BOROUGH OF POOLE
HAMWORTHY EAST AND WEST AND POOLE TOWN AREA COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2009
CARTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL, BLANDFORD CLOSE,
POOLE BH16 4BQ
The Meeting commenced at 7.00 p.m. and concluded at 8.55 p.m.
Members of the Committee present:
Councillor White (Chairman)
Councillors Bulteel, Gregory and Leverett
Members of the public in attendance: 42
HEW23.09APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Evans, Gregory and Wilkins.
HEW24.09DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
No declarations of interest.
HEW25.09MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 December 2008, having been previously circulated, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
HEW26.09 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES:
Carter Community School and Turlin Moor Refurbishment of Multi-Use Games Areas
Mr. Winwood enquired as to why the refurbishing of the toilets at Turlin Moor had not been included as part of the refurbishment plans?
Councillors advised the Meeting that the Planning Obligations money could not be used for maintenance.
Baiter Car Park:
Mr. Howard advised the Meeting that the situation regarding the use of the Residents’ Visitor Car Parking Spaces had still to be addressed.
Transportation Services Officer, Steve Dean advised the Meeting that Baiter Park consisted of two types of car parking spaces, some were privately owned and others were public so that they were available for visitors. There had been complaints that others were using the spaces such as Town Centre workers, residents (who want to keep their own spaces free, or had more cars than spaces), and neighbours. The Council’s Transportation Services had consulted residents about this issue in 2002, and the response at the time was overwhelmingly against imposing controls on the spaces.
HEW27.09 HAMWORTHY PARK PLAY PROPOSALS
Leisure Services, Lead Officer Sarah Austin advised the Meeting on the Hamworthy Play Proposals. She advised the Meeting that due to reasons beyond her control the planned exhibition of the Play Proposals could not be displayed at the Meeting, however she did have details of the Play Proposals for the Meeting to view and displays would be available within the Park.
Background information was provided to the Meeting on the Play Proposals. It was explained that this was a two phase project tocreate a completely new toddler play area for the under 8 age group (Phase One) and refurbish the existing older children's play area (Phase Two). Phase One was opened on 24 May 2007 and work had been carried out on the design and development of Phase two.
Local, young children had been consulted and were fully involved in the concept stage of this Project. Six play companies were invited to tender, of which five play companies’Design Proposal Tenders were received on 2nd February 2009. A day of public consultation was to be held in the Park on Monday, 16th February 2009 and further consultation was to be held in three local schools during the week commencing 23rd February 2009. It was planned that the new Play Area would be open in July 2009, to coincide with the School Summer Holidays.
It was also noted that the ‘Rebound Wall Proposal’, which was a separate project to the Play Area, was currently on hold while a final decision was required on its location within the Park.
In response to residents’ concerns relating to the ‘Rebound Wall’ the Lead Officer explained that several children had wanted the ‘Rebound Wall’ nearer the centre of the Park, as opposed to a location near the Outdoor Activity Centre. It was felt that older teens played near the Outdoor Activity Centre and that the younger children who also wished to use the ‘Rebound Wall’ would not feel comfortable to do so if it was located there. Further updates would be provided at future meetings.
Residents were concerned about the ‘Rebound Wall’ delays but very pleased with the Tennis Courts.
In response to a resident’s question over the delays in completing the Park’s Footpath, the Lead Officer advised the Meeting that whilst this was not her remit, she was aware that there had been delays due to poor weather conditions preventing the tarmac surface being laid.
RESOLVED that,
- Further updates on the ‘Rebound Wall’ be provided at future Meetings.
HEW28.09 HAMWORTHY COMMUNITY LIBRARY PROJECT
The Library Services Manager advised the Meeting that there were four phases to the Hamworthy Community Library Project. Phase 1; feasibility and consultation, which had been completed, Phase 2; Project Development and Consultation, which had been completed, Phase 3; Construction and Phase 4; Outcomes and Service Delivery. The Project began in March 2008 and was due to be completed by April 2010. The Big Lotteryhad fully approved the Project.
In addition to Library Services the New Library would also be offering the following services:
- Adult Learning
- Children’s Centre
- Youth Activities
- Citizens Advice
- Money Advice Project
- Community Police
- Community Officer
- Media Room
- Café Area
- Bridging Communities – Living History Project and a ‘Time Capsule’.
