Traffic Action Group - Meeting 20th March 2007
Agenda
Barrow upon Soar Traffic Action Group
Meeting to be held on Tuesday 20th March 2007 at 7.30 p.m. at the Bishop Beveridge club on South Street
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. Minutes of previous meeting – 20 February 2007
3. Raised Kerbs – Tony
4. Sileby Road Development - Tony
5. Community Speed Watch – Debbie and Mike
6. Matters arising from minutes
7. Map and Top Ten Issues
8. Funds
9. Advertising the Group
10. A.O.B.
11. Next meeting
Minutes
Parish plan TRAFFIC ACTION GROUP
Meeting Tuesday 20th March 2007
Bishop Beveridge Club - 7.30 p.m.
Present:
C. Gilchrist D. Smith I. Knowles
C.Shepherd J. Hardy J. Middleton
T.Kershaw (County Council) R. Moorhouse P. Haynes
L. Bell (Parish Council) J.Tindle M. Smith
B. Smith M. Wilson (LCC) N. Perkins
M. Tansey J. Tinworth
W. Woodhouse (minutes)
1. Apologies:
R. Woodhouse V. Brown P. Padmore
W. Haynes R. Oatley D. Yates
S. Hobbs N. Ritchie A. Moore
2. Minutes of the previous meeting:
The minutes for the meeting held on 20th February 2007 were agreed.
3. Raised Kerbs – Tony:
Tony had been able to obtain details of the present situation. The potential sites have been surveyed by the contracting firm, who will carry out the work and the builders of the Willow Way development, who will pay for the work. There will then follow the normal consultations and the work will be carried out in a reasonable period of time. The kerbs on the High Street will be in keeping with the Heritage style.
4. Sileby Road Development – Tony:
There will not be a traffic island; the work will be carried out as shown on the original plans, a copy of which is held by the Parish Council.
Tony passed around the approved Traffic Control Orders which show that there will be double yellow lines at the top of Ribble Drive. The changes are listed at appendix 1; Wendy has a copy of the document if anyone wishes to see it.
5. Community Speed Watch – Debbie and Mike:
Debbie thanked all the volunteers who had turned out early in the morning and late in the day, sometimes in very cold conditions.
Mike added his thanks, particularly to Debbie and Roger, who had organised the sessions as well as taking part a lot of the time. The sessions had taken place on Cotes Road, in 2 separate locations, Nottingham Road, Fishpool Way, Melton Road, Sileby Road, in 2 locations and South Street. 387 vehicles had been clocked as travelling over 35 mph in the first 2 weeks.
Details had been passed to the police who had sent the drivers a letter explaining Speed Watch and asking them to moderate their speed. Some offenders were multiple offenders (8) and they get a second letter.
The bulk clocked were travelling below 40 mph.
There had been some errors in taking numbers with a higher error rate where the speed was over 40 mph. Mike needs to look at whether there is a solution to this.
The groups had very few complaints from the public and a lot of support from pedestrians.
Question – What happens next?
Answer – Mike will discuss the findings with the Safety Camera Scheme who will look at things like – should there be a police presence as well, i.e. more Safety Camera Schemes. Nigel has already indicated that the local police will follow up with some checks of their own at the same sites.
Question – appreciation that a number of people have put themselves out, will the findings support any future requests for traffic calming?
Answer – it may do.
The Speed Watch team will now put grey boxes, which measure speed in the locations in order to measure the problem and see if any differences are recorded.
The next village to take part in the scheme will be Cotes which is local so this may keep drivers on their toes.
We can ask to have a repeat run of the scheme if we feel it is necessary but we would have to make representation.
The Safety Team remit will change in the future, if speeding is a problem there may not need to be accidents as well to get something done.
Question – do the yellow signs have to come down or can they stay as a deterrent?
Answer – They have to come down but Mike will try to get some ‘Kill Your Speed’ notices put up.
Question – What would we need to do to get 20 mph speed limit on Bridge Street?
Answer – unlikely as there is no school in the vicinity but Wendy will write to Leicestershire County Council.
Mike will try to get to the meeting next month.
6. Matters arising from minutes:
• Figures from the mobile speed cameras on Sileby Road –Tony is still hopeful of getting the information from Byron Rhodes who is chairman of the Police Authority. Mike had asked the question and been told that the information will not be provided for a single road. Wendy is still awaiting a response from the Safety Camera Scheme people. – Item still outstanding.
• Mike Wilson agreed to ascertain what the legislation was regarding warning signs for speed limits on approach roads to villages – Mike is awaiting a response – Item still outstanding.
• The removal of the bollards on South Street/Melton Road and a no right turn sign into Melton Road and traffic redirected to the island – Wendy has responded to the County Council and is awaiting a reply – Item still outstanding.
• Business plan – Wendy is to attend a session at the Library on 26th March which should help determine what is needed – Item still outstanding.
• Illegal Parking – the group felt there should be a period of zero tolerance. Wendy has written to Inspector Yallop and is awaiting a response. – Item still outstanding.
• Wendy to ascertain details about all traffic accidents in the village in the last 5 years – This information is not held by the Parish Council. The contact is possibly Mick Bradford at Leicestershire County Council. Wendy has written to him. And is awaiting a response – Item still outstanding.
• Wendy has written to Matthew Lugg, Director of Highways at County Hall about the continuation of the bypass and is awaiting a response – Item still outstanding.
• Wendy to find out whether the village has a local transport plan and whether a community Street audit had been done – Awaiting a response – Item is still outstanding.
