Delegated Decision

OCTOBER 2020

PARKING AND WAITING RESTRICTIONS AMENDMENT ORDER 2020 Ordinary Decision/Key Decision No.

Report of Regeneration, Economy & Growth Service

Dave Wafer (INTERIM) – Head of Transport & Contract Services.

Amy Harhoff – Corporate Director of Regeneration, Economy & Growth.

Councillor Carl Marshall, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Economic Development. Electoral division(s) affected:

Spennymoor

Purpose of the Report An amendment is required to the Spennymoor Traffic Regulation Order to manage and control parking within Spennymoor and prepare for the consolidation of Spennymoor & Tudhoe into a combined order.

Executive summary County Junior & Infant School – To introduce a mixture of ‘restricted waiting’, ‘no waiting at any time’ and ‘no stopping’ restrictions on the unclassified road between Todhills Farm and Greenhills to address obstructive parking associated with school traffic and improve road safety.

Hagg Lane – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Church Street/High Street into Hagg Lane to improve visibility, accessibility and road safety.

Mulberry Drive – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Grayson Road into Mulberry Drive to address obstructive parking and improve accessibility. Rock Road – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ & ‘no stopping’ restrictions on Rock Road around the accesses to Rainbow Nursery School and Middlestone Moor Primary School to improve road safety and accessibility.

High Street – To remove the ‘no stopping except taxis’ aspect of the loading only bay on High Street to improve accessibility.

Cheapside – To amend the current layout of restricted bays on Cheapside to address the increasing demand for parking and improve accessibility.

Holborn – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions on Holborn to address obstructive parking and improve accessibility; To amend the existing restricted bay on Holborn from ‘no stopping except taxis’ to ‘limited waiting’ to address the increasing demand for parking and improve accessibility.

Durham Road – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junctions from Durham Road into: King Street, South Terrace, Wood View & Low Grange Road to address obstructive parking associated with the local football ground and improve accessibility.

St Charles RCVA Primary School (Durham Road) – To transfer existing ‘no stopping’ restrictions adjacent to St Charles RCVA Primary School from the existing Tudhoe Order so both orders can be consolidated into one.

Green Lane – To extend existing ‘no waiting at any time’ restriction on Green Lane to address obstructive parking and improve accessibility.

Green Lane Roundabout (adjoining Green Lane, Dean Lane & Eve Lane) – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the Green Lane roundabout to improve accessibility following recent development work.

Watson Park – To introduce ‘no waiting at any time restrictions’ around the junction from Dean Lane into Watson Park to address obstructive parking and improve accessibility.

Eve Lane/Hay Lane – To remove existing ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions from the current Spennymoor MBS leading from Green Lane roundabout through Eve Lane into Hay Lane as the markings are no longer on site and are not required following the development of the site.

Recommendation Progress to advert.

Background Byers Green County & Junior Infant School:

Byers Green County & Junior Infant School is located on the Unclassified road between Todhills Farm and Greenhills (often referred to as the ‘school bank’). This road, alongside High Street, is the major route through Byers Green and connects it to larger settlements to the west such as Willington and Crook.

We have received reports, via the local councillor, that vehicles associated with school traffic obstruct access on this route. ‘School Keep Clear’ road markings were initially placed in this location as an immediate measure to deter vehicles parking around the access to the school.

It was also noted that parking around the bend of the ‘school bank’ (to the east of the Primary School) obstructs visibility. As pedestrian barriers have been struck in this location by a vehicle in the past, there was significant concern for road safety.

It is proposed to add the existing ‘School Keep Clear’ markings to our enforcement with ‘No stopping, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm’ restrictions to improve accessibility directly adjacent to the school’s access during school operating hours.

It is also proposed to introduce ‘restricted waiting, Monday-Friday, 8-9am, 3-4pm’ restrictions leading to the east and west of the school to address parking issues associated with the school during peak times (drop off/pick up) and introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions either side of the bend on the ‘school bank’ to keep this area free at all times, improve visibility and improve road safety.

The response to the initial consultation was favourable. A response was received, from the initial consultation with affected frontages, suggesting a one-way system be adopted throughout Byers Green instead of formal restrictions. However, after consulting Durham County Council’s Traffic Assets team, the resident was advised this was not a feasible alternative – There has been no further correspondence to date. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Hagg Lane:

Hagg Lane is located to the far south of Byers Green, adjoining the heavily trafficked Church Street which transitions into High Street at this junction. Church Street/High Street is the major route leading south to Spennymoor.

We have received reports that vehicles parking around the memorial, located directly adjacent to the junction with Hagg Lane, cause obstruction and visibility issues particularly for those vehicles approaching from the south on Church Street.