- Primary Care Trust
Hamworthy Library would be closed from 1pm Saturday 21 March 2009 for one week and relocated to temporary premises, where it would remain whilst the new Library was being built. It would reopen on Monday 30 March 2009, in the Carter Community College, Old Gym, situated across the car park opposite the new gym building. During theclosure, books could be returned to, and exchanged at, any other Poole library.Car parking would be made available, accessible via Blandford Close. A normal service would be provided as far as possible with the following opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 10am - 4.30pm
Thursday closed
Friday 10am - 4.30pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm
The ‘Gaff’ Youth Centre and Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), which were also based at the new Library Site, would be vacating the Premises on 13 April 2009 and the Contractors would be commencing work for the new Library on 14 April 2009.
Updates on the Library’s progress would be made available through media releases, through the Borough of Poole and Library Websites, libraries, via the ‘MySpace’ website under Hamworthy Library and at future Hamworthy East and West and Poole Town Area Committee Meetings.
In response to a resident’s question, the Library Services Manager advised the Meeting that the Café was more of a ‘drop in area’ that it was hoped would be community run.
Members were pleased that a purpose built library was being built.
RESOLVED that, the Library Services Manager be thanked for the Presentation, and that updates of the Hamworthy Community Library Project be presented at future Meetings.
HEW29.09TRAFFIC SIGNALS OPERATION ON BLANDFORD ROAD
Transportation Services Officer, Steve Dean advised the Meeting that on 8 October 2008, it had requested that a report on the operation of traffic signals in the Hamworthy be brought back to this Meeting on two aspects:
- The phasing of traffic signals on Blandford Road in order to achieve a green ‘wave’ heading into Town in the morning rush hour.
- Providing more ‘green time’ for Hinchliffe Road at the junction with Blandford Road.
Phasing of signals on Blandford Road to assist in-bound traffic in the morning rush hour.
The Meeting was advised that all the Signals, which existed between the Pedestrian Crossing south of Lake Road and the Pedestrian Crossing west of Shapwick Road, were linked electronically through the Council’s Central Urban Traffic Control (UTC) System and had been set to operate in a co-ordinated way. Providing continuous movement along the main road was one of the factors within the Control System but it was also noted that the Signals had to also take in to account pedestrian and side road demands.
The Council’s Signal Consultant had recently assessed the operation of the linked Signals along Blandford Road and confirmed that they were operating efficiently. In order for the linked Signals to provide a continuous green light for moving traffic in one direction a number of conditions would be required. The Signal Timings had been set to achieve the best overall balance between traffic flows and pedestrians movements.
The signals at Turlin Road and Dawkins Road were effectively too far away to be linked, but the new signals at Turlin Road had an advanced control system (MOVA) that continually optimised the signal timings in response to traffic demands.
Hinchliffe Road/Blandford Road Junction
Residents had expressed concern that there was only a very short period of time allowing vehicles to leave Hinchliffe Road before the lights turned to red. A request had been made, that the ‘green time’ be extended.
It was explained to the Meeting that these Signals had been set to provide sufficient ‘green time’ for the known demand from Hinchliffe Road, for the majority of the time. Any modifications to increase the ‘green time’ would only provide occasional benefits to this minor road and would result in a significant disadvantage to the main road traffic, which was very much nearer to full capacity.
It was recommended, for the reasons given, that no action be taken to phase traffic signals on Blandford Road, in order to achieve a ‘green wave’ heading into Town during the morning rush hour, or provide more ‘green time’ for Hinchliffe Road traffic, at the junction with Blandford Road.
The majority of the residents were in agreement with the reasons given and thanked the Officer for his explanation, however a number of concerns were raised in respect of the areas around the Schools, these included waiting time for pedestrians, congestion of traffic at lights and the added problems created by parked cars.
In response to these concerns, the Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that the maximum waiting time at the Pedestrian Lights was 104 seconds. The congestion of traffic around schools was an area that would be looked at more closely, along with the issue of parked cars.
In response to a resident’s question as to why the lights could not be turned off by the Schools during the periods the Schools were closed, i.e. during the Summer? The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that if no traffic was coming out of the Schools, the Traffic Lights would remain green on the main road, however this did not stop the Lights turning red if they were activated by a pedestrian.
A resident raised concern over the timings of the Traffic Lights at the Hinchliffe Road and the Co-op Junction on Blandford Road. As a cyclist she had struggled to turn right at the Junction before the lights changed and was concerned that there could be an accident, having had a couple of close calls herself.
The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that he would investigate this matter.
A resident also raised a concern over the timings of the Lifting Bridge that linked Hamworthy and Poole Town. On a couple of occasions the Bridge had lifted at a later time than that of the stated schedule. Earlier on the day of this Meeting was one of those occasions, the Bridge should have lifted at 2.30 but did not get raised until 2.40, thus adding to the congestion.
