Agenda item

To discuss any petitions from members of the public for which notice has been provided, in accordance with Standing Order 66.

Cabinet NOTED the comments made by David Roche, in support of a petition containing 143 signatures seeking the urgent replacement and repair of the pavements along Lancelot Road, Crescent and Avenue.  In addressing Cabinet Mr Roche, whilst welcoming the opportunity to speak on behalf of local residents expressed disappointment that despite numerous requests there had been a lack of co-ordinated action to address the urgent issues affecting the damage and dangerous state of pavements along the roads identified.

In highlighting the safety concerns and impact that the state of the pavements was having on local residents, particularly those who were disabled or elderly, Mr Roche also spoke to detail the personal impact on his family following a fall on the pavement experienced by an elderly family member which had discouraged them from visiting his home prior to them having sadly passed away.

Referring to recent increases in Council Tax, Mr Roche advised that the local residents who had signed the petition felt these were unjustified given the poor state of the street and the reduction in local services.  Furthermore, it was felt that the cost incurred in repaving the nearby Wembley High Road had been unjustified given its ongoing poor state of cleanliness and the worsening condition of other nearby residential streets.  In highlighting the works to repave and enhance other residential streets elsewhere across the borough Mr Roche reiterated the neglect felt by the residents of Lancelot Road and outlined the safety, financial and social benefits associated with the works being requested.  This was particularly in relation to the impact which it was felt clean and well maintained streets provided in terms of reducing anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping and in terms of reducing the financial costs and environmental impact associated with a more reactive programme of repairs.

Given the close proximity of Lancelot Road to Wembley High Road and Wembley Stadium, Mr Roche also emphasised what he felt to be the associated financial benefit use of the road provided in terms of parking and access to local businesses on the High Road and in assisting to reduce congestion as an alternative route around Wembley Central and Wembley Park on event days. In contrasting the treatment of Lancelot Road to nearby Harrowdene Road, Mr Roche stated that residents and visitors had commented on the difference between the state of the footways in both streets and across the area as a whole.

In addition to the poor state of the pavement on Lancelot Road, Mr Roche highlighted the safety issues that the double yellow lines at the junction with the High Road were also causing.  In referring to a fatal accident that had occurred at the junction, Mr Roche called for the double yellow lines to be replaced with red lines.

In concluding, Mr Roche advised that the petition was calling on the Council to commit to repaving Lancelot Road during the 2023-2026 Highways Programme and if not possible to approve at this stage, for an urgent site visit to be arranged to review the state of the pavement and consider how best residents concerns and feelings of neglect could be addressed.

In responding, Councillor Krupa Sheth (as Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure & Climate Action) began by thanking Mr Roche for attending the meeting in order to present the petition.  In highlighting the ongoing challenge in being able to balance the number of footways and carriageways around the borough that would benefit from maintenance to improve their condition and visual appearance against the limited level of resources available, Councillor Sheth felt it was important to recognise how this impacted on the need to ensure works were prioritised through both a planned and reactive maintenance programme.

In terms of planned maintenance, this process was based around an asset management approach using annual condition surveys, inspection programmes and other data to produce the annual Highway and Footway Maintenance Programmes with it noted that the current footway reconstruction programme was currently in the process of being finalised to take account of local ward priorities.  Local residents in support of the petition were therefore urged to contact their local ward councillor(s) in order to ensure Lancelot Road, Avenue and Crescent were included for consideration as part of the ongoing prioritisation process.  In terms of more reactive maintenance, these works were initiated via scheduled highways safety inspections or as a result of a reports of a particular problem assessed against specific criteria, with work undertaken (over the previous 12 months) to repair 24 investigation level defects identified or reported along Lancelot Road and the other streets which were the subject of the petition.  The programme of reactive maintenance would continue as issues were identified.  In the meantime, local residents were encouraged to continue engaging with their local ward councillor(s) with Councillor Sheth advising she would also be willing to arrange a site visit, should that be required by local residents to discuss their ongoing concerns.

In addressing the issue of red line waiting restrictions Councillor Sheth ended her response by highlighting that these restrictions were the responsibility of Transport for London and not therefore a matter the Council would be able to address.