It is therefore proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Church Street/High Street into Hagg Lane and on the western side of Church Street, immediately south of the junction, to improve visibility and road safety.

The response to the initial consultation was favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Mulberry Drive:

Mulberry Drive is located in Middlestone Moor to the far south west of Spennymoor, adjoining the heavily trafficked Grayson Road it is one of the major through routes leading through Spennymoor from the A688 which connects Spennymoor to in the south.

We have received reports that vehicles parking in and around the junction from Grayson Road into Mulberry Drive obstruct traffic flow and cause visibility issues. A Durham County Council Officer attended the site and observed these issues first- hand.

It is proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions either side of the junction to address obstructive parking, improve traffic flow and improve accessibility.

The response to the initial consultation was favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Rock Road:

Rock Road is located in Middlestone Moor to the south west of Spennymoor. One of the 4 heavily trafficked crossroads at the heart of Middlestone moor, Rock Road leads south to smaller settlements such as , Coundon & Shildon.

Rainbow Nursery School & Middlestone Moor Primary School are located on the eastern side of Rock Road, approximately 100m south of the crossroads with Grayson Road, Clyde Terrace & Whitworth Road. Middlestone Moor Primary School currently has existing ‘no stopping, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm’ restrictions adjacent to its pedestrian entrance point. Rainbow Nursery School has recently had ‘School Keep Clear’ road markings positioned around the access road as an immediate measure to deter obstructive parking in preparation for the legal order.

It is proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ on the access road to Rainbow Nursery & ‘no stopping, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm’ restrictions so the existing ‘School Keep Clear’ markings can be enforced to reduce obstructive parking and improve road safety. It is also proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Rock Road into Middlestone Moor Primary School to address obstructive parking and improve visibility. The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

High Street:

High Street is located at the heart of Spennymoor, adjoining the roundabout from the A688 to Whitorth Terrace, it is a heavily trafficked route through the centre of Spennymoor and marks the start of the town centre’s commercial occupancy.

On the north western side of High Street there are existing restrictions ‘no stopping except taxis, 6pm-8am’ & ‘loading only, 8am-6pm’ on the bays adjacent to 53-61 High Street and ‘no stopping except taxis, 6pm-8am’ & ‘limited waiting 8am-6pm, 1 hour no return within 2 hours’ restrictions on the bays adjacent to 63-69 High Street.

We have received requests to remove the ‘no stopping except taxis, 6pm-8am’ aspect of the bays adjacent to 53-61 High Street to facilitate access in this location on an evening.

It is therefore proposed to remove the remove this aspect from the bays and amend them to ‘Loading only, 8am-6pm’. Taxis will still have designated bays adjacent to 63-69 High Street and will still be able to use the proposed bays adjacent to 53-61 High Street however this will aim to improve access for all vehicles on an evening.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Cheapside:

Cheapside is located at the heart of Spennymoor’s Commercial area and as a result parking is at a premium in this location.

There are a mixture of ‘restricted bays’ to the south west of Cheapside, including existing ‘limited waiting, Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm, 1 hour no return within 2 hours’ bays and ‘Disabled Badge holders only’ bays on the north western side of Cheapside as well as ‘no stopping except taxis’ bays and ‘limited waiting, Monday- Saturday, 8am-6pm, 1 hour no return within 2 hours’ bays on the south eastern side.

At the request of the local councillor it is proposed to amend the layout of restricted bays in this location and relocate the existing ‘disabled badge holders only’ bays to the south eastern side of Cheapside (adjacent to ‘The Grand Electric Hall’) and replace the ‘disabled badge holders only’ bays currently located adjacent to 15-17 Cheapside with ‘limited waiting bays, Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm, 1 hour no return within 2 hours’ to improve accessibility and facilitate the change in demand for parking. It has also been requested that the existing ‘disabled badge holders only’ bays, located to the rear of ‘The Grand Electric Hall’, are replaced with ‘limited waiting, Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm’ bays. It has been expressed these bays are disused and the request has been made to facilitate to increasing demand for parking availability.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Holborn:

Holborn is located to the north of Chester-Le-Street’s commercial area. Neighbouring the heavily trafficked Cheapside, Holborn offers access to additional parking facilities tailored to the commercial presence.

We have received reports that when the parking facilities in this location are at full capacity vehicles resort to parking adjacent to 4-14 Holborn, obstructing access to the properties as a result. Durham County Council Officers attended a site meeting alongside local representatives and observed the issues first-hand.

It is proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions adjacent to 4-14 Holborn to improve accessibility and road safety.

A request was also made by the local councillor to amend the current ‘no stopping except taxis’ bay on Holborn, immediately west of No. 4 Holborn to facilitate the increasing demand for parking availability.

