Councillor Charlie Rooney, Executive Member for Transport

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EXECUTIVE MEMBER DECISION

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Quarterly Report - Autumn 2008

Councillor Charlie Rooney, Executive Member for Transport

Ian Parker, Director of Environment

18 December 2008

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Executive Member for Transport with a quarterly report on current Transport issues and outstanding requests from Ward Members for priority works. This report for the Autumn quarter covers the following issues:

• Cargo Fleet Roundabout A66
• University Ward Residents Parking Scheme and

Southfield Rd Traffic Calming

• Winter Maintenance
• Speed Activated Signs for Guisborough Road
• Bedford & Baker St Parking
• North Middlesbrough Accessibility Scheme

BACKGROUND AND EXTERNAL CONSULTATION

1. This quarterly report format has been agreed with the Executive Member, Environment Director and Head of Transport and Design Services to provide an update on current transport issues and to link into the “Working Better Together” programme of meetings and Member Surgeries to enable priorities to be set and to deal with Ward Members issues/requests.

OPTION APPRAISAL/RISK ASSESSMENT

1. The following items have been identified as issues for this report.

Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout

1. As part of the proposals for the construction of the Middlehaven interchange on the A66, local widening and the signalising of the Cargo Fleet roundabout was also undertaken.
2. However, the traffic signals at this location were not activated pending development in the surrounding area commencing.
3. The Council has received comments about the lack of a pedestrian facility at this location and to ensure a safe crossing of the A66 will require the signals to be switched on.
4. It is therefore proposed to activate these signals in January 2009 on a date to be agreed once the white lines have been refreshed and the necessary checks on the signal programming have been completed.

University Ward Residential Parking Scheme & Traffic Calming for Southfield Road

1. Further to the last quarterly report, progress is being made on the above projects with regard to consultation and the appointment of consultants.
2. The Mayor has attended a public meeting arranged by Ward Members to discuss the timing of the introduction of Residents Parking proposals, which subject to a satisfactory consultation exercise and advertising of the legal orders could be in place by the start of the new term in Sept 2009. Discussions are also on going with the University to determine if there are any interim measures, which may assist the situation with student and staff parking. It is proposed to appoint consultants early in the New Year to enable the project to proceed.
3. Appendix 2 gives details of the draft programme for the completion of this project.
4. The Traffic Calming proposals for the eastern end of Southfield Road have been considered by Ward Members and are due to be presented to the relevant Community Councils at the end of November.
5. The combined effect of these projects will bring significant improvements to the environment of this urban ward in terms of road safety, traffic management and streetscape, which will help to promote pedestrian access and safety in the area.

Winter Maintenance

1. The winter maintenance arrangements for the protection of highway users against the effects of snow and frost are now underway. Copies of the Winter Maintenance Plan are available on the council website and remain unchanged since last year. This year, winter weather has arrived a little early, in that the first salting runs took place on the evening of Monday 27 October, almost three weeks earlier than last year. This initial run was followed up by three more during that week. However, the Council was well prepared for the ‘weather warning’ having already started its annual winter standby arrangements.
2. Predetermined priority routes are given attention in response to weather forecasts and these priority areas tend to be:

• Principal roads and interchanges
• Bus routes
• Road serving primary shopping centres
• Important and heavily used footways

1. Where resources permit, there are also lists of secondary priorities that may receive attention when first priority routes are clear.
2. Salt bins are also distributed to known locations of risk around the town. These are primarily used where steep gradients and severe bends cause repeated recorded problems and a complete list is given in the Plan.
3. It is not feasible nor affordable to treat all the roads and footways in the town in anticipation of snow or frost, nor is it possible to provide unlimited numbers of salt bins. It is for this reason that we publicise our annual plans so that the community can understand the Council’s policy in this important area of work. The Winter Maintenance plan is available on the Council’s website.

Speed monitoring on Guisborough Road

1. Ward Councillors, Community Council, Parish Council and individual residents have expressed concerns for Road Safety for many years in the Nunthorpe area. These concerns have tended to be in respect of excessive traffic speeds, road accident levels and the high volumes of traffic, particularly associated with through traffic.
2. The following actions were proposed in the last quarterly report:

(i)We continue with the monitoring of the speed activation signs until a more accurate picture emerges of whether or not these measures are having any impact on the accident statistics.

