Buckinghamshire County Council Wycombe Local Committee AGENDA ITEM: MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WYCOMBE LOCAL COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY 20 APRIL 2005, IN THE MAIN HALL, THE HUB, EASTON STREET, HIGH WYCOMBE COMMENCING AT 6.03 PM AND CONCLUDING AT 7.58 PM MEMBERS PRESENT Council Organisation or Society Representative Buckinghamshire County Council Mrs L Clarke (Chairman) Mr D A B Green Mr M B Oram Mrs C C Martens Wycombe District Council Mr P Morris Members in attendance Little Marlow Parish Council Mr T Juby British Motorcyclists Federation Mr I M Jennery Hambledon Parish Council Mr T Nixey Jacobs Babtie Mr S Tinnelly Hughenden Parish Council Mr D L Davis Medmenham Parish Council Mr D Clark Mrs H Reed Lane End Parish Council Ms S Wright Pedestrians Association Mr T Samson Thames Valley Police Traffic Mr D Humphries Management Cyclists Touring Club Mr N Coates West Wycombe Parish Council Mr D Callaghan Ms D Smith 1 Downley Parish Council Mr J Gowen Great and Little Hampden Parish Council Mr S Appleby Great Marlow Parish Council Mr M Blanksby Princes Risborough Town Council Mr L A Benifer Officers Buckinghamshire County Council Mr M Knight Mr I Reed Mrs K L Jones Mr S Averill Mr M Rogers Mr D Chapman Wycombe District Council Mr O Kelly Mr R Marshall Mrs C Steven 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received from Mr F Downes, Mrs V A Letheren, Mrs E M Lay, Mr R C Pushman, Mr P Rogerson, Mr T Fowler, Dr B Stenner and Julia Wassall Buckinghamshire County Council, Mr F V J Sweatman Marlow Town Council and Mr J Hambly Ellesborough Town Council. 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None were declared. 3 MATTERS ARISING It was with sadness that the Chairman reported the death of John Dalton who had been a member for Wycombe District Council and Chairman of Wooburn Parish Council. The Committee stood in silence. 4 MINUTES The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 January 2005 were confirmed. 5 QUESTION TIME (including Parish Questions)/ PETITIONS Petitions A petition covering all the headings set out below was submitted to the meeting of the Full Council held on 27 January 2005. The issues raised were being addressed by the County Council before the submission of the petition and the comments reflect that issues have been resolved or are on-going. 2 Questions (a) Petitions A petition covering all the headings set out below was submitted to the meeting of the Full Council held on 27 January 2005. The issues raised were being addressed by the County Council before the submission of the petition and the comments reflect that issues have been resolved or are on-going. (i) Abbey Park Residents’ Association Petition against Traffic Congestion caused by local schools in Daws Hill Lane and other local roads:- St Augustine’s Catholic School St Bernard’s Catholic School Jackie Palmer Stage School Reply The information provided by the Residents Association set out above clearly shows a large amount of work has been done by Buckinghamshire County Council and Thames Valley Police to address the issues raised by the residents. A number of issues still require solutions. A member of Abbey Park Residents’ Association asked for an assurance that things were progressing. The Chairman replied that as the local member she would personally ensure that the Residents are kept informed and that progress would be made. The Local Coordinator added that the number of buses on Knights Temple Way has been reduced to four and that the Local Schools were participating in the Safer Routes to Schools Scheme. The Chairman invited the residents to attend the July meeting if they were not satisfied with progress. Petition requests to BCC Highways Department Following subsequent meetings with BCC Highways and Passenger Transport departments - the Abbey Park Residents’ Association have agreed to considerably pull back from some of the original requests. Petition requests are:- BUSES 1. BCC to continue to reduce numbers of Buses using Knights Templar Way as a “turning facility”. N Ongoing Buckinghamshire County Council comment - The number of buses scheduled to collected students from St Bernard’s School and Marlow Hill which are likely to need to turn round in the Daws Hill Area has been reduced to four. Buckinghamshire County Council do not schedule any bus to use Knights Templar Way, these decisions are made by contractors for operational reasons. The decisions will be influenced by depot location and where the vehicle is travelling from and it’s next destination. All operators have been advised of the wishes of the residents and they have been asked that vehicles do not make three point turns on Knights Templar Way. 3 2. BCC to adopt shared pick-up