Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

To consider the above petition, bearing 555 signatures which is being supported by Councillors Bailey and Brown, both Cheylesmore Ward Councillors, who have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the petition organiser

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning a petition bearing 555 signatures which was submitted by Councillor R Bailey and Councillor R Brown, Cheylesmore Ward Councillors, who attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners along with the petition organiser Mr Doug Lowe, who was also in attendance. The report had been requested by the petition organiser following receipt of a determination letter. The petition requested road safety measures in Whitley, especially around the three schools including speed reduction measures, additional school warning signs and double yellow lines.

The determination letter advised of the importance of prioritising road safety measures in the city. Coventry was continuing to work towards becoming a safer speed City and, to ensure funding was targeted carefully, used personal injury collisions reported to the Police. A review of the Whitley area showed that one injury collision had been recorded in the last three years. Safety schemes were prioritised in locations where there had been six or more recorded injury collisions in the previous three years. The determination letter also advised of the measures that had already been undertaken since receipt of the petition, including the installation of double yellow lines for junction protection at the requested locations, the installation of new school warning signs and ‘SLOW ‘carriageway markings, and the installation of a mobile vehicle activated sign on Abbey Road. Contact details were also provided should residents wish to get involved in the Community Speed Watch initiative.

Mr Lowe spoke on behalf of the petitioners and thanked the Cabinet Member and Officers for the road safety measures that had been already been undertaken and requested that consideration be given to further safety measures for the estate, including a 20mph speed limit. Mr Lowe described the Whitley Triangle as a unique self-contained enclosed community with 3 schools located in the area. He referred to Abbey Road as almost a ‘one-way street’ owing to parked vehicles and there were 2 rat-runs on the estate with dangerous speeding vehicles. He indicated that local residents had met with Ward Councillors, Officers and School Heads to discuss the issues and had conducted a traffic survey and generated a Traffic Management Plan which they had submitted to the Authority. 

Councillor Bailey confirmed the unique siting of the estate and the issues that Mr Lowe had raised. He thanked the Cabinet Member for visiting the two schools, which both had their entrances and exits on Abbey Road. He confirmed that the double yellow lines had been installed quickly and had made a big impact, however he felt that there was benefit in extending the lines on Abbey Road towards the Whitley Academy and asked that this be pursued. Councillor Bailey referred to the proposals for average speed cameras on the London Road and welcomed this approach to reduce speeding traffic in the area. He also requested that consideration be given to safer crossing and pinch points along the rat-runs to reduce traffic speed. He referred to the strength of feeling of local residents with 35% - 40% of residents signing the petition requesting that safety measures to be put in place for the estate.

Councillor Brown reinforced the strength of feeling of both residents and the School Heads on these issues and referred to the identification of the Whitley as a priority area for a 20mph zone.

The Cabinet Member thanked the petition organiser and the Ward Councillors for their representations and confirmed the measures that had already been taken in the area and the proposals for average speed cameras on the London Road, which it is anticipated would contribute to the reduction of traffic speeds in the area. She indicated that schools across the City were assessed annually and the measures that had been installed such as double yellow lines, SLOW on the carriageway and school warning signs around schools, had been successful. She asked officers to continue to undertake monitoring of the newly introduced safety measures, investigate extending the double yellow lines on Abbey Road towards the Whitley Academy, install an advisory 20 mph speed limit to be operational at school entry and exit times, and write to the Heads of the Schools encouraging buy-in to the School Crossing Patrol Scheme.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1)  Notes the petitioners concerns

2)  Notes that a number of measures have already been introduced since receipt of the petition, as detailed in paragraph 1.6 of the report.

3)  Endorses that the actions confirmed by determination letter to the petition spokesperson, are undertaken.

4)  Requests that officers continue to undertake monitoring of the newly introduced safety measures, investigate extending the double yellow lines on Abbey Road towards the Whitley Academy, install an advisory 20 mph speed limit to be operational at school entry and exit times, and write to the Heads of the Schools encouraging buy-in to the School Crossing Patrol Scheme.