A91 (Blairlogie) Petition Update (2)
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Stirling Council Agenda Item No.6 Date of Environment & Housing Meeting: 6 February 2020 Committee Not Exempt A91 (Blairlogie) Petition Update (2) Purpose & Summary Following presentation of the A91 (Blairlogie) petition update at the Environment & Housing Committee on 12 September 2019, Committee Members requested that officers consult with the community of Blairlogie to determine if and how a 30mph speed limit could reasonably be implemented on the A91 at Blairlogie. Recommendations Committee is asked to: 1. note the contents of this report and appendices; and 2 make a decision on whether to: a) proceed with implementation of a 30mph limit, with the infrastructure detailed in appendix 1; or b) agree that the existing 40mph limit should be retained. Resource Implications As agreed at Finance & Economy Committee on 21 November 2019, the estimated £120,000 required to implement this scheme will be made available from the existing capital budgets. Legal & Risk Implications and Mitigation Stirling Council, as the roads authority has a responsibility to set local speed limits in line with national guidance, direction and good practice. Failure to do so may leave Stirling Council open to legal action should an accident occur in an area where the speed limit has not been set in line with that guidance. 1. Background 1.1. Stirling Council received a petition from the residents of Blairlogie requesting that a 30mph speed limit be implemented on the A91 in Blairlogie. 1.2. Officers were asked by Environment & Housing Committee to investigate what measures would be required to implement a 30mph speed limit safely and then consult with the local community. 1.3. Officers prepared design options for the implementation of a 30mph speed limit and shared these with residents within the Blairlogie settlement area and the Community Council, at the beginning of October 2019. 1.4. Two drop in sessions were held at Blairlogie Reading Room on 9 October 2019 where members of the Network Management team presented four design options to attendees. 1.5. Officers received 45 comments as part of this consultation process. An anonymised version of the comments were shared with the Community Council on 25 October 2019. 1.6. A meeting was held with the Community Council on 6 November 2019 to review the comments received, to agree the amendments to option C (see Appendix 1) and discuss the next steps for further consultation and implementation. Following discussion it was agreed that a public meeting would be held on 20 November 2019 to present the final design (amended option C) to residents. 1.7. A public meeting was held in Blairlogie Reading Room on 20 November 2019. This meeting was well attended and residents were able to ask questions about amended Option C and give feedback on this option. 1.8. Following the public meeting of the 20 November, it was agreed that Stirling Council would offer the residents of the Blairlogie conservation area, as those most affected by the proposed scheme an opportunity to provide their views on the options. 1.9. A letter was sent to residents of the conservation area at the beginning of January 2020. The letter explained the reason for the consultation, contact details for the Network Team in case residents had any further questions, a copy of the design identifying proposed changes to the road environment, reply slips and return envelopes. 1.10. Residents were asked to decide between: 1.10.1. Option 1 - (amended option C) implementation of a 30mph speed limit using signs, gateway features, removal of vegetation, improvements to street lighting and local footways and provision of road narrowings in the form of islands to manage traffic speed; or 1.10.2. Option 2 - current 40mph limit retained. 2. Considerations 2.1. Following the January 2020 consultation, 41 responses were received (Appendix 2). 2.2. All responses were verified as having been received from residents within the Blairlogie conservation area. 2.3. Of the responses received, 24 were in favour of implementation of option 1 whilst 17 were in favour of option 2, retaining the 40mph speed limit. Three of the responses in favour of retaining the 40mph speed limit were obtained from people with property within the conservation area, although their home address was out with that area. 2.4. The main themes contained within the responses were in relation to speed management, environmental impact, cost and requirement for change. 2.5. ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits states that the principal aim in determining appropriate speed limits should be to provide a consistent message between the road geometry and environment and for changes in speed limit to reflect changes in the road layout and characteristics. This means that in order for Stirling Council to implement a 30mph limit on the A91, physical environmental changes are required to meet the principals set out in the circular. 2.6. Implementation of amended option C in its current form would ensure that a 30mph speed limit in Blairlogie would meet the criteria set out in ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits. 2.7. Should Committee agree to the implementation of Option 1 - amended option C, Stirling Council will be required to advertise an amendment to our 30mph traffic regulation order. This process would take a minimum of 12 weeks, longer if objections are raised. 2.8. Discussions with our partners on the viability of implementation of Option 1 - amended Option C, have confirmed that Clackmannanshire Council, Police Scotland and the Safety Camera Programme would not object to the required Traffic Regulation Order being made. 3. Implications Equalities Impact 3.1. The contents of this report were assessed under the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment process. It was determined that an Equality Impact Assessment was not required as the proposal does not disproportionally affect any groups or people with protected characteristics. Fairer Scotland Duty 3.2. The contents of this report were considered in terms of the Fairer Scotland Duty and were determined not to be of strategic importance. Sustainability and Environmental 3.3. N/A. Other Policy Implications 3.4. Should a 30mph speed limit be taken forward in Blairlogie, it is likely that the Council will face similar requests from other communities whose speed limits have until this point been determined by national criteria. 3.5. At present, the costs relating to implementation of reduced speed limits at these locations are unknown. Consultations 3.6. Traffic & Transportation, Roads Service, Clackmannanshire Council. 3.7. Police Scotland. 3.8. South East Scotland, Safety Camera Programme Office. 3.9. The Blairlogie Community (Conservation Area). 4. Background Papers 4.1. EqIA Relevance Check. 5. Appendices 5.1. Appendix 1 - Option C (amended). 5.2. Appendix 2 - Anonymised results of January 2020 consultation. Carlyn Fraser [email protected] Operations Team Leader (Network) 01786 33440 Approved by: Date: 28 January 2020 Bruce Reekie Senior Manager of Environment and Place Details of Convener(s), Vice Convener(s), Councillor Thomson Portfolio Holder and Depute Portfolio Holder Councillor Gibson consulted on this report: Wards affected: Ward 4 Key Priorities: F - We will commit and coordinate our resources to ensuring Stirling becomes a must visit destination; with heritage, culture, environment & economic strategieis working hand in hand to encourage tourists to stay for mimimum 3 days and 2 nights Key Priority Considerations: Stirling Plan Priority Outcomes: Resilient - People are part of safe and caring (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan) communities within an attractive and sustainable environment .