Agenda and minutes

Your Panel received a report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living, which provided an update on the experimental road closure at Kenton Park Road and detailed an investigation to locally widen Kenton Road in order to create a dedicated right-turn lane into Kenton Lane.

Members were asked to consider extending the experimental road closure for six months, to allow Member-level discussions between Brent and Harrow Councils concerning the proposed road widening. A letter received from Brent Council, supporting the road widening but providing no firm offer of funding, was circulated to Members. Members were informed that the road closure could only be extended for a further six months, as the road could not be closed legally for more than eighteen months in total. Members discussed the role of Councillor Bob Blackman, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow, in the negotiations with Transport for London (TfL).

An advisor to the Panel referred to the repeated collapse of the road at the junction, and it was suggested that a brook might run beneath the road. Officers assured the Panel that any widening of the road would be accompanied by appropriate strengthening measures.

Two Ward Councillors for Kenton West spoke on behalf of the residents of Kenton, requesting a solution that would accommodate all residents.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport)

That (1)  the experimental closure in Kenton Park Road including the associated experimental double yellow line waiting restrictions be extended for a further six months to eighteen months;

(2)  further discussions be undertaken with Brent Council, including at Member level, regarding sharing the cost of the proposed scheme to widen Kenton Road and reinstate the right turn into Kenton Lane;

(3)  local residents in the wider area shown at Appendix C to the report be informed of the extension of the experimental period and ongoing work to investigate reinstating the right turn into Kenton Lane, and that any further community representations be considered along with other representations at the scheme review in November 2005.

[REASON:  To seek approval to extend the experimental period to allow more time for further community representations to be considered.]

Your Panel received a report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living, which detailed the responses received from the re-consultation on the extension of the Stanmore CPZ and objections received to the advertised traffic orders.

The meeting was advised of some corrections to the report: specifically that 9, not 7, letters of objection to the advertised traffic orders had been received, all of which had been addressed in the officers’ report; and that extracts from the three petitions covered in the report had not been included in Appendix B, but were accordingly circulated to Members.

Officers informed the Panel that, with the exception of the consultation in the Howberry Road area, the consultations had produced clear-cut conclusions reflected in the officers’ recommendations. It was reported that in the Howberry Road area, 51% of respondents had been in favour of yellow line waiting restrictions to operate between 2pm and 3pm Monday to Friday. On balance, officers’ felt that a residents’ parking scheme would better serve the needs of the residents.

Members discussed the officers’ statement that over a third of the respondents that supported the proposal to implement a residents’ parking scheme may need on-street parking. Whilst some Members felt that the yellow line scheme, which had the support of the local residents’ association, would best serve the majority of residents, others cited the needs of a minority of residents who would be seriously disadvantaged by a yellow-line scheme.

An advisor to the Panel emphasised the need for business permits to be incorporated into the scheme to support workers in Stanmore, and officers advised the Panel that they already were.

Particular reference was made to the petitions received from residents and businesses in Canons Corner, and the petition received from residents in the Green Lane area. Officers were requested to investigate the issue of congestion in Green Lane. Whilst Members felt that a ‘Pay and Display’ and residents’ parking area could be applied to the six parking bays outside the parade of shops at Canon’s Corner, officers advised that the competing demands of residents and businesses on a limited number of spaces made the option untenable. Officers were requested to investigate further options to alleviate parking problems in this area.  

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport)

That (1)  the objections to the traffic orders for alterations and extension of the Stanmore Controlled Parking Zones (Zone B and Zone H) be set aside unless otherwise indicated for reasons given at Appendix C to the report;

(2)  Charlbury Avenue (part), Craigweil Close (part), Eaton Close, Elizabeth Gardens, Malcolm Court, Laurimel Close and London Road (part) be excluded from the scheme;

(3)  officers be authorised to implement the extension to Stanmore CPZ  Zone B and Zone H as shown at Appendix D to the report and detailed at Appendix E under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984;

(4)  officers be authorised to take all necessary steps under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to advertise the traffic orders,  ...  view the full minutes text for item

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of personal or prejudicial interests made by Members of the Panel arising from the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda items be admitted under Agenda Item 9 (Any Other Business) by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2) all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note the receipt of the following petition which was referred to the relevant officer for consideration:

Petition requesting that the right-turn from Kenton Road into Kenton Lane be restored and that additional pedestrian crossing facilities be installed at the same junction

Presented by Councillor Vina Mithani and signed by 818 Kenton residents.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living.

The Panel received a report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living, which provided a progress update on an investigation into the removal of turning restrictions and the provision of pedestrian crossing facilities at the Headstone Drive/Cecil Road/Ellen Webb Drive junction. The Panel also considered a reference from the Wealdstone Regeneration Advisory Panel meeting on 7 September 2005, proposing that a safety audit be carried out to ascertain the feasibility of removing the right turn restriction before other schemes for controlling the traffic were considered, and noting the Panel’s lack of support for the option proposed in the officer report.  

