Portfolio Holder Decision Councillor Dion Safety Scheme Tatnam Road

BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – THURSDAY 28 july 2011

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

ON A PETITION to introduce a safety scheme in tatnam road

1.Purpose and Policy Context

1.1 To consider a petition to address dangerous driving in Tatnam Road.

1.2The Council’s Transportation Strategy aims to achieve a reduction in injury accidents on our roads.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Portfolio Holder approve :

2.1 That the concerns of the petitioners be noted, and they be advised that it is not possible to justify introducing a road safety scheme here at present

2.2 That this matter be forwarded to the Dorset Road Policy Unit, Dorset Road Safe and Safer Neighbourhood Team for their consideration for speed enforcement. Petitioners to be informed of any resulting action/response.

3.Information

3.1A petition has been received which has been signed by 58 residents, mainly from those living in Tatnam Road but also some from Wimborne Road. The petition called for a response to “dangerous driving which occurs on a daily basis”, that the road is used as a “cut through” and also mentions that speed humps are not seen as the solution. Particular concerns are regarding the parking layout and reversing out of driveways into fast-moving traffic. In conclusion the petitioners request that residents “wish to see a safety scheme put in place along Tatnam Road.”

3.2Tatnam Road is 580 metres in length and runs east-west between Wimborne Road and Stanley Green Road. Around 100 properties have direct frontage onto the road.

3.3The road traffic collisions records for the 5 year period up to the end of April 2011 indicate that there have been only two slight accidents resulting in personal injury along the road as indicated at Appendix A and B. On this basis it would not be possible to justify the cost of a scheme designed to reduce the accident rate by lowering traffic speeds

3.4A recent spot survey undertaken shows the average speed of vehicles in Tatnam Road to be 33 mph.

3.5The Government has announced that it intends to issue new guidance with regards to a very much simplified process for the introduction of lower speed limits on residential roads. At the moment however there is little or no detail available and the implication is that more information will be published by the DfT later this summer on both 20mph limits on residential roads and on revised speed limit guidance generally. A report on how this might be implemented in Poole will be brought to this Group when this information is available.

4.FINANCIAL INFORMATION

4.1The cost of introducing road safety measures will vary considerably depending on the final scheme.

5.LEGAL IMPLICATION

5.1There are no legal implications.

6.RISK MANAGEMENT

6.1Road traffic collisions are random in nature and it is not possible to predict where they will occur and, furthermore, they may continue to occur even if road safety measures are introduced.

7.EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

7.1There are no equalities implications.

8.CONCLUSIONS

8.1On the basis of the criteria by which the Road Safety Engineering programme is currently targeted, it is not possible to justify funding any road safety interventions measures in Tatnam Road at present.

8.2As a result of the residents concerns, however, it is suggested that this matter will be passed to the Safer Neighbourhood Team and Dorset Road Safe for enforcement attention.

Julian McLaughlin

Head of Transportation Services

Name and Telephone Number of Officer contact:

Martin Baker (01202 262073)

Appendix A –Casualty Records

Appendix B – Road Layout and Collision Locations

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