Archived decisions

Contact: Alastair Norton, tel 023 9244 6510

email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Havant Borough Council acts as agent to the County Council for traffic management matters within the borough, under new working arrangements which came into force on 1 May 2002. These arrangements have been the subject of discussion and, at the time of writing, are about to be finalised under a new Agency Agreement.

1.2 This report provides a brief update on the following matters:

(i) Traffic Regulation Orders;

(ii) Road Safety Engineering;

(iii) Decriminalised Car Parking Enforcement;

(iv) Cycleways; and

(v) Other Works.

2. Traffic Regulation Orders

2.1 Havant Borough Council has recently made Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) at the following locations:

(i) Hambledon Road/Aysgarth Road, Waterlooville (waiting restrictions);

(ii) St Thomas Avenue, Hayling Island (waiting restrictions);

(iii) South Street, Havant (loading restrictions);

(iv) Bellair Road/Montgomery Road, Havant (waiting restrictions);

(v) Purbrook Heath Road, Purbrook (right turn prohibition - works to be carried out by the County Council); and

(vi) Fifth Avenue/Blenheim Gardens, Havant (7.5 tonne prohibition).

2.2 Current TROs to be processed/progressed are:

2.3 In addition to the work engaged in the making of TROs such as those listed above, the Borough Council receives numerous requests for traffic management measures and local safety engineering schemes. Ongoing work of this character represents a high volume of demand with a large backlog, particularly where problems relate to matters of amenity.

2.4 This problem will be enhanced by the temporary loss of a member of staff who is on maternity leave. This will, inevitably, lead to a further backlog of work and a corresponding reduction in output.

3. Road Safety Engineering

3.1 There are currently 219 sites within Hampshire with five or more personal injury accidents in the three year period 2000 to 2002 inclusive. Of these, 20 are situated within Havant Borough, a number of which have been treated with safety engineering remedial measures.

3.2 In conjunction with the County Council Road Safety Engineering Team, Havant Borough Council has designed, commissioned and implemented a number of remedial safety engineering measures. The most recent scheme which is in the process of being implemented is at the junction of Lovedean Lane with London Road, Cowplain.

3.3 Hampshire County Council has recently set up a South-East Hampshire Casualty Reduction Partnership with the Police and the districts. The aim of this partnership is to improve communications about fatal and potentially fatal sites, in an endeavour to reduce the recurrence of Personal Injury Accidents. Meetings are held on a monthly basis, attended by County Council and Borough Council officers and the Police. Site meetings subsequently take place to discuss accident causation, and appropriate remedial measures are formulated. Borough Council officers take an active role in providing advice in this regard.

4. Decriminalised Car Parking Enforcement

4.1 Following consideration of a business case report prepared by the County Council's appointed consultant, Atkins, the Borough Council has now agreed in principle to the implementation of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) throughout the borough. A target date of 1 April 2005 has been set for implementation.

4.2 It has also been agreed that public consultation will take place, based on the option within the consultant's report, which indicates that DPE could be implemented at no financial dis-benefit to the Borough Council. Consultation will be undertaken during October by means of a number of Roadshows, following which the Borough Council's Executive will give the proposal further consideration.

4.3 Preliminary discussions have taken place between officers of the County and Borough Councils and a capital sum of £100,000 has be identified by the County Council for 2004/05 to assist with the implementation costs.

5. Cycleways

5.1 The conversion of the Brambles Business Park cycle route to shared segregated status has commenced and should be completed in November 2003.

5.2 Southleigh Road (Phase 2) is expected to commence in December 2003, with completion by March 2004. Phase 3 will be subject to consultation early in 2004, with construction expected during August to October 2004.

6. Other Works

6.1 In previous years the Borough Council has provided capital funding for programmes of crime prevention lighting and minor highway environmental enhancements. Funding of these programmes for the current financial year will not be known until the Borough Council considers its capital works programme later this year.

6.2 Funding of £15,000 has been provided to enhance the levels of lighting at two identified `hot spots' of crime and disorder, Purbrook Chase Precinct and Mill Road, where closed circuit television has also been installed. Further works have also recently been undertaken at these locations to help with this particular problem following discussions with the Police.

6.3 A small amount of funding has been provided to bring the levels of lighting in Borough Council operated car parks up to current standards. This will be an ongoing programme which is aimed, together with other necessary works, at achieving `Secured Car Park' status for a number of the Borough Council's car parks.

6.4 The Borough Council is still supportive of funding a scheme to overcome the problem of a missing section of footway in Maurepas Way, Waterlooville and awaits the County Council's decision in this matter.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8331/AN