Agenda item

Report of the Director of Transportation, Highways and Sustainability.

To consider the above petition bearing 45 signatures. The petition has been submitted by Councillor J O’Boyle, a St. Michael’s Ward Councillor and the Petition Sponsor, who has 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 Director of Transportation, Highways and Sustainability, which responded to a petition requesting the changes to the waiting restrictions imposed in November 2022, be reversed.  The petition was supported by Councillor J O’Boyle, a St. Michael’s Ward Councillor who, together with the Petition Organiser, attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners.

The petition submitted contained 45 signatures and in accordance with the City Council’s procedure for dealing with petitions, those related to road safety and parking issues were heard by the Cabinet Member for City Services. Councillor O’Boyle requested that a report be submitted in respect of this matter.

A report advised that on 4 November 2022, following consultation, Phase 1 of a traffic management scheme was introduced to try to improve safety and traffic flows through the Far Gosford Street Area.  The scheme changed access arrangements, making some roads one-way and making changes to the places where drivers could park and/or undertake loading/unloading.  The scheme also introduced a red route along Far Gosford Street, linking into the existing red route corridor which connects the city centre to the M6.

As the proposed changes were significant, to be able to monitor the impact of the changes, the traffic regulation orders (TRO) required to make the changes were implemented as Experimental TROs.  This was to provide the opportunity for continued responses from the public to be taken into consideration, and monitoring whilst the scheme was operating.

The objection period was due to close on 3^rd November 2023.  A petition of 45 signatures had been received ‘on behalf of the shop owners and traders of Far Gosford Street’ requesting that the changes were ‘reversed’, details of which had been circulated with the report at Appendix C.

In accordance with the City Council's procedure for dealing with objections to TROs, including Experimental TROs, they are reported to the Cabinet Member for City Services for a decision as to how to proceed.

The cost of introducing and amending TROs, including Experimental TROs, if approved, will be funded from the Highways Maintenance and Investment Capital Programme budget through the Local Transport Plan.

Councillor J O’Boyle and the Petition Organiser spoke in support of the petition, explaining the reasons why the changes should be reversed and raised the following concerns and queries:

• The bus stop on Far Gosford Steet was lengthy and it would be beneficial to shorten it to create more space.
• Were there proposals for any more CCTV cameras on Far Gosford Street and what were the monitoring arrangements?
• Full engagement was required with the traders to keep them up to date with proposals.

Officers responded, advising if the bus stop was shortened and parking allowed, there would be issues with difficulty for the bus getting into the bus stop and for passengers alighting and disembarking; the bus stop could not be shorted from the front as high kerbs have been used to help people getting on and off the bus and these would then be in the wrong location. 

The Cabinet Member requested that a Quality Impact Assessment be undertaken as necessary.

Councillor O’Boyle requested the Cabinet Member was kept updated once engagement with the traders had been undertaken and a future monitoring report be brought to Cabinet Member for City Services

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services having considered the petition:

1)  Consider the petition in objection to the Far Gosford Street Area traffic management scheme.

2)  Subject to Recommendation 1, approve the current Experimental TRO for waiting restrictions the ‘City of Coventry (Far Gosford Street Area) (Red Route & Waiting Restrictions) (Experimental) Order 2022 is revoked.

3)  Subject to Recommendation 1, approve that the Traders are consulted on a new Experimental TRO, with the changes as detailed in Appendix C, and subject to a favourable response, implement a new Experimental ETRO.

4)  Subject to Recommendation 1, approve that the Experimental TROs for the one-way system on Vecqueray Street and Bramble Street are retained and monitoring is continued.

5)  Agree that close liaison with the traders is maintained for feedback on the new Experimental Traffic Regulation Order once made.