The Transportation Services Officer again advised the Meeting that he would investigate this matter.
RESOLVED that,
- No action be taken to phase traffic signals on Blandford Road, in order to achieve a ‘green wave’ heading into Poole Town during the morning rush hour.
- No action be taken to provide more ‘green time’ for Hinchliffe Road traffic, at the junction with Blandford Road.
- Transportation Services investigates the Traffic Lights at the Hinchliffe Road and the Co-op Junction on Blandford Road to ensure cyclists had adequate time to manoeuvre.
- Transportation Services investigates why the Lifting Bridge that links Hamworthy and Poole Town had been raised at different times to that on its Scheduled Lifting Times.
HEW30.09LOWER HAMWORTHY PARKING SCHEME
The Transportation Services Officer, Steve Dean advised the Meeting that postcards inviting them to an exhibition of the proposed Hamworthy Parking Scheme had been delivered to residents of Lower Hamworthy during the previous week. The Exhibition would be held at Hamworthy Library on 17 and 18 February 2009. Consultation Forms were also to be distributed to residents, within the area, within the next few days as a reminder and to explain the background to the proposals. The Exhibition was to be on display from 2-7pm on both days and Officers would be present to answer queries. Residents would be able to leave the completed Consultation Sheets in a collection box at the Exhibition or send them in by post to the Council.
A resident was concerned that he, and others, that lived south of Rockley Road, such as Lulworth Avenue and Branksea Avenue, had not been included within the Consultation. He advised the Meetings that, workers from ‘Sunseeker’ had been using the car park within Hamworthy Park and that, if the Parking Scheme was to go ahead it could further impact on the limited car parking within the Park.
The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that this was the start of the proposed scheme; phase one covered the designated area marked for consultation and that, it may be necessary to increase the area of consultation, to include the area south of Rockley Road.
In response to a resident’s question, as to why residents were expected to pay to park cars in the roads where they lived? The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that the purpose of the Consultation was to review the parking issues and ascertain if a restriction on parking, which would incur a cost, was what residents wanted.
Councillor Leverett explained that the Scheme was one of residents choice. He had pioneered such a scheme in an area that he represented, due to residents’ complaints about not being able to park in the roads outside their homes. There was no legal right to park outside a residential property, however the Scheme could, for around £40 a year, guarantee a space. It was of no financial benefit to the Council as to whether the Scheme was implemented or not.
Councillors advised the Meeting that if the Scheme were to be implemented, the usual time limit was for two hours permitted parking during the day, however, if residents wanted alternative times to be considered that these should be added to the Consultation Forms.
In response to a resident’s query as to whether the current 30 mph speed limits were to be reduced to 20 mph, the Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that Police Enforcement of speed limits was an issue. The Police had struggled to get drivers to reduce their speed to 30 mph and it would therefore be difficult to impose 20 mph limits in the immediate future.
A resident advised the Meeting that some form of parking restriction needed to be implemented in Blandford Close as cars often double parked, whilst dropping children off to school etc., and, a resident of Blandford Close she had, on occasions been blocked in.
The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that he would investigate this matter.
In response to a resident’s concern that zigzag markings and yellow lines outside Tuckers Lane School were still in place, even though the School had been closed for 4 years or more. The Transportation Services Officer advised the Meeting that part of the Scheme’s work included assessing areas where parking could be permitted. Tuckers Lane was one of those areas being assessed.
HEW31.09ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
- TRAFFIC PANEL.
The Meeting was advised on the minor traffic measures that had been considered by the Traffic Panel and approved under its Delegated Powers, which were as follows:
- Junction Rd – Concerns about obstructive parking, with a request for waiting restrictions. No action be taken to implement waiting restrictions
- Lake Drive – Request for an extension to the existing yellow lines at the junction of Lake Drive and the Access Road to the beach to No’s 61 & 61a. Impose a “No Waiting at Any Time” restriction at the junction.
- HAMWORTHY BRANCH RAIL CROSSINGS
The Transportation Services Officer, Steve Dean, explained to the Meeting the options for providing a pedestrian and cycle route across the Hamworthy Branch Railway Line, and linking the major areas of new housing to Hamworthy Park.
It was recommended that the Council’s preferred option should be a bridleway level crossing adjacent to the western boundary of the Shapwick Road development. A planning application be made for the new route and level crossing works. An application be made under Section 26 of the 1980 Highways Act for creating a new bridleway across the railway and further research be carried out on previous public use. The evidence of historic and continuing pedestrian use of the Railway was strong, and the Rights of Way Officer had researched what procedures might effectively be used to promote a new bridleway route.