Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillors Denselow and Southwood declared an interest in item 6 – Queens Park Area Parking Congestion Measures by virtue of being local ward councillors.  Councillor Denselow declared a further interest in the item by virtue of his mother being chair of the local residents association.

RESOLVED:-

that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 October 2015 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

None.

None.

This report informs the Committee of a petition received from the Al Sadiq & Al Zahra School, Islamia Primary School and Al Ghadeer Nursery requesting the installation of new zebra crossings.

(i)            that the contents of the petition, previous road safety improvements and funding availability be noted;

(ii)          that officers be instructed to work with the local schools, residents’ groups and ward councillors to consider and develop pedestrian accessibility improvements through assessments, and explore future funding opportunities to consult and fund identified improvements;

(iii)         that, subject to securing funding and the outcome of the consultation, the Head of Transportation be authorised to take the necessary steps to implement improvements, subject to addressing or reporting back to the Highways Committee any substantial objections received during the statutory consultation;

(iv)         that officers provide an explanation to the lead petitioner of how schools can apply through traded services for schools for a school crossing patrol.

Members considered the report providing information on road safety improvements carried out recently in the area of Chevening Road and Kingswood Avenue and potential future pedestrian improvements in the vicinity of the local schools.

The Chair invited Mrs Thamer, a member of the Parent Teachers Association at Al-Sadiq and Al-Zahra schools accompanied by Mrs Kareem to present their petition.  It was explained that parents feared an accident happening in the area of Kingsbury Avenue and Chevening Road and that it was difficult for small children to cross the busy Kingswood Avenue.  Photos were circulated showing evidence of this.

It was explained that the schools were able to apply through the Council’s traded services with schools for a school crossing patrol and the schools were encouraged to do this. However, whilst acknowledging the benefits this would have, it was pointed out that it was not just during school hours that events took place in the schools.  Extended time periods for school crossing patrols would need to be investigated further as this would not be part of the terms and conditions of the traded service.  Officers were asked to provide an explanatory note to Mrs Thamer on the means by which a school crossing patrol could be engaged.

Reference was made to the Islamia school development that would see it consolidated onto one site and the committee was advised that a transport assessment would be required as part of any submitted planning application. 

Members were informed on the travel plans for each of the three schools in the area.  Councillor Nerva, speaking as a ward member, asked for assurances that officers would ensure that ward councillors were included in their consultations with the schools in the area.

The chair summarised the position by explaining that the accident data did not make a strong case for the provision of a pedestrian crossing and there was no funding for this but this did not suggest that the area was potentially dangerous for children crossing the roads. 

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the contents of the petition, previous road safety improvements and funding availability be noted;

(ii)        that officers be instructed to work with the local schools, residents’ groups and ward councillors to consider and develop pedestrian accessibility improvements through assessments, and explore future funding opportunities to consult and fund identified improvements;

(iii)       that, subject to securing funding and the outcome of the consultation, the Head of Transportation be authorised to take the necessary steps to implement improvements, subject to addressing or reporting back to the Highways Committee any substantial objections received during the statutory consultation;

(iv)       that officers provide an explanation to the lead petitioner of how schools can apply through traded services for schools for a school crossing patrol.

This report seeks approval to formalise a pilot parking initiative trialled in the Queens Park area to help alleviate congestion outside local schools.

(i)            that the results of the pilot parking initiative trialled in the Queens Park area to help alleviate congestion outside local schools be noted;

(ii)          that the proposal to proceed to formal consultation on making parking free in the pay and display bays in Chevening Road and Kingswood Avenue, adjacent to Queens Park, between 15:00 and 16:30 be not agreed;

(iii)         that further to the meeting held on 20 January 2016 between officers, ward councillors, QPARA members and school representatives officers work towards establishing a transport consortium of local stakeholders to further discuss what solutions can be found to alleviate the congestion outside schools in the area and not to encourage car usage, in keeping with the council’s wider transport strategies and to report back to the Highways Committee at its next meeting around June 2016;

(iv)         that consideration be given to how the outcomes from the discussions referred to in (iii) above can be used as a template for tackling wider issues across the borough concerning car usage and parking around schools.