It is therefore also proposed to amend the current bay in this location from ‘no stopping except taxis’ to ‘limited waiting, Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm, 1 hour no return within 2 hours’ to facilitate access to amenities in this area.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Durham Road:

Durham Road is one of the most heavily trafficked routes leading north east from the centre of Spennymoor to its junction with Front Street where it leads further north to Tudhoe.

Spennymoor Football Ground is located on the northern side of Durham Road, connected via a number of different junctions. With the increasing popularity of Spennymoor’s Football club and the growing support for Home games, the surrounding streets: King Street, Low Grange Road, Wood View & South Terrace have become flooded with vehicles. Durham Constabulary have raised the parking issues in these locations on multiple occasions alongside a number of residents who have also noted the issues. It is therefore proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junctions from Durham Road into: King Street, Low Grange Road, Wood View & South Terrace to address obstructive parking, improve accessibility and improve road safety.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

St Charles RCVA Primary School (Durham Road):

St Charles RCVA Primary School is located on Durham Road, approximately 250m north of the old Tudhoe Grange Humanities College site and approximately 250m south of the junction with Front Street (B6288).

There are currently existing ‘no stopping, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm’ restrictions located adjacent to the school on the south side of Durham Road to address obstructive parking and improve road safety during peak school times (school pick up/drop off).

It is our intention, following the completion of both the Tudhoe & Spennymoor 2020 TRO’s, to consolidate these into one combined order. it is proposed to remove these restrictions from the current Tudhoe MBS so they can be added to the Spennymoor MBS, in preparation for both orders to be consolidated.

Green Lane:

Green Lane is located to the far east of Spennymoor, adjoining the A688 it is one of the major routes into Spennymoor from the heavily trafficked Thinford Roundabout.

Durham County Council has offices located on the southern side of Green lane. There have been ongoing issues regarding vehicles, often associated with the council offices, parking on Green Lane causing obstruction. In an attempt to address these issues, there are currently existing ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Green Lane into Durham County Council’s Site.

We have received reports that vehicles are continuing to park on Green Lane, causing obstruction, reducing traffic flow and causing concern for road safety.

It is proposed to extend the existing ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions 45m immediately west of the access to Durham County Council’s site to improve traffic flow and address obstructive parking.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals. Green Lane Roundabout:

Green Lane roundabout is located to the far east of Spennymoor, it adjoins Green Lane, Dean Lane & Eve Lane and is one of the major routes leading into to Spennymoor from the A688 & Thinford Roundabout.

There has recently been residential development on the area immediately north of the roundabout, following the completion of this in order to improve road safety and facilitate access double yellow lines were installed on the roundabout leading into its adjoining streets.

Following requests from the developer, it is proposed to add the existing markings as ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions in order to add the location to Durham County Council’s enforcement.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable. Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Watson Park:

Watson Park is located to the east of Spennymoor, adjoining Dean Lane approximately 175m north of the Green Lane roundabout.

We have received reports that vehicles parking around the junction from Dean Lane into Watson Park restrict access and obstruct traffic flow. Durham County Council Officers attended the site and observed these issues first-hand.

It is proposed to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions around the junction from Dean Lane into Watson Park to prevent obstructive parking and improve accessibility.

The response to the initial consultation has been favourable Durham Constabulary are in full support of the proposals.

Eve Lane/Hay Lane:

Eve Lane is located to the far west of Spennymoor. Adjoining Green Lane roundabout, it is connected to Thinford Roundabout via the Durhamgate exit.

Following the development of the residential Durhamgate site the physical ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions (double yellow lines) were removed from the site as they were deemed no longer necessary or suitable for the change in nature of traffic in this location.

As these restrictions are still shown on Durham County Council’s Map Based Schedule enforcement system, it is proposed to remove them from the legal order to reflect the change in circumstance of this location. Section heading N/A

Options N/A

Main implications Creation of an enforceable traffic regulation order.

Conclusion It is recommended to progress to advertising of the Traffic Regulation Order and subject to satisfactory consultation, proceed to seal the Traffic Regulation Order.

From time to time consolidation of orders may be required following amendment of an Order. If this is considered necessary then this Authority may be used for the advertising and sealing of both Orders.

Contact: Ewan Brown Tel: 03000 263953

Appendix 1: Implications

Legal Implications Enforceable TRO

Finance Strategic Traffic.

Consultation Statutory Instrument 2489

Equality and Diversity / Public Sector Equality Duty N/A

Climate Change Text.

Climate Change N/A

Human Rights N/A

Crime and Disorder N/A

Staffing N/A

Accommodation

N/A

Risk N/A

Procurement N/A