• Traffic calming on Cotes Road and Nottingham Road – the Parish Council has asked the County Council if the group will be part of the consultation process, the 106 has not yet been put out for consultation – Item still outstanding.
• Re the flooding of Slash Lane – this is a County Council matter that has been ongoing for some time. David felt that we may be able to achieve some re-phrasing of the traffic lights on Bridge Street when Slash Lane is inaccessible. This would improve the flow of the traffic along Sileby Road. The contact would be Matthew Lugg, Director of Highways at LCC. Wendy has written to him and is awaiting response, Wendy to contact Councillor Brown in Sileby to see if they have taken any action – Item still outstanding.
• Volunteering fundkit – Wendy to apply for funds – On closer inspection this was not appropriate as the fund was for the purchase of specific items.
• The issue of drivers and the use of mobile phones – Nigel is still trying to get leaflets etc. – Nigel was unable to attend the meeting but had given Wendy some leaflets for distribution, it was agreed some would be held at the Parish Council offices and Wendy would ask the paper shop to keep some.
• Funding – bank account still to be opened –this has now been done.
• Mark has been informed that there will be an open forum for all the groups formed following the Parish Plan. This will be an opportunity to promote the group and discuss overlapping issues with other groups. It will also be open to villagers. Mark will try to obtain further information. Wendy has contacted Arthur Gardner and is awaiting a response – Item still outstanding.
• Signage at approach to Grove Lane – it was agreed that this item will be taken forward under ‘The Map and Top Ten Issues’.
• Proposal for 20 mph speed limit outside Humphrey Perkins High School – Wendy has written to the Parish Council to add the support of the group. It was agreed that Wendy will also contact the school.
• Raised Kerbs – on agenda at item 3.
• Sileby Road development – on agenda at item 4.
• Double Yellow Lines at top of Ribble Drive – covered at item 4.
7. Map and Top Ten Issues: Mike Tansey
Mike gave an overview of what we need to achieve. Any idea should be considered and if we feel strongly about an issue we should not be put off by people saying we will never be able to achieve a solution.
The following items were felt to be the biggest issues facing the village at the present time:
1. Congestion
At the Cotes Road/High street junction, the High Street and North Street on school days caused by cars and buses where there are bottlenecks.
On the High Street at any time of day.
Through the spine of the village – High St. /North St. /Bridge St. at peak times.
On Sileby Road, particularly near the new Health Services offices (Midsummer Leisure)
Widening the Bridge would relieve problems, by taking the pavement away and installing a footbridge.
2. Illegal Parking on the High Street
Particularly parking on the zigzag lines impedes visibility.
3. Speeding on Sileby Road
It was felt that putting traffic calming on Sileby Road would deter drivers from using the village as a through road and would have a knock on effect of easing congestion.
4. Grove Lane/South Street Junction
Installation of traffic lights would make the area safer.
Needs better signage to stop vehicles travelling in the wrong direction.
5. Parking around Hall Orchard School.
6. Parking on the pavement
This is a problem to wheel chair and pushchair users throughout the village.
Around the Navigation Inn
7. Pedestrian Crossings
It was felt that the following sites should have pedestrian crossings:
North Street, by the library
South Street, by the Bishop Beveridge Club
Bridge Street, by the entrance to Pigs Close
In addition, the pedestrian crossing on the high Street to be turned into a Pelican Crossing.
8. Lack of Parking in the village centre
Improved signage to the Railway Car Park
Move pedestrian crossing and open up the old parking bays for short term parking.
9. Improvement to the area around Melton Road, New Street and Grove Lane.
The whole area to be looked at so there is a safe route for traffic from the new development.
Alter the verges to provide parking for residents in the jitty, this would relieve congestion on this part of the road, give better visibility and reduce parking on the pavement.
There is a danger that traffic coming round Melton Road at the junction with Grove Lane has to travel along the wrong side of the road, this is made worse by parked cars on the other side of the road causing cars travelling in the opposite direction having to move to the wrong side of the road (Norman’s photo).
Issues to be considered and taken forward at the next meeting.
8. Funds:
A bank account has now been opened, Ian is awaiting cheque book etc. The meeting Wendy is attending in the library on 26th March may give some ideas for fund raising. .
9. Advertising the group:
Articles had appeared in the Barrow Voice and the Barrow Focus and there had been an article in the Loughborough Echo and on Radio Leicester about the Speed Watch campaign.
10. A.O.B.:
1. Carolyn had observed a group of people doing a survey just past the raised footpath on the Quorn Road. They were counting vehicles and taking details of the type of car and the number of passengers. It was a private company who do work for LCC. The worry was that there were road works in Sileby that caused less traffic than is usual. The team said they had methods of factoring in discrepancies due to unusual circumstances. Wendy to try to find out more details.
2. Ian proposed Mike Tansey for the position of chair. This was seconded by Debbie Smith and agreed by Mike.
3. Debbie had details about the expected 40 mph speed limit on Cotes Road. There has been an objection which has to be looked into and this will take between 6 and 8 weeks. The signs then have to be ordered and this can take a further 8 to 10 weeks. Ironically, the objection was not to the actual speed limit but the fact that it is scheduled to finish at Bandalls Lane.
4. Norman felt there should be enforcement officers to police illegal parking. We will await the response from Inspector Yallop regarding a period of zero tolerance.
11. Next Meeting:
The next meeting will be at the Bishop Beveridge club on Tuesday 17th April at 7.30 p.m.