Eligible for Call-In: No

5.1     Repair of pavements along Lancelot Road, Lancelot Crescent and Lancelot Avenue

Councillor Tatler (as Deputy Leader) welcomed Mr David Roche to the meeting, who had been invited to speak in support of a petition containing 143 signatures seeking the urgent replacement and repair of the pavements along Lancelot Road, Crescent and Avenue.  Whilst welcoming the opportunity to speak on behalf of local residents, Mr Roche began by expressing disappointment that despite numerous requests there had, he felt, been a lack of co-ordinated action to address the urgent issues affecting the damaged and dangerous state of pavements along the roads identified.

In highlighting the safety concerns and impact that the state of the pavements were having on local residents, particularly those who were disabled or elderly, Mr Roche also spoke to detail the personal impact on his family following a fall on the pavement experienced by an elderly family member which had discouraged them from visiting his home prior to them having sadly passed away.

Referring to recent increases in Council Tax, Mr Roche advised that the local residents who had signed the petition felt these were unjustified given the poor state of the street and the reduction in local services.  Furthermore, it was felt that the cost incurred in repaving Wembley High Road, situated in the nearby area, had been unjustified given its ongoing poor state of cleanliness and the worsening condition of other nearby residential streets.  In highlighting the works to repave and enhance residential streets elsewhere across the borough, Mr Roche reiterated the neglect felt by the residents of Lancelot Road and outlined the safety, financial and social benefits associated with the works being requested.  This was particularly in relation to the impact which it was felt clean and well-maintained streets provided in terms of reducing anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping and in terms of reducing the financial costs and environmental impact associated with a more reactive programme of repairs.

Given the close proximity of Lancelot Road to Wembley High Road and Wembley Stadium, Mr Roche also emphasised what he felt to be the associated financial benefit use of the road provided in terms of parking and access to local businesses on the High Road and in assisting to reduce congestion as an alternative route around Wembley Central and Wembley Park on event days. In contrasting the treatment of Lancelot Road to other nearby streets such as Harrowdene Road, Mr Roche stated that residents and visitors had commented on the difference between the state of the footways in different streets and across the area as a whole.

In addition to the poor state of the pavement on Lancelot Road, Mr Roche highlighted the safety issues that the double yellow lines at the junction with the High Road were also causing.  In referring to a fatal accident that had occurred at the junction, Mr Roche called for the double yellow lines to be replaced with red lines.

In concluding, Mr Roche advised that the petition was calling on the Council to commit to repaving Lancelot Road as part of the 2023-2026 Footway Maintenance Programme and if not possible to approve at this stage, for an urgent site visit to be arranged to review the state of the pavement and consider how best residents’ concerns and feelings of neglect could be addressed.

In responding, Councillor Krupa Sheth (as Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure & Climate Action) began by thanking Mr Roche for attending the meeting in order to present the petition.  In highlighting the ongoing challenge in being able to balance the number of footways and carriageways around the borough that would benefit from maintenance to improve their condition and visual appearance against the limited level of resources available, Councillor Sheth felt it was important to recognise how this impacted on the need to ensure works were prioritised through both a planned and reactive maintenance programme.

In terms of planned maintenance, this process was based around an asset management approach using annual condition surveys, inspection programmes and other data to produce the annual Highway and Footway Maintenance Programmes, with it noted that the current footway reconstruction programme was in the process of being finalised to take account of local ward priorities.  Local residents in support of the petition were therefore urged to contact their local ward councillor(s) in order to ensure Lancelot Road, Avenue and Crescent were included for consideration as part of the ongoing prioritisation process.  In terms of more reactive maintenance, these works were initiated via scheduled highways safety inspections or as a result of reports of a particular problem assessed against specific criteria, with work undertaken (over the previous 12 months) to repair 24 investigation level defects identified or reported along Lancelot Road and the other streets which were the subject of the petition.  The programme of reactive maintenance would continue as issues were identified.  In the meantime, local residents were encouraged to continue engaging with their local ward councillor(s), with Councillor Krupa Sheth advising she would also be willing to arrange a site visit, should that be required by local residents, to discuss their ongoing concerns.

In addressing the issue of red line waiting restrictions Councillor Krupa Sheth ended her response by highlighting that these restrictions were the responsibility of Transport for London and not therefore a matter the Council would be able to address.