The committee considered the report on the pilot parking initiative in the Queens Park area designed to help alleviate congestion outside local schools.  A paper from the Queens Park Area Residents Association (QPARA) dated 17 January 2016 on the Salusbury Road schools pick up/drop off issues and another providing a commentary on the results of the survey carried out by the Council of travel to school modes and parents’ response to questions had been previously circulated to members of the committee and copies were available at the meeting.  The chair began by acknowledging that the lack of consultation with the residents association had left them feeling excluded but that nevertheless action was needed to improve the problem.  She invited Helen Dunsford from QPARA to speak on the matter.

Helen Dunsford stated that there were five schools within 250 metres of each other with a combined total of 1,500 pupils.  This made the parking problems very difficult.  The situation had come to a head during September 2015 when local councillors were invited to witness people parking on the bus stop, yellow lines and double parking, with Chevening Road jammed.  She stated that officers had introduced the pilot scheme without consultation with residents which went against the Council’s principles on parking.  The free parking had encouraged additional cars into the area with a resulting increase in pollution and suggested this set a precedent areas around other schools.  She urged the committee not to agree the proposals in the report.  The committee was advised that different initiatives were considered according to the circumstances and so no general precedent was being set.  The situation in the Queens Park area was the worst in the borough despite there being unused pay and display bays nearby.  Members of the committee expressed concern that the pilot scheme rewarded poor behaviour by car drivers.  With the increasing numbers of cars on the road the Council tried to encourage people not to use their cars to take children to school.  This was healthy for the child and reduced pollution for local residents.  The difficulty of the situation was recognised but it was felt that a fresh approach was needed in an effort to look for a solution that did not cause conflict between parents, schools and residents.  Councillor Nerva addressed the committee as a ward member and expressed the hope that the proposals in the report were not agreed.

It was proposed that a local transport consortium should be gathered together to reconsider proposals for the area.  The request was also made that the outcome of the discussion at the Highways Committee should be forwarded to the planning service to take into account on addressing the Islamia School proposals.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the results of the pilot parking initiative trialled in the Queens Park area to help alleviate congestion outside local schools be noted;

(ii)        that the proposal to proceed to formal consultation on making parking free in the pay and display bays in Chevening Road and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

This report proposes to offer a limited number of parking season tickets for the Northwick Park car park in order to raise income to cover the cost of the facility.

(i)            that statutory consultation on the introduction of limited season ticket parking for Northwick Park car park, as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the submitted report be authorised;

(ii)          that the Operational Director (Environment and Employment Services) be delegated authority to implement the season ticket parking scheme for Northwick Park car park subject to any minor alterations necessary following consultation with ward members and the Lead Member for Environment and to make any necessary subsequent amendments to existing traffic management orders;

(iii)         that a report showing the results of the monitoring information on usage of the car park and detailing the income received be submitted to the Highways Committee by the end of 2016.

Members considered the submitted report on proposals to achieve the income target for Northwick Park car park. 

Members sought assurances that the car park would be operated on a cost neutral basis and that anybody wishing to visit the park would still be able to park.  The committee was advised that the situation would be closely monitored but that it was very unlikely the car park would generate a profit.  Users of the park would not be affected. 

RESOLVED:

(i)         that statutory consultation on the introduction of limited season ticket parking for Northwick Park car park, as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the submitted report be authorised;

(ii)        that the Operational Director (Environment and Employment Services) be delegated authority to implement the season ticket parking scheme for Northwick Park car park subject to any minor alterations necessary following consultation with ward members and the Lead Member for Environment and to make any necessary subsequent amendments to existing traffic management orders;

(iii)       that a report showing the results of the monitoring information on usage of the car park and detailing the income received be submitted to the Highways Committee by the end of 2016.

None.

The next meeting of the Highways Committee will be known upon publication of the Council’s annual programme of meetings for 2016/17.

It was noted that the date of the next meeting was subject to the agreement of the Council’s municipal calendar for 2016/17.