AGENDA ITEM 4

BOROUGH OF POOLE

HAMWORTHY EAST AND WEST, AND POOLE TOWN AREA COMMITTEE

27 JANUARY 2010

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE GEORGE ROUNDABOUT

PART OF THE PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN - NO

STATUS (Service Delivery Information)

  1. PURPOSE

1.1.To propose remedial measures at The George roundabout to deal with the high levels of accidents occurring at this junction.

  1. DECISION(S) REQUIRED

2.1.It is recommended that this Area Committee approves the amendments to the raised planting area and changes to the white lining, as shown on Drawing No. JC0847/202, be carried out.

  1. BACKGROUND/INFORMATION

3.1.During the last 5 years there have been a total of 38 No. reported accidents at the George roundabout causing 47 No. casualties, 3 No. of which were serious.

3.2.11 No. of the accidents have involved vehicles entering the roundabout from High Street North. A possible contributory cause of these could be due to the raised planting bed at the entrance to the roundabout. Photographs of the location are included below,

3.4.Remedial works are now proposed to improve visibility when entering the junction from High Street North. This will involve lowering the planting area to ground level, as well as lining changes. Details of the proposals are shown on Drawing No. JC0847/202 at Appendix A.

3.5.As Leisure Services are responsible for the raised planting area they have been consulted about the proposal. They comment that, although a lowered planting area won’t be as attractive as currently exists, they recognise that the raised area could affect the visibility for drivers. They have no objection to lowering the planting area.

  1. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1.The cost of the proposed alterations is estimated to be £25,000 for which there is adequate provision in the Road Safety section of the Transportation Capital Programme.

  1. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1There are none.

  1. RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

6.1Non delivery of this scheme is likely to mean that some of the accidents, which this scheme is designed to reduce, will continue to occur. This could ultimately result in failure to deliver targets set out in the Local Transport Plan and subsequently potentially affect future levels of funding from Government.

6.2Control of costs would be strictly monitored as part of the delivery of this scheme. Any unavoidable additional costs would be reported and managed within the larger Transportation Capital Programme.

  1. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

7.1There are none.

  1. CONCLUSIONS

8.1That the raised planting area, on the High Street North approach to the George roundabout, be lowered. In addition, some small modifications to the white lining be carried out.

Julian McLaughlin

Head of Transportation Services

Appendix A – Drawing No. JC0847/202

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

Graham Spicer(01202) 262072