Officers informed the Panel that traffic signal and roundabout solutions had been investigated, although neither solution fully addressed all the issues associated with the junction. A proposal was described which manipulated the traffic conditions on the junction approaches to favour the most difficult/important approaches over the least difficult/important. Crucially, non-local traffic would be re-directed from Cecil Road back to the main road network using a manipulation of traffic signals that would significantly reduce the green time on Cecil Road, thus causing a deliberate disadvantage to vehicles using Cecil Road to avoid congestion on the main roads. The green time from Cecil Road could then be redistributed to other junction approaches to reduce queuing. Sufficient green time would need to be retained to accommodate local users. A detailed origin and destination survey would therefore be required to establish the relative volumes of local and non-local traffic using Cecil Road to determine if the green time can be reduced far enough to give a workable scheme.

In the discussion that followed, Members of the Panel expressed their concern over manipulating the signals on Cecil Road and the subsequent effects on local residents. It was suggested that increasing the congestion would increase ‘rat-running’ through the smaller roads, and that the poor condition of the main roads forced traffic onto smaller roads like Cecil Road.

An advisor to the Panel suggested using sensors to control the phasing of the lights at Cecil Road and Headstone Drive. An officer agreed to investigate this suggestion. It was further suggested that any proposals ought to consider both the short term and long term developments at the junction.

A Member of the Panel suggested that the safety audit proposed by Wealdstone Regeneration Advisory Panel be conducted in parallel with the proposed origin and destination survey.

RESOLVED:  That officers be authorised (1) to conduct an origin and destination survey to establish the volume of non-local traffic using Cecil Road and to develop a scheme to introduce traffic signals, with pedestrian crossing facilities, at the Ellen Webb Drive/Headstone Drive/Cecil Road junction that will actively discourage such traffic from using Cecil Road;

(2)  to simultaneously carry out a safety audit to ascertain the feasibility of removing the right turn restriction before other schemes for controlling the traffic be considered;

(3)  subject to the survey showing that a workable solution is achievable, to:

·                     conduct a public consultation exercise to demonstrate that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 129.

Report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living.

The Panel received a report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living, which detailed the findings of an investigation into the provision of controlled pedestrian crossing facilities at the Harrow View/Headstone Drive/Headstone Gardens junction. Officers advised Members that TfL, who had agreed funding to improve the junction by March 2006, had conducted the investigation.

In the discussion that followed, Members sought clarification on the proposed solution. Officers confirmed that two-stage crossing facilities would be provided on the Headstone Drive and Headstone Gardens approaches with single-stage crossings on the other approaches. The pedestrian facilities had been arranged to minimise the loss of green time to vehicles thereby minimising loss of capacity on the approaches, although overall there would be a small increase in delay for traffic using this junction. To achieve this layout required the introduction of a right turn ban from Headstone Gardens to Harrow View (south) which would displace a small amount of traffic from the junction. Officers confirmed that the signals would be pedestrian activated. In addition to pedestrian facilities the scheme would also introduce a small amount of shopper parking.

A Member of the Panel, who was also the Ward Councillor for Headstone South, offered her support for the proposals, which she described as offering a balance between the needs of motorists and pedestrians. However, a Member expressed concern that delaying the traffic and introducing a right turn ban would increase traffic volume on surrounding roads. An officer advised that ‘Before and After’ monitoring of traffic flow would be carried out to determine if there was any notable traffic displacement as a result of the right turn ban.

Although Members of the Panel emphasised that there was no easy solution to the problems at this junction, it was agreed to support the officer’s recommendation subject to clear public support being demonstrated via consultation. 

RESOLVED:  That officers be authorised (1) to carry out a public consultation exercise to measure the level of support for the introduction of pedestrian crossing facilities and shopper parking at the Headstone Drive/Harrow View/Headstone Gardens junction in a proposal that will ban right turns from Headstone Gardens into Harrow View and that will lead to a limited increase in queuing at the junction;

(2)  subject to clear public support being demonstrated, to:

·                     prepare traffic orders to introduce a right turn ban from Headstone Gardens;

·                     introduce pay and display parking; and

·                     modify waiting and loading restrictions to accommodate changes to the bus stop;

and, subject to these issues being considered further by the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport, implement the scheme.

Report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living.

See Recommendation 1.

Report of the Director of Area Services, Urban Living.

See Recommendation 2.

Which the Chair has decided is urgent and cannot otherwise be dealt with.

(i)         Petts Hill Bridge

A Member of the Panel requested regular updates and reports on the Petts Hill Bridge improvement scheme. Although it was argued that the reports should only be provided when required, instead of creating a standing agenda item, it was:

RESOLVED:  That officers update the Panel when there are new developments to the Petts Hill Bridge proposals, and report any developments to the next meeting.

(ii)            Accident statistics

            Officers requested more information on what format the statistics should take.

RESOLVED:  That Nominated Members discuss with officers outside the formal Panel meetings to agree format of regular information on accident statistics.

(iii)        Traffic calming measures in Kings Road and the surrounding area

A Member of the Panel requested that the results from the consultation on traffic calming measures in Kings Road be brought to the Panel, to enable them to make recommendations. Members were informed that any issues that were contentious would be presented to the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel for their decision.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.