and drop off points for St Bernard’s, Wycombe High and John Hampden Schools. The Lay Bys on Marlow Hill to be used. N Under negotiation with Schools and BCC 3. BCC Passenger Transport to find alternative “Turning Facility” for all Buses - Knights Templar Way too congested with school traffic. N Under negotiation with BCC 4. Jackie Palmer Stage School Buses to be stopped from using Daws Hill Lane and Knights Templar Way as pick up/drop off points. Request BCC to instruct JPSS to use suitable facility, such as Leisure Centre coach park. N Under negotiation CAR PARKING 1. Double Yellow Lines to be placed at both entrances of Knights Templar Way N BCC requesting 2. Single Yellow Lines requested with Time Restrictions (20 minutes only between 2.00pm and 4.00pm) N BCC say they cannot approve Single Yellow Lines at present. N BCC looking into all possibilities regarding “Time Restrictions” N Under negotiation with BCC 3. White Lines to be place in front of all Driveway entrances to enable passage of traffic and access by Residents. N Under negotiation with BCC 4. Thames Valley Police Management to educate parents on parking N Ongoing with TVP 5. Community Police Constable to patrol Daws Hill Lane and Knights Templar Way on weekly basis during school pick up time. N Ongoing with TVP 6. BCC to work on School Travel Plan with St Bernard’s and St Augustine’s Schools. N Ongoing and under negotiation between BCC and Schools Buckinghamshire County Council Comment - Pedestrian training for pupils at St Augustine’s School will begin as soon as final clearances for the volunteer parents have been obtained. 7. BCC to look at all aspects of reducing School Parking in Abbey Park (at present 100 vehicles between 2.00pm and 4.00pm), including possible parking within St Augustine’s School grounds. N Under negotiation 8. Schools to provide improved turning capability in Daws Hill Lane adjacent to school buildings. N Under negotiation 9. BCC to work on Business Travel Plan with Jackie Palmer Stage School N Under negotiation – no progress to date 10. BCC to look at traffic generated by Jackie Palmer Stage School – parking facilities within grounds need to be found for this Commercial Business. N Under negotiation 4 Residents request that BCC communicate with all Schools and the Diocese to gain an understanding of all future developments. The two Catholic Schools have at present 1,000 pupils in this confined area, with only one access point feeding both schools. Potentially there is a “Risk” to both School Pupils and Local Residents. In addition the Residents are concerned that the Commercial Business of Jackie Palmer Stage School has been permitted to in effect create a third school in this same confined area, with subsequent traffic generation and noise nuisance. (b) Questions (i) From Hambleden Parish Council “During the recent snow, none of the coaches would use our roads, hence parents risked the journeys to school. Please could we have some more definite indication that our main route from Hambleden to Frieth, via Pheasants Hill and Rockwell End will be included in the salt route for next winter. We are aware that the routes are under review and we have been asking for at least 5 years.” The Chairman of Hambleden Parish Council expressed concern on behalf of the children attending Frieth School that the main route from Hambleden to Frieth is currently excluded from the salting route. He requested that the route be extended between the villages before a fatality occurs. Reply A report will be submitted to the July meeting on all the Winter Maintenance routes. (ii) From West Wycombe Parish Council “We would like to know if the positioning of the Mix 107.4 travel signs are going to be reviewed. We feel that the one placed on the West Wycombe Road just past the Pedestal is far to big and that once drivers are there they will already be in the traffic jam. We feel that they need to be placed further out to give advance notice of traffic problems and give drivers a chance to diver. Once you are on the West Wycombe Road you are stuck. Prior to the Pedestal and Piddington would be far more appropriate.” Reply The signs have been positioned within an ‘urban’ area and do not impact on the rural environment. Ideally the signs would have been placed before the start of the queues but in many instances, these would have been quite a way outside of Wycombe and for example coming down the A4128, in the AONB, which we did not feel was acceptable. In terms of giving drivers advance warning and alternative routes, this is something which is some way off and would require use of more hi- tech solutions such as variable message signs and the like, but the siting of these would need to be much further out where route choices were available.