Agenda item

Report of the Interim Director of Environmental Services

Members received the report of the Interim Director of Environmental Services which provided Members with an update on the traffic related incidents which resulted in fatalities on borough roads in the last 18 months.  The report also outlined the actions taken by officers following these incidents.

·       The Car-on-car collision on Mollison Way, Edgware on 20 March 2022 involving an elderly lady who subsequently passed away.  Officers were awaiting the report from the Police before deciding what, if any, speed measures can be implemented.

·       The incident involving a car and an elderly male pedestrian incident which occurred on 31 July 2022 at Uxbridge Road/Waxwell Lane Junction (Pinner) who passed away.  Based on the outcome of a site visit, officers were recommending the junction be included in the TfL LIP programme for improvement commencing with the design of potential options this financial year and consultation and possible implementation in 23/24.

·       The incident occurred at Culver Grove (near junction with St Andrew’s Close) (Centenary) 7 August 2022 involving a car and a 62-year-old man who passed away at the location.  Officers were awaiting the report from the Police before deciding what, if any, speed measures can be implemented.

The officer informed Members that the Council’s killed and seriously injured stats were the lowest around our surrounding boroughs and a TFL dashboard of all the killed and seriously injured across all the London boroughs could be presented at the next meeting of the committee for comparison. 

The officer that there was an issue with speeding across the borough that need to look at traffic calming measures, but speeding needed to be addressed because four was very high for the number of fatalities in a year

Chair expressed the Panel’s condolences to the family of the bereaved residents and said one fatality was one too many. 

A member questioned if the police’s delay in provision of causation report has been escalated to the Borough Commander.  The officer responded that the portfolio holder and Head of Community Safety had escalated it.

Another Member commented that the response rate of the police was unacceptable, something needed to be done to get a response perhaps a deadline.

Another Member questioned how long the Council would give the Borough Commander to comment on the cause of the accidents.  The officer responded that it was a resourcing issue as only one officer was covering multiple boroughs.  The officer was overworked.  In other boroughs it would have been resolved in 7 days instead of 4 months.

Another Member questioned if anything else could be done to reduce speed a perhaps a publicity campaign might work.  The Panel needed to commit to working towards zero fatality on Harrow roads.  The officer accepted that a publicity campaign would be of value.

An adviser commented that people were scared to cycle due to the fatalities.  To improve active travel, this needed to change.

Another Member expressed concern at the lack of pedestrian crossing near Pinner