Agenda item

Report of the Director of Transportation and Highways

Notes:

(i) The objectors have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

(ii) To consider the ‘Include Cannon Park Road in the Cannon Hill Road Area 20mph Zone (Order 2022)’ petition, bearing 135 signatures. The petition is being supported by Councillor Heaven, a Wainbody Ward Councillor, who is 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 Director of Transportation and Highways that sought consideration of objections received to a proposed road safety scheme in the Cannon Hill Road Area of the city. The objectors and supporter had been invited to the meeting.

The Cannon Hill Road Area Road Safety Scheme was proposed in response to safety concerns raised by local residents and was being funded as part of the mitigation works relating to the nearby Warwick University expansion development plans. 

Over the last few years, the Council had received many concerns from local residents about speeding vehicles and a significant increase in traffic volumes since the Warwick University expansion.  Feedback from residents coupled with observations by officers revealed these problems occurred predominantly in the morning and afternoon peak traffic flows. Observations revealed that some drivers were using Cannon Hill Road as a cut-through between Kenilworth Road and the A45.

There had been one personal recorded injury collision recorded in the last 3 years; therefore, the proposed scheme was not part of the Local Safety Scheme Programme prioritised on casualty reduction. The Scheme was proposed in response to the concerns raised by residents supported by Ward Councillors. In January 2021, residents were consulted on a possible Road Safety Scheme directly responding to the issues raised. The measures proposed included reducing the speed limit to 20mph, installing speed cushions and speed tables.  Although the majority of responses (68%) supported the proposed measures, some residents requested additional measures. Subsequently, the Scheme was changed to include road safety measures on Orlescote Road, Tutbury Avenue and Meryton Avenue. 

The proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to make Cannon Hill Road a 20mph and the Notice of Intent (NOI) to install traffic calming measures was advertised on 13th January 2022, which commenced a 21-day statutory objection period.  Nineteen objections and one letter of support were received. In accordance with the City Council's procedure for dealing with objections to TROs and schemes such as this, they are reported to the Cabinet Member for City Services, for a decision as to how to proceed.

In addition, an e-petition with 135 signatories was received requesting that the road safety measures be expanded into Cannon Park Road. The Petition Organiser and the Petition Sponsor, Councillor M Heaven, a Wainbody Ward Councillor and Shadow Cabinet Member for City Services, together with Councillor Sawdon, also a Wainbody Ward Councillor, attended the meeting and outlined their concerns to the Cabinet Member.

The Petition Organiser expressed his disappointment that Cannon Park Road had not been included in the Scheme, particularly as residents had previously raised concerns about road safety along the road and many were supportive of it being included in the proposals. He referred previous petitions that had been submitted and also to communications to specific officers raising road safety concerns that had been sent in 2017/2018. He indicated that the road was currently subjected to speeding traffic and that 19 objections submitted to the Order and Petition bearing 135 signatures indicated the strength of feeling about this matter. He referred to the Scheme including 10 adjoining roads for which there had been no separate legal processes or separate Schemes and questioned why Cannon Park Road had not also been included. He suggested that any funding gap could be bridged by the Local Authority to enable a complete Scheme to be achieved rather than a separate Scheme for Cannon Park Road.

The Petition Organiser indicated that Cannon Hill Road was used as a cut through to eliminate the need for motorists to sit at the traffic lights at the A45 junction and that implementing a road safety scheme on Cannon Hill Road would likely encourage drivers to seek an alternative route via Cannon Park Road. He further indicated that a formal Order along Cannon Park Road was required as 20mph signage alone was not likely to resolve the situation.

In response, the officer acknowledged that there had been previous petitions received for Cannon Park Road which related to parking issues and had been resolved through the implementation of a residents parking scheme.

The Council has received many concerns from local residents about speeding vehicles and a significant increase in traffic volumes since the Warwick University expansion, with problems predominantly at peak times in the morning and afternoon. The proposed Scheme and area of implementation was in direct response to issues raised by residents supported by Ward Councillors and was not part of the Local Authority’s Local Safety Scheme Programme which was prioritised using personal recorded injury collision data, which informed the type and extent of a local safety scheme. The Cannon Hill Road area and Cannon Park Road did not meet the criteria for a local safety scheme.

In January 2021, following meetings organised by Ward Councillors residents were consulted on a possible Road Safety Scheme on Cannon Hill Road (the area of concern highlighted by residents), the proposed measures included to reduce the speed limit to 20mph and to install speed cushions and raised tables. The majority respondents supported the measures with some residents requesting they be expanded, subsequently the scheme was changed to include road safety measures on Orlescote Road, Tutbury Avenue and Merynton Avenue. The safety measures were proposed to be installed in the Cannon Hill Road Area as part of mitigation measures relating to the Warwick University Expansion Development Plan and the Scheme would be funded from Warwick University as part of a Section 106 financial contribution and would be used to mitigate the impact of these changes on residents.

The Cabinet Member sought and received clarification from the Legal Officer that a Section 106 Agreement was a payment of money for something specific agreed prior to the Section 106 financial contribution being made and its use could not be diverted or extended.

Councillor Sawdon suggested that the implementation of a temporary 20mph speed limit along Cannon Park Road be considered with the possibility of a future Road Safety Scheme in the future, following monitoring.

Councillor Heaven referred to the ongoing issues residents experienced in the wider area around Warwick University that included Cannon Park Road, and that the information may have been miscommunicated to them during the original discussions in 2017. She indicated that the roads included in the Traffic Regulation Order were only part of the problem. Councillor Heaven suggested that the cost to extend the traffic calming be investigated and that further discussions with Warwick University regarding the possibility of any further 106 funding to support a road safety scheme on Cannon Park Road be pursued. The implementation of a temporary 20mph speed limit along Cannon Park Road would help whilst discussion and investigations were taking place.  

Having heard the concerns of the petition organiser supported by the Wainbody Ward Councillors, the officer’s response and the legal advice provided, the Cabinet Member agreed that that the Cannon Hill Road Road Safety Scheme be implemented as advertised and that, separate to this Scheme, officers install an Experimental Traffic Order to install a 20mph speed limit on Cannon Park Road comprising signage and carriageway markings (20mph roundels). The Experimental Order would enable officers to monitor the impact over a 6-month period before considering any extension of the experimental period, up to 18 months, or make the 20mph speed limit permanent.  A Vehicle Activated Sign to inform drivers of the speed limit would also be installed. Following due process, residents would be informed of the proposals. In addition, she supported Wainbody Ward Councillors contacting Warwick University regarding the possibility of any further 106 funding to support a road safety scheme on Cannon Park Road.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1)  Notes the objections to the 20mph speed limit and traffic calming measures.

2)  Approves the implementation of the 20mph speed limit and installation of speed cushions and speed tables (Cannon Hill Road Area road safety scheme).

3)  Requests that officers install an Experimental Traffic Order (ETRO) to install a 20mph speed limit on Cannon Park Road (installed as a separate scheme to Cannon Hill Road) comprising signage and carriageway markings (20mph roundels). The ETRO will enable officers to monitor its impact over a 6-month period before considering to extend the experimental period (up to 18 months) or make the 20mph speed limit permanent.  A Vehicle Activated Sign to inform drivers of the speed limit will also be installed. In addition, Wainbody Ward Councillors to contact Warwick University regarding the possibility of any further 106 funding to support a road safety scheme on Cannon Park Road.