Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

To consider the above petition bearing 126 signatures which has been submitted by Councillor Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the petition organiser

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning a petition, bearing 126 signatures, requesting double yellow lines at the junction of Brandfield Road and Brownshill Green Road and improvements to road safety along Kelmscote Road. The report had been requested by Councillor Williams, the petition sponsor, following the receipt of the determination letter. Councillor Williams, a Bablake Ward Councillor, attended the meeting with local residents Cynthia Campbell, J Butler and J McNulty and they outlined the petitioners’ concerns. The petition organiser was invited but was unable to attend.

The report indicated that Kelmscote Road was a residential road connecting Brandfield Road and Keresley Road. A review of the latest three year personal recorded injury collision history of the road showed there had been no personal injury collisions had been recorded. The determination letter in response to the petition had advised of the actions to be taken in response to the issues raised as follows:

(i) The junction of Brandfield Road and Brownshill Green Road to be added to the waiting restriction request list for the installation of double yellow lines as part of the next review.

(ii) Kelmscote Road did not meet the criteria for a local safety scheme but the contact details were provided for a Community Speed Watch initiative if residents were interested. A copy of the determination letter was set out at an appendix to the report.

The Cabinet Member noted that since the determination letter had been issued, the legal procedure to install double yellow lines at the junction of Brandfield Road and Brownshill Green Road had commenced with the proposal being advertised on 17^th August, 2017. In addition, following the receipt of the petition, double yellow lines had been installed at the Kelmscote Road/Brownshill Green Road/ Kipling Road junction.

Councillor Williams expressed support for the implementation of the double yellow lines at the Brandfield Road/ Brownshill Green Road junction. However he detailed concerns about the speed of traffic using Kelmscote Road, referring to the dangerous bends and indicating that the road was being used as a ‘rat run’. He requested that the road safety concerns be investigated.

Mrs Campbell expressed concerns about the speeding traffic and detailed the problems for emergency vehicles being able to access the road due to the numbers of parked cars. She requested a reduction on the speed limit for Kelmscote Road. Mr McNulty drew attention to a number of accidents that had occurred on the road including having his garden wall knocked down on two separate occasions. He requested a reduced speed limit. Mr Butler referred to the heavy volume of speeding traffic requesting a 20mph limit or the inclusion of chicanes/ speed humps along the road. He also referred to the significant number of elderly residents living in the locality.

Councillor Innes, Cabinet Member referred to the requirement to have evidence of speeding traffic and recommended a community speed watch take place.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The petitioners’ concerns be noted.

(2) The actions confirmed by determination letter to the petition spokesperson, as detailed in 1.6 of the report, be endorsed.

(3) A community speed watch exercise be arranged for Kelmscote Road involving Councillor Innes, Cabinet Member, Councillor Williams, Ward Councillor, local residents and the police.