Contact: Kevin Hamilton, ext 7348

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That the objections to the advertised Traffic Regulation Order associated with the King's Parade, Blackwater Improvement Scheme be noted and that the revised scheme, shown on drawing no. 17/A30/63/600, be approved for implementation.

2. Reason

2.1 To allow the previously agreed environmental improvement scheme to be constructed.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The original proposal included the closure of the service road from Rosemary Lane. This was rejected due to the level of objection to the closure.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Background

7.1 On 14 September 1998 the former Roads and Development Sub-Committee approved a Project Appraisal for a scheme to improve the area of the shops and service road at King's Parade and White Hart Parade, Blackwater (see attached location plan). King's Parade and White Hart Parade front a service road parallel to the main A30 which can be accessed from Rosemary Lane and the A30. The proposal included the closure of the access from Rosemary Lane in order to remove the potential danger created by vehicles using the service road to by-pass the traffic signals on the main road.

7.2 The necessary traffic order was advertised in December 1998 and no objections, or indeed any other comments, were received. Approval to make the Order was given by the Chairman of the former Roads and Development Sub-Committee on 2 February 1999 in accordance with County Council procedures.

7.3 However, problems arose with land acquisition for the King's Parade part of the scheme and on 13 September 1999 the former Roads and Development Sub-Committee approved the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order to overcome the difficulties and secure the necessary land for the scheme. At the same time the Sub-Committee agreed to split the scheme into two parts so that the White Hart Parade section could proceed without delay.

7.4 Negotiations continued with the landowner but no agreement could be reached. On 24 July 2000 the former Roads and Development Sub-Committee considered a further report on the scheme and again approved the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order to secure the necessary land. This decision was ratified by the former Asset Management Sub-Committee on 2 November 2000.

7.5 The Compulsory Purchase Order was made in November 2000, published in December 2000 and subsequently confirmed, unchallenged, by the Secretary of State in March 2001. The need to make a Compulsory Purchase Order had delayed implementation of the scheme by over two years in which time the previously advertised Traffic Order had lapsed and needed to be readvertised. The Traffic Order was subsequently readvertised in July 2001.

8. Objections

8.1 In response to the readvertisement, 55 letters and a petition (of 421 signatures) objecting to the proposals together with one letter of support were received.

8.2 Of the 55 objection letters, 53 were identical other than the signatures and addresses (ie a stereotyped letter) and were received along with the petition from one of the other objectors, Mr Reay of Forsight Opticians. Copies of the stereotyped letter, the letters from the remaining two objectors and the support letter from Blackwater and Hawley Town Council are attached in Appendix 1. The list of Objectors is set out in Appendix 2. Five of the letters had no name and address. The main objections are as follows:

(i) the closure of the service road access from Rosemary Lane will be a hindrance to those who use the various businesses in the area;

(ii) to have the sole access to the service road from the A30 is considered unsafe; and

(iii) the closure would entail a detour of three quarters of a mile to access the shops at Blackwater.

9. Discussion

9.1 The closure of the service road access from Rosemary Lane was always a major part of the proposed scheme which was the result of a protracted consultation exercise. The closure would mean that traffic coming from the Camberley direction would have to proceed to the next roundabout and turn around to access the service road. However, presently traffic coming from the Camberley direction has to turn right into Rosemary Lane and then immediately right into the service road. This manoeuvre has the potential for shunt type accidents.

9.2 Another feature of the closure is that it would reduce through traffic in the service road and therefore reduce the conflict between vehicles and pedestrians. However, the objectors point out that other measures to reduce traffic speed in the service road may be more appropriate.

10. Options

10.1 In response to the objections, an alternative scheme was drawn up which retains the access to the service road from Rosemary Lane (see attached drawing no. 17/A30/63/600). The layout has been designed to minimise the speed of traffic entering the service road and to reinforce this an entry treatment has been included. In all other respects, the scheme remains as previously approved.

10.2 Approval of this scheme will allow implementation to commence early in 2002 without any further delays.

11. Consultation

11.1 The Police have been consulted on the revised scheme and, whilst preferring to see the access closed, would have no objection to the revised layout.

11.2 The local Member, Councillor Hutcheson, has agreed to the revised scheme on the proviso that it meets the requirements of the Safety Audit.

12. Conclusion

12.1 Given the level of objection and the desire to implement an environmental improvement after many delays, it is considered appropriate to implement a revised scheme which retains the access to the service road from Rosemary Lane.

6728/KH

APPENDIX 1

Copies of letters from objectors

APPENDIX 2

List of Objectors

Mr E A Reay, Forsight Opticians, London Road, Blackwater

Mr R Dorey, Printamax, London Road, Blackwater

K Watkins, 191 Aldershot Road, Church Crookham

Signature Illegible, 39 Highfield Road, Cove

J Thanjal, 13 Gainsborough Crescent, Farnborough

T Sharp, 13 Clayton Road, Farnborough

B Drake, 18 Heatherley Road,

Scott Comber, 21 Bracknell Road,

Mr J Taylor, 28 Highland Road,

Mr T Claringbond, 36 Baileys Close, Blackwater

Signature Illegible, 23 Baileys Close, Blackwater

E Reay, Heathcroft Lodge, Darby Green

Mr A Myers, 4 Woodville Close, Blackwater

R Harvey, 2 Brinns Lane, Blackwater

C Judd, 114 Hearsey Gardens, Blackwater

Mrs P Pilgrim, 61 Christchurch Drive, Blackwater

A Cruttenden, 79 Christchurch Drive, Blackwater

Susan Kenny, 12 Kingsway, Blackwater

Signature Illegible, 24 Cheriton Way, Blackwater

H M Selby, 67 Kingsway, Blackwater

J Adams, 17 Parkhill Road, Blackwater

Mrs K Rumbold, 45 Parkhill Road, Blackwater

Michelle Hobson, 15 Frogmore Park Drive, Blackwater

C Gray, 59 Frogmore Park Drive, Blackwater

Cara Watson, 6 Meadow Way, Blackwater

Margaret Cusden, 6 Rosemary Gardens, Blackwater

S Orsborn, 14 New Road, Blackwater

Kate O'Sullivan, 18 The Glebe, Hawley

D M Ellis, 15 Pine Drive, Hawley

N T Wilkinson, Gradely House, Fernhill Road, Hawley Green

Janet Bate, Collingwood, Fir Drive, Hawley

R Heathcote, Cheyne Cottage, Birch Drive, Hawley

Signature Illegible, 29 Hawthorne Crescent, Blackwater

John Robinson, 36 Oakfield Road, Blackwater

Dr L J Fooks, 14 Fernhill Close, Blackwater

Signature Illegible, 25 Tolpuddle Way, Yateley

I E Hebberd, 29 Home Park Road, Yateley

G Robbins, 15 Hangerfield Close, Yateley

P Nevitt, 32 Henley Gardens, Yateley

D T Sheehan, 2 Green Haven, Yateley

Linda Latif, 1 Dumas Close, Yateley

T Kent, 5 Elm Bank, Yateley

G J Halsted, Gran-Vale House, 17 The Breech, Sandhurst

G L Dorey, 63 Owlsmoor Road, Sandhurst

Phillips, 32 St Michaels Road, Sandhurst

Mrs J A Thackray, 59 Longmickle, Sandhurst

T Daly, 53 Ratby Close, Reading

Miss E Farrier, 25 Albany Road, Old Windsor

Mr A J Clark, 45 Minden Way, Winchester

L C Austin, 26 Orchard Crescent, Langford

NB - 5 letters had no name and address.