The Chairman introduced Ann Willis, Poole Forum for people with learning difficulties who then spoke to the Group on the importance of a safe crossing point being provided at this junction for people who needed to cross there. She added that users of the Day Centres in this area needed to cross at this junction on a daily basis and in addition, it was also an extremely difficult junction to cross at for many local elderly residents. A local Ward Member together with the Travel Trainer employed by Transportation Services addressed the Group supporting the views expressed regarding this difficult/dangerous junction and supported any action towards providing a pedestrian crossing facility at this point. A Member stated that this junction had been a cause for concern for local residents over many years and there still appeared to be no real solution. Reference was made to the possibility of a pedestrian “red” phase being implemented on the eastern side of Ringwood Road allowing right side pedestrian manoeuvres from Longfleet Road into Fernside Road (on demand). The Chairman stated that it was crucial to talk to the users of this junction towards seeking other possible solutions. 2 Steve Tite, Transportation Services, stated that officers would undertake to investigate the possible solutions that had been suggested when they met with the users of this junction. It was proposed and seconded that, as well as looking at alternative safe routes and crossing points, other “solutions” were also investigated as a matter of urgency. This was seconded and on being put to the vote, was duly carried. This Transportation Advisory Group recommends that officers be asked to investigate as a matter of urgency alternative safe routes and crossing points or solutions with representatives of the Poole Forum and report back to a future meeting of this Group. For: Unanimous 5. PETITION TO REDUCE SPEEDING ON BLANDFORD ROAD Steve Tite, Transportation Services, presented a Report which considered a Petition presented to Council on 20th December 2005 by Councillor Gregory and referred to this Group for a speed reduction system near the Hamworthy Schools on Blandford Road. The Section of Blandford Road between the Coles Avenue signals and the bridge approach mini roundabout was just over 1 kilometre long and had around 150 properties with direct frontage onto the road and also had a usage of 16,000 vehicles a day. The road traffic collision records for the 4 year period up to the end of October 2005 indicated that there were 24 accidents resulting in personal injury along the road. Of these 24 recorded accidents, 4 were as a result of suspected inappropriate speed or vehicles suspected to be exceeding the speed limit. Speed surveys carried out in July 2005 indicated that average vehicle speeds in Blandford Road were 28 mph. The survey also indicated that around two thirds of drivers were complying with the 30 mph speed limit which compared favourably with the national average figure of under 50% compliance with the limit of 30 mph on built up urban roads. Between April 2004 and August 2005 the length of Blandford Road concerned was enforced as a permanent mobile speed camera site by the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership. This site was subsequently withdrawn from the Partnership’s approved list of enforcement sites in September 2005 as it no longer met the national agreed criteria for such enforcement. Within the cycling and walking category of the capital programme there was a category to provide 20 mph zones outside Schools. This was approved by this Advisory Group in April 2005 and included a priority implementation list. Based on this priority list, the three Hamworthy Schools were programmed for consideration from 2007/08 onwards. 3 A Member stated that the new First School had had an impact on the problems associated with the lower end of Blandford Road and therefore he would urge action being taken before 2007/08. In response to a Member question, Steve Tite, Transportation Services, advised that a complete analysis of injuries on Poole roads would be presented to a future meeting of this Advisory Group. This Transportation Advisory Group recommends that the Petition be noted and that the petitioners be advised that their request will be taken into account when the 20 mph outside Schools programme considers it as part of the Hamworthy First and Middle Schools scheme in 2007/08. For: Councillors Adams, Mrs Lavender, Mrs Moore, Mrs Stribley, Trent and Miss Wilson. Against: Councillor White (Councillor Burden did not vote on this item). 6. PETITION TO REDUCE SPEEDING IN GUEST AVENUE Steve Tite, Transportation Services, presented a Report which considered a Petition to reduce speeding on Guest Avenue, which was presented to Council on 20th December 2005 by Councillor Brooke and referred to this Group. Guest Avenue was just under half a kilometre in length and ran between Winston Avenue and Yarmouth Road. Around 70 properties had direct frontage onto the road with approximately 3,500 vehicles using the road daily. This compared with approximately 3,000 vehicles a day on Winston Avenue and over 6,000 vehicles per day on Yarmouth Road. It was noted that some of this traffic used Guest Avenue as a cut through to avoid congestion at Alder Road/Yarmouth Road. The road traffic collision records for the 4 year period up to the end of October 2005 indicated that there had been no accidents resulting in personal injury along the road. Speed surveys carried out in January 2006 indicated that average vehicle speeds in Guest Avenue were approximately 33 mph. Members were advised that on the basis of the criteria by which the Road Safety Engineering programme was currently targeted, it was not possible to justify funding for any traffic calming measures in Guest Avenue at present. However, given the concerns expressed by residents, officers were proposing to pass this to the Road Safety Tasking and Co-ordinating Group for attention. A Ward Member stated that Guest Avenue did have a speed problem and he added that this road was not supposed to be used as a distributor road as it was a local road. Therefore, he supported the petition for speed reducing measures on Guest Avenue. 4 A Member commented that this Road could benefit from some white line markings in order to slow vehicles down. This was felt worthy of pursuing through the appropriate Area Committee. This Transportation Advisory Group recommends that: (i) the concerns of the petitioners be noted and that they be advised that these will be forwarded to the Dorset Road Policing Unit and Dorset Safety Camera Partnership for speed enforcement; and (ii) this matter be presented to the appropriate Area Committee for consideration of appropriate white line road markings. For: Unanimous (Councillor Burden did not vote on this item) 7. PETITION REGARDING BUS SERVICES FROM WATERLOO ESTATE John McVey, Passenger Transport Manager, presented a Report which considered a petition to reinstate the bus service between Waterloo Estate and Bournemouth and to reinstate the diversion of Services 132/133 into Tesco at Fleetsbridge, which was presented to Council on 20th December 2005 by Councillor Brooke and referred to this Group.