Stirling Council Agenda Item No.7 Date of Environment & Housing Meeting: 12 September 2019 Committee Not Exempt A91 (Blairlogie) Petition Update Purpose & Summary Following a presentation of the A91 (Blairlogie) petition at the Environment & Housing Committee on 6 June 2019, Committee Members requested that officers investigate how a 30mph limit could be introduced to Blairlogie and provide a design for its installation. This report and its appendices present the findings of that investigation. Recommendations Committee is asked to: 1. note the contents of this report; 2. note the options presented; 3. note feedback from consultation with community; and 4. recommend a report to a future Finance & Economy Committee. Resource Implications There is no budget allocation for implementation of 30mph speed limits within the Traffic Management & Community Safety or Implementation of Accident Sites Remedial Programme budgets. Therefore, any decision to carry out works to allow for implementation of 30mph limits will require an additional capital allocation that will require to be considered through the Council’s budget process. 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. The A91 is the primary route linking Stirling and St. Andrew’s. 1.2. Blairlogie is the first of six settlements on the A91, which run along the Hillfoots within Stirling and Clackmannanshire. 1.3. The current Speed Limit Policy was developed and adopted in 2010 following publication of ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits by the Scottish Executive, which laid out recommendations on the setting of local speed limits. The recommendations apply to the setting of speed limits, other than 20 mph speed limits, on single or dual carriageway roads in both urban and rural areas. 1.4. The UK and Scottish Governments committed to developing a speed management policy that takes account of the contribution of reduced speeds to road safety as well as environmental and social objectives. To meet these aims and to ensure national consistency, the UK and Scottish Governments asked all Roads Authorities to review all existing speed limits on ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads by the end of 2010. 1.5. Following the findings of the 2010 speed limit review, Community Councils and stakeholders were consulted and actions identified from that review, agreed. 1.6. Stakeholders included Community Councils, neighbouring roads authorities, Central Scotland Police and the Central Scotland Safety Camera Partnership. 1.7. Blairlogie was included in the speed limit review, which was undertaken in line with the Council’s own policy and findings published in 2011/12. 1.8. Since that time, two further speed limit reviews have been undertaken on the A91 at Blairlogie and the following works undertaken to improve the functioning of the road for residents: 1.8.1. installation of new village entry signs and road markings to the west of Blairlogie; 1.8.2. installation of new village entry signs to the east of Blairlogie; 1.8.3. installation of new road marking and signs throughout Blairlogie area; 1.8.4. installation of high friction surfacing at junctions within the Blairlogie area; 1.8.5. installation of 2no. new vehicle activated signs which display driven speed to motorists; 1.8.6. installation of new village entry road markings to the east of Blairlogie; 1.8.7. installation of additional 40mph limit road markings; and 1.8.8. installation of 1no. Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS), which displays speed limit. 1.9. Officers in the Traffic Management & Road Safety Team continue to monitor & review speed limits on adopted roads to ensure that those speed limits remain in- line with national guidance. 1.10. Blairlogie does not currently meet the standards set out in ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits, for inclusion in a 30mph speed limit. 2. Considerations 2.1. 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. 2.2. The following will be important factors when considering what is an appropriate speed limit: 2.2.1. road function (strategic, through traffic, local access etc) 2.2.2. road geometry (width, sightlines, bends, junctions and accesses etc) 2.2.3. road environment (rural, residential, shop frontages, schools etc) 2.2.4. level of adjacent development, and 2.2.5. traffic composition (including existing and potential levels of pedestrians cycle usage). 2.3. A 30mph speed limit that meets the standards stated in ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits will consist of urban style street lighting, urban quality footways, significant frontage development including community facilities adjacent to the road and significant pedestrian activity. 2.4. ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits states “alternative speed management options must always be considered before proceeding with a new speed limit”. 2.5. ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits states that speed limits “must be evidence-led and self-explaining, and should reinforce road users’ assessments of the appropriate speed for a given environment”. 2.6. ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits Speed limits states that speed limits “should be established in a consistent manner that reflects the expectation of all road users”. 2.7. Where a speed limit is set inappropriately, evidence shows it will often not be obeyed and can result in an over-reliance on Police enforcement. For example, if the speed limit is set substantially lower than the speed that the environment supports and lower than the majority of drivers would otherwise choose to drive at, this can lead to an increase in risks. These risks are likely to be associated with an increase in frustration, overtaking and speed differentials. An increase in the presentation of risk factors at a site is likely to lead to an increase in associated accidents. 2.8. Following a presentation of the A91 (Blairlogie) petition at the Environment & Housing Committee on 6th June 2019, committee members requested that officers investigate how a 30mph limit could be introduced to Blairlogie and provide a design for its installation. The following are options relating to this design. 2.9. Option A - Implement 30mph speed limit using signs, gateway features such as ornamental signs, rumble strips and 40mph buffer zone to west of Blairlogie (Appendix 1). 2.9.1. This option includes installation of new gateway signing. Approximate cost: £8,100. 2.9.2. This option includes required changes to the existing VAS. Approximate cost: £9,000. 2.9.3. This option includes required changes to existing road markings. Approximate cost: £4,000. 2.10. Implementation of option A will have a minimal effect on the road environment and it is anticipated that reductions in speed will be minimal. 2.11. The driven environment will remain the same as that experienced on roads usually signed at 40mph. 2.12. A 30mph speed limit in these circumstances is likely to lead to an increase in speed differentials, which can lead to an increase in risk and an increase in accidents. 2.13. At present, the 40mph speed limit allows for the use of 40mph repeater signs, which act as a reminder to drivers that some road activity and development is likely. These visual reminders are not permitted in a 30mph speed lit area where street lighting is present. As the street lighting is not of a standard associated with a 30mph speed limit area, drivers are unlikely to change driver behaviour and reduce speed. 2.14. Blairlogie would not meet the standards for inclusion in a 30mph speed limit, set out in ETLLD Circular No. 1/2006: Setting Local Speed Limits, should Option A be implemented. 2.15. Discussions with our partners on the viability of implementation of Option A confirm that the proposal would not be supported by Clackmannanshire Council, Police Scotland or the Safety Camera Programme as it would neither be to standard or self-enforcing. 2.16. Clackmannanshire Council have said that they are likely to object to a change to the traffic regulation order under these circumstances. Estimated cost - £21,100 2.17. Note: Residents of Blairlogie and the Community Council have already indicated that they would not support the use of rumble strips to reduce traffic speeds as they felt that this would introduce unnecessary road noise 2.18. Option B - Implement 30mph speed limit using signs, gateway features, improvements to street-lighting, improvements to local footways and removal of vegetation (Appendix 2). 2.18.1. This option includes installation of new gateway signing. Approximate cost: £8,100 2.18.2. This option includes required changes to the existing VAS. Approximate cost: £9,000 2.18.3. This option includes required changes to existing road markings. Approximate cost: £4,000 2.18.4. This option includes the upgrade of the existing street lighting system to a standard commensurable with other 30mph speed limits on the A91 corridor within the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council areas. Approximate cost: £28,000 2.18.5. This option will necessitate removal of some vegetation and mature trees from a 510m length on the south side of the A91. Approximate cost: £3,000. 2.18.6. This option includes changes the upgrade of footways to a standard commensurable with other 30mph speed limits on the A91 corridor within the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council areas.