(ii)It is noted that as expected, the speed signs have had no impact on the number of vehicles using Guisborough Road.

(iii)We participate in discussions with Redcar & Cleveland Council on the possible benefits of Speed camera enforcement both east and west of the railway crossing.

Following on from action (iii) above it is now proposed that sites are installed in Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland to enable monitoring by the Police with mobile speed cameras. The Ward Members have been consulted on this matter and are in agreement with this proposal, as are the Community and Parish Councils.

Bedford and Baker Street Parking

1. The joint business holder and pay & display parking scheme was introduced in Bedford & Baker Streets in May 2008. The scheme has proved to be extremely successful in improving the turnover and availability of parking spaces in this popular location whilst also providing for the parking needs of local businesses through the business permit arrangement.
2. Some business permit holders however have expressed concerns over the availability of spaces at peak times. In busy town centre streets it is always a difficult task to balance the various and often conflicting demands on the parking places from businesses, their customers and other visitors to the town. The Council has expressed the view that the combined pay and display and business parking arrangement should provide sufficient turnover to ensure that spaces are almost always available in one of the two streets. Nevertheless some permit holders still insist that this is not the case and claim there are still insufficient spaces for business permit holders in Baker Street in particular.
3. In order to address the immediate concerns of business permit holders on the run up to Christmas and to provide an opportunity for further consultation and monitoring of the scheme it is proposed to introduce an experimental order to designate all the bays on the south side of Baker Street as business permit holder only between 9am and 6pm Mondays to Fridays. The existing joint pay and display and business permit holder arrangements will continue on Saturdays.
4. The experimental order will be introduced using the Council's powers as Highway Authority under Sections 9 & 10 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The new permit holder only markings have already been laid and enforcement of the new arrangements will commence once new signs have been installed and the experimental order comes into force before Christmas. Occupants of properties on Bedford & Baker Street will be informed of the date when the new arrangements are to come into effect.
5. By implementing these changes by way of an experimental Traffic Regulation Order the effectiveness of the alternative arrangements can be assessed and consultation with service users undertaken before a decision is taken on whether to make the alterations permanent.

North Middlesbrough Accessibility Project – Key Dates

1. This major project is progressing well and details of some of the milestone dates in the current programme are given in Appendix 1.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND WARD IMPLICATIONS

1. The specific locations mentioned in this report have implications for the following wards:

University -University Ward Residents Parking

All Wards - Winter Maintenance & North M’bro Accessibility

Nunthorpe -Speed monitoring on Guisborough Road

Middlehaven - Bedford & Baker St. Parking

There are no financial implications.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The Executive Member is recommended to:

a)Note the proposals to switch on the traffic signal at Cargo Fleet Road roundabout.

b)Note the position regarding the University Ward proposals.

c)Confirm the priorities in the Winter Maintenance Plan.

d)Approve the Action identified in the report regarding Guisborough Road.

e)Confirm the action identified with regard to the Bedford and Baker St Experiment

f)Note the key milestone dates within the NMA programme

REASONS

1. The recommendations in this report are made to ensure best value in terms of existing funding allocation and priorities.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

1. Winter Maintenance Plan 2008/09.

AUTHOR: Brian Glover

TEL NO: 728101

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Address: P O Box 65, Vancouver House, Gurney Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 1QP

Website:

Appendix 1

• Expression of Interest Advert

• Prequalification Questionnaire return

• Complete financial vetting & assessment to identify Tenderers

• Return of formal Tender

• Appoint Consultant

• Prepare initial draft scheme drawings

• Attend meetings of the Community Council/Mosque to explain the processes involved in the consultation and implementation phases.

• Hand over draft scheme and brief consultants

• Commence consultations

• Review consultation results and revise scheme after return of questionnaires

• Formal approval process with Executive Member and Ward Members

• Advertise legal order (28 day objection period)

• Deal with Objections

• Issue letters to residents outlining application process

• Commence the issue of 2,500 passes and the installation of signs and lines

Appendix 2

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