Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15^th June 2020 were agreed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Transportation and Highways

To consider the above petitions. The petition requesting the Council stop plans to build the cycleway currently contains 156 e-signatures and is supported by Councillor Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting along with the petition organiser. The petition in support of the cycleway currently contains 398 e-signatures. The petition organiser has been invited to the meeting.

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Director of Transportation and Highways in response to petitions received relating to the construction of a cycle tack in the Coundon area of the City.

Coundon Cycleway would be a 2.75km long segregated cycleway connecting the City Centre with Coundon Green. It was part of the Local Air Quality Action Plan (LAQAP) approved by Cabinet on 21st July 2020 (their minute 16/20 referred). The LAQAP was a package of measures that the Government had directed the Council to implement in order to comply with the legal obligation to ensure air quality compliance (specifically nitrogen dioxide levels) in the shortest possible time.

A petition bearing 156 e-signatures had been received, supported by Councillor G Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor, requesting that the Council stop plans to build Coundon Cycleway without face to face meetings. A counter petition of 398 e-signatures had also been received in support of the cycleway. Councillor Williams and the petition organiser for the petition in support of the cycleway attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. The petition organiser for Stop the Coundon Cycleway was unable to attend the meeting.

The Council held a public consultation between Monday 1st June 2020 and Sunday 5th July 2020 regarding how the cycleway would fit within the street.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions, which remain ongoing, the consultation was entirely online, via phone and through leaflet drops, as no face to face sessions could be held.

The level of engagement was significant with around 2500 participants visiting the webpages. There was also an on-line public event held via Microsoft Teams.

As a result of the consultation, many amendments have been incorporated into the scheme design.

The scheme is being fully funded from the Air Quality Implementation Fund capital grant, worth £24.5 million, which was received in March 2020.

Councillor Williams, the Councillor Sponsor for the petition requesting that the Council stop the Coundon Cycleway, attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. He confirmed that the petitioners were not against cycling and were very much in support of promoting cycling in the City which they acknowledged was an alternative form of transportation that promoted health and wellbeing and supported improved air quality as an alternative to motor driven vehicles. Councillor Williams referred to a small number of residents in the Westhhill Road part of the Coundon Cycleway that would be directly affected by the proposals. He was concerned that they would be required to pave their front garden to be able to park thus losing their garden amenity. The situation was exacerbated by the location of mature trees on the pavement fronting the properties. He requested that further discussion take place with the affected residents to establish possible solutions for them, whilst not preventing the progress of the Cycleway proposals.

Mr Ian Court, petition organiser for the petition to support the Coundon Cycleway, attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. As a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Director of Transportation and Highways

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Director of Transportation and Highways on proposals for the newly constructed car park in Charterhouse drive, part of The Charterhouse Heritage Park. An Appendix to the report provided a plan of the site.

Coventry City Council, in conjunction with Historic Trust Coventry had recently undertaken the redevelopment of The Charterhouse Heritage Park and the surrounding land off London Rd, as a visitor and conference centre, wedding venue, café and restaurant and community heritage park. The scheme also included the construction of a public car park. The report focused on the management and operation of this car park.

The Council would manage and operate the facility on a temporary basis until the end of the 2020/21 financial year, at which time it would transfer to and be managed by Historic Trust Coventry. However, before implementing any changes to the car parking arrangements, including the introduction of parking charges and the enforcement of parking restrictions, the Council was required to advertise the proposed changes and make the necessary amendments to the Off-Street Parking Places Order.

The Cabinet Member spoke about The Charterhouse Heritage Park and the surrounding land off London Rd, which she had recently visited and outlined her support for the car park proposals which formed part of the site.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services approves that:

1)  Charterhouse Car Park is managed and operated by the Council as a pay and display car park on a temporary basis until 31 March 2021.

2)  Subject to recommendation 1) above, Charterhouse Car Park is added to the Council’s Off-street Parking Places Order.

3)  The tariff structure that is introduced at Charterhouse Car Park is similar to the charging regime in other Council operated suburban / out of town public car parks.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

Any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

There were no other items of public business.