Archived decisions

Contact: Mandy Ware, tel: 01962 857822 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That approval be given to the designation of Sunningdale Road, Castle Grove and Myrtle Avenue, Portchester as a Home Zone.

(ii) That approval be given to the making of a Traffic Regulation Order extending the current 20 mph speed limit in West Street to include the whole of West Street, Jubilee Road, Queen Mary Road, Sunningdale Road, Castle Grove and Myrtle Avenue, Portchester.

2. Reason

2.1 This decision supports Aims 1, 2 and 4 of the Corporate Strategy, Maximising life opportunities, Stewardship of the environment and Building strong and safe communities, by creating an improved environment in which to live, encouraging walking and cycling, and promoting the continued involvement of the community in the development of the Home Zone and its future management.

2.2 The introduction of a Home Zone forms part of a Government initiative to promote the Home Zone concept, and is one of 61 schemes being implemented nationally which have been selected for Department for Transport financial support and detailed monitoring. It is this monitoring that will enable best practice guidance for Home Zones to be developed and published. A 20 mph speed limit over a slightly wider area is proposed to complement the low speed environment of the Home Zone itself.

2.3 The Home Zone and 20 mph speed limit will address the concerns of residents relating to parking, traffic speed, 'rat-running' and local amenity.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The Home Zone is being funded in part by specific Government grant, having been selected by the Department for Transport as one of the pilot schemes, and therefore the general concepts of Home Zone design have been adhered to. The agreed scheme has been developed with considerable input from residents via a residents' working party, open workshops and exhibitions. Through this process many options have been explored, including road closures, one-way streets and road layout changes.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

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 A Project Appraisal was approved at the Executive Member for Environment decision meeting on 23 July 2003, the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel meeting on 25 July 2003, and the Executive Member for Policy and Resources meeting on 25 July 2003.

7.2 The extent of the proposed Home Zone and 20 mph speed limit is shown on the attached plan, and formal advertisement of the proposals was undertaken between 30 October 2003 and 20 November 2003. As a result, one letter with 83 signatures was received requesting the extension of the 20 mph speed limit to cover the surrounding roads of King George Avenue, Allenby Grove, Marlborough Grove, Gladstone Gardens, Vincent Grove, Frobisher Grove, Clive Grove and Wellington Grove, due to concern over possible increased 'rat-running'.

8. Discussion

8.1 The effects of the proposals on these roads will form part of the detailed monitoring for the Department for Transport but, in any case, the Home Zone and its approaches are selected on the basis that they are reasonably self-contained and therefore unlikely to give rise to a transfer of significant volumes of traffic to alternative through routes. Furthermore, these roads would not meet the criteria for the imposition of a 20 mph speed limit unless significant traffic calming works were undertaken, and this does not form part of the current proposals. It is considered, therefore, that the 20 mph speed limit extension requested is not appropriate in the current circumstances.

8.2 The local Member, Councillor Price, is supportive of the scheme.

8585/MCW