Agenda and minutes

The Panel received a report of the Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure which informed Members that the annual review for the whole Borough had been carried out.  This had included assessments of existing zones and requests for new zones, including petitions received in the last twelve months.

An officer referred the Panel to the priority list for financial year 2007/08 and five year Local Implementation Plan from April 2007 to March 2012 (Appendix C to the officer report), and explained that the revised programme included three new controlled parking zones and resident parking schemes as follows:-

·                     Marsh Road Service Road

·                     Canons Park Station area

·                     Burnt Oak Broadway area

The drawback to the completion of these schemes was that schemes further down the priority list would be deferred.

Members queried why North Harrow was an unprogrammed scheme to be reviewed following the occupation of the supermarket re-development.  An officer advised that there had been little support for the scheme when consultation was last carried out.

A Member queried whether a 1 hour CPZ at Canon’s Corner could be implemented instead of a ‘Pay and Display’ scheme, due to residents’ concerns about parking.  An officer stated that consultation had taken place and a 1 hour CPZ would be detrimental to traders situated on Canon’s Corner.

An adviser expressed the view that improved ‘Pay and Display’ machines should be used to make machines more user friendly, allowing users to insert their credit card on arrival and reinsert it and pay when departing.  An officer stated that a general review would be undertaken.

An amendment to the officer recommendations was moved and carried, and it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To the Portfolio Holder for Urban Living – Community Safety and Public Realm)

That (1) subject to funding, the priority list as shown in Appendix C to the officer report, be adopted as the controlled parking zone programme for inclusion in the Local Implementation Plan for submission to Transport for London;

(2)  the petitions submitted at this and the previous Panel meetings regarding roads in the North Harrow and Stanmore zones (Wychwood Avenue) be taken into consideration in due time;

(3)  minor adjustments to parking bays in Radnor and Bethecar Roads, close to Dental and Medical Practices, be made as soon as practical.

[REASON:  To prioritise the Controlled Parking Zones programme].

(See also Minute 48).

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)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

(i)            Councillor Graham Henson declared a personal interest in relation to all substantive items on the agenda arising from the fact that a relative was employed within Urban Living. Accordingly, the Member would remain in the room and take part in the decision–making on all items of the agenda.

 (i)        Agenda Item 9 – 2007/08 Programme – Information Report

            Mr E Diamond, an adviser to the Panel, declared a personal interest in that he was in possession of a disabled parking badge.Accordingly, the Adviser would remain in the room and take part in the decision–making on all items of the agenda.

(iii)        Agenda Item 11 - Traffic Management Issues Regarding the Proposed Re?opening of Wealdstone High Street to Traffic

            Councillor Susan Hall, who was not a Member of the Panel, declared a prejudicial interest in that she was a trader in Wealdstone. Accordingly, she took no part in the discussion on this item.

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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That (1) agenda item 8, “References from Other Committees/Panels” be considered separately from item 10, “Controlled Parking Zones/Resident Parking Schemes – Annual Review”;

(2) agenda item 11, “Traffic Management Issues Regarding the Proposed Re?opening of Wealdstone High Street to Traffic, and the Impact on the Surrounding Area”, be considered after item 8, “References from Other Committees/Panels”;

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

[Note:  For ease of reference, the order of the minutes follows the order of the business on the agenda].

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2006 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

[Note:  The 22 November 2006 minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2006 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 16 (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 16 (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 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note the receipt of the following petitions which were referred to the relevant officer for consideration:

(i)                   Petition requesting the stretch of road opposite the Shree Kutch Satang Swaminarayan Temple entrances be marked by double yellow lines prohibiting parking at all times and that provision be made for loading/unloading for local businesses.

Presented by Councillor Manji Kara and signed by 450 people.

(ii)                 Petition requesting that the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel take notice of the potentially dangerous traffic situation existing in Church Drive during weekdays.

