Item 2

AT A MEETING of the HART HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT ADVISORY PANEL held at Hart District Council, Fleet on 21 March 2003.

PRESENT:

Hampshire County Council

Councillors: J.W. Stocks (Chairman); A.P. Collett; J. Glen; P.R. Hutcheson;
Mrs C. Leversha

Hart District Council

Councillors: S. Holden; S. Parker

13. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed. Any declaration to be made at the time of the debate.

14. MINUTES

The Minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Panel were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

15. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

There were none.

16. DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations.

17. ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT REORGANISATION AND BLUEPRINT UPDATE

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 5 in the Minute Book) regarding reorganisation of the Environment and Blueprint update. The Director of Environment reported on the completion of appointments following the reorganisation of the Environment Department.

The former Deputy County Surveyor David Tarrant had been appointed to the post of Deputy Director of Environment with responsibility for strategy and resources. Members' attention was drawn to the Management Board and the next tier posts set out in appendix 1 attached to the report.

In order to simplify contacts with the department on highways matters a centralised countywide contact number was being set up. The Hart Sub-unit was currently operating from the motorway compound at Hook, but would relocate to Hart District Council's offices in Fleet from April 2003.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

18. HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES 2002/3 AND 2003/4

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment outlining progress with the 2002/3 Highways Maintenance Programme; details of the 2003/4 Highways Maintenance Budget and details of the 2003/04 Highways Maintenance Programme (Item 6 in the Minute Book).

It was anticipated that the Revenue Maintenance Programme for 2002/3 amounting to £403,000 would be completed at the end of March. A budget statement was included at appendix 1 attached to the report. The Capital Maintenance Programme for 2002/3 amounting to £975,000 had also been completed.

The Highways Maintenance Budget for 2003/4 had been approved by the Executive Member for Environment and included 19 revenue schemes and 28 capital schemes. Members were advised that the scheme at Dogmersfield involving heavy white lines painted on the road surface, had been changed as a traffic calming measure to visually narrow the carriageway. The total allocation for Hart for 2003/4 for the Revenue Maintenance Programme amounted to £410,000 details of which appeared in appendix 3 attached to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

19. STREET LIGHTING PROGRAMMES 2002/3 AND 2003/4

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 7 in the Minute Book) regarding Street Lighting Maintenance Contract; Column Maintenance Programmes 2002/3 and 2003/4; Energy Contract; Community Safety Initiative 2002/3 and 2003/4; and Street Lighting Policy.

The Street Lighting Maintenance Contract continued to provide a high percentage of "lights on" across the county and this amounted to 99.3% at the present time.

During the present financial year street lighting columns on the following roads had been replaced:

(i) Tavistock Road, Fleet

(ii) Dinorben Avenue, Fleet

(iii) Dinorben Close, Fleet

(iv) Fitzroy Road, Fleet

(v) Church Road, Fleet

(vi) Green Lays, Fleet

(vii) Park Hill, Fleet

(viii) Tweseldon Road, Fleet

(ix) Rounton Road, Fleet

(x) Cranford Avenue, Fleet


The following roads were proposed for replacement of street lighting in the 2003/4 programme.

(i) Beech Drive, Hawley
(ii) Woodlands, Fleet
(iii) Herbert Road, Fleet
(iv) Stockton Avenue, Fleet
(v) Chantreys, Fleet

Letters requesting bids for the forthcoming financial year for the Community Safety Initiative had been sent out. The programme had not yet been finalised.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

20. UNDER £10,000 MINOR CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMMES 2002/3 AND 2003/4

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment reporting the progress on the 2002/3 schemes and outlining proposals for 2003/4 (Item 8 in the Minute Book).

The total allocation for the 2002/3 Under £10,000 Capital Works Programme in Hart was £7,500. The scheme identified for the programme was the A30 Phoenix Green, Hartley Wintney - Pedestrian Refuge - scheme. This had been designed, but issues relating to common land and the possibility of a land swap was still being investigated.

Members approved the Under £10,000 Scheme Rolling Programme for Hart set out in the appendix attached to the report, subject to project 1 Newnham Road, Newnham being identified as within the boundaries of Hart District Council.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive Member for Environment be advised that the schemes, set out in the Appendix to the report be accepted. They would be included in the Minor Works Capital Programme for 2003/4, so far as resources permitted.

(i) Newnham Road, Newnham (subject to being in Hart District);

(ii) Bowfield/Griffin Way South, Hook;

(iii) Charles Close, Hook;

(iv) Brook Hill, Crondall Road, Crondall.

21. CASUALTY REDUCTION AND SAFER ROUTES TO SCHOOL CAPITAL PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 9 in the Minute Book) outlining details of the proposed 2003/4 programme.

Potential sites for inclusion in the 2003/4 Casualty Reduction Programme based on accident figures were as follows:

(i) Derby Green Lane, Frogmore;

(ii) B3272 Yateley (Cricket Hill to Hall Lane);

(iii) C4 Cricket Hill Lane/Vigo Lane, Yateley;

(iv) A33 bend approximately 650 metres south of Wellington monument;

(v) A287 Hook, M3 to A30;

(vi) A287 Hook, M3 to B3349 roundabout.


Members were advised that a mobile safety camera installation had been approved for the use on the B3272 at Yateley.

Concern was expressed at the length of time taken to complete School Travel Plans and following discussion of Church Crookham Junior School, the school was to be encouraged to produce such a Plan which would be incorporated into safety measures.

Councillor Mrs Leversha requested that she and two ward members (Councillors Benford and Jones) be involved in discussions regarding the Odiham Scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

22. STATUS REPORT ON OTHER HIGHWAY RELATED CAPITAL SCHEMES FOR 2002/3 AND PROPOSED SCHEMES FOR 2003/4

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 10 in the Minute Book) on the Bridge Works Programme; Intelligent Transport Systems Programme for 2003/4; North East Hampshire Transport Strategy (NEHTS) Schemes.

Works had recently been commenced within the Intelligent Transport System Programme for a number of Pelican Crossings in Fleet. Works planned for implementation in 2003/4 were still being finalised and were likely to include a separate right-turn phase for traffic on the south bound A30 in Blackwater wishing to turn into Rosemary Lane by the Lidl Store. Additionally work was underway on the possible provision of traffic lights at the junction of the A30 and Dilly Lane in Phoenix Green, Hartley Wintney.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

23. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES 2002/3 AND 2003/4

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment regarding the Traffic Management Programmes for 2002/3 and 2003/4 (Item 11 in the Minute Book).

Traffic management proposals were raised in a number of ways, usually by parish councils, local district or county Members or by the public or Police. The issues were then prioritised and investigated and might be included in the programme. Schemes which had been progressed as part of the 2002/3 programme in Hart were shown at appendix 1 attached to the report.

Details within the Parish Partnership Programme were set out in appendix 2; and schemes currently in progress in the Hart area were shown at appendix 3 attached to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

24. HAMPSHIRE HIGHWAYS WEATHER EMERGENCIES

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment outlining the current policy and procedures relating to weather emergencies and the impact of adverse weather on the highway network (Item 12 in the Minute Book).

The Director of Environment advised Members that the Highways Act 1980 placed a duty upon highway authorities to clear snow from the network but there was no such duty to clear ice. This situation was likely to change over the next year when regulations would require local authorities to treat ice and snow on the network.

Footways were not routinely treated in advance of predicted ice or snow. The dry application of salt to footways was not always effective as it was necessary that salt be ground into the snow to become beneficial.

Members requested that a representative from the Environment Agency be invited to attend future meetings.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

25. HAMPSHIRE HIGHWAYS ABANDONED VEHICLES

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment outlining the issues associated with dealing with abandoned vehicles, the legislative framework and division of responsibilities between authorities (Item 12 in the Minute Book). It was pointed out that the cost of removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles had risen from £48,000 in 1997/98 to £394,000 in 2003/4. The End of Life Vehicle Regulations, which would cover everything involved in the dismantling of vehicles and specifically identifies products such as fluids and compound materials as hazardous, would place a further burden on local authorities. A review of the existing scrap yards in Hampshire had been undertaken to assess whether the vehicles dismantling facilities met the new recycling and part re-use targets. Members expressed concern at the increasing costs of the undertaking, and requested that a countywide scheme be investigated and to report back to the Panel.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

26. BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment covering the Best Value Performance Indicators (Item 14 in the Minute Book) concerning the condition of the highway network in Hampshire. It outlined the requirements of 2002/3 indicators and provided comments concerning analysis and the use of data.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

27. ELVETHAM ROAD, FLEET

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 15 in the Minute Book) detailing the results of a further review of the traffic calming scheme in Elvetham Road, Fleet.

The Director of Environment reported that the review had addressed much of the scheme and objections. The Executive Member for Environment was to approve modifications to the scheme at his Decision Day, using the £30,000 under spend to increase user acceptability and to improve the traffic calming in Elvetham Road.

Modifications were to be implemented and consultation undertaken in 6 months time. A further report would be made to the Panel. Members were informed that option 4.1(iii) was no longer to be included as a potential consultation option in the report to the Executive Member for Environment.

District Council Members remained critical of the scheme and were asked to draw to the attention of the officers in writing any technical criticisms of the revised scheme so that these might be further considered.

Attention was drawn to the Section 106 Agreement, jointly endorsed by Hart District Council and the County Council. The Chairman reported the intention of the Executive Member for Environment to approve modifications to the scheme.

District Council Members voiced further criticism of the proposals and Councillor Holden insisted on an amended resolution.

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with Hart District Council's official position, this Panel recommends the immediate removal of the traffic calming chicanes in Elvetham Road, Fleet. Members cast votes as follows: For the resolution 3, against 2, abstained 2.

28. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The Secretary was to canvass dates for the next meeting.

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