Presented by Councillor John Nickolay and signed by 35 people.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (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 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Congestion and Parking - Reference from the meeting of the

Sustainable Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting held on 28 November 2006 (pages

The Panel received a reference from the meeting of the Sustainable Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting held on 28 November 2006, which was set out in the appendices to agenda item 10, “Controlled Parking Zones/Resident Parking Schemes – Annual Review”.  Members were informed of the Sub-Committee’s wish to encourage positive use of small scale parking restriction and Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) areas and that in the Sub-Committee’s view, future schemes should take into consideration ‘desire lines’ to balance the potential conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians and maximise traffic flow.

An officer explained that using small scale parking restrictions and CPZ areas would displace parking problems to surrounding roads and that it was more cost efficient to undertake larger schemes.  He explained that ‘desire lines’ were the routes pedestrians would want to take, which were usually the most direct routes. Wherever possible, officers took these into account when designing schemes.

RESOLVED:  That the reference be noted.

(See also Minute 48).

Report of the Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure

The Panel received a report of the Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure which advised Members of the implications of budget reductions on the traffic management service for 2007?08.  It was reported that funding from Transport for London (TfL) was likely to be a similar figure as in 2006-07 and that this funding was ring?fenced.  Council funding was likely to be reduced by more than half.  Therefore there was a need to prioritise schemes.

Members entered into discussion on parking facilities in the Borough and an Adviser expressed concern that Harrow did not have a parking policy document.  Members requested a list of the works to be included in the 2007?08 work programme plus information on Harrow’s parking policy.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the report be noted;

(2) officers provide Members with the requested information.

(See also Minute 48).

Report of the Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure

(See Recommendation 1).

Verbal report of the Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure

The Panel received a verbal report from officers and a representative from Accord MP, which updated Members on the proposed re?opening of Wealdstone High Street.  It was reported that in Summer 2006 a review had taken place where five possible options had been discussed and a preferred option had been selected. This option involved northbound one?way traffic and a link, via Canning Road, to provide access to the multi-storey car park from the High Street.

A major factor governing the acceptability of any scheme was the impact on bus services and the views of key sections of Transport for London (TfL) were sought at an early stage to help guide the detailed design. The Panel was advised that objections from TfL could result in a public enquiry and it was therefore essential that any concerns they had were properly addressed. With further development of the parking layout details, to minimise the impact on the through flow of buses, a solution that provided on-street parking parallel to the kerb, had emerged. This would provide 23 parking spaces, 3 disabled persons’ bays and 4 loading bays, improved crossing facilities at the junction with Palmerston Road and improved cycling facilities. Initial consultation had taken place on the proposals with ward councillors, traders and other key stakeholders where details of public realm improvements, which had been developed to complement the highway works, were also provided.

Traffic modelling had shown that the scheme should improve bus journey times but, whilst the Bus Operations team within TfL had indicated support, the Strategic Bus Networks team had expressed concerns about the re-routing of southbound buses.  They were currently conducting journey time surveys to test the results of the modelling and a formal response was expected very soon.

Based on TfL approval being given, formal public consultation on the scheme could take place in Spring 2007, followed by construction by Autumn 2007.

In the discussion that followed a Member suggested that ‘Kiss and Ride’ facilities, for drivers to drop?off and collect passengers, were necessary at the front of Harrow and Wealdstone Station.  An officer stated that when the roundabout at the front of the station had been removed, such facilities were considered but it had not been possible to provide them as well as meeting the main objective of improving the pedestrian link between the station and the High Street. There were facilities at the rear of the station for drivers to drop off passengers.

In further discussion, Members and Advisers expressed the following views:-

·                     Large lorries should be discouraged from using the re-opened High Street.

·                     Signage to the rear of Harrow and Wealdstone station should be improved to guide drivers to a safe place for dropping off and collecting passengers.

·                     A north to south cycle route through the town centre should be investigated to provide a link to the station and Gordon Road.

·                     An implementation plan should be developed with the help of the traders, to minimise the impact of the works.

·                     Maintenance of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

The Chairman advised the Panel that this meeting would be Steve Swain’s last as he was taking early retirement. The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Public Realm, Members and advisers, paid individual tributes to his service.

RESOLVED:  To note that the Panel recorded a vote of thanks to Steve Swain, Interim Head of Public Realm Infrastructure, in acknowledgement of more than 30 years’ service to the London Borough of Harrow, and wished him a long and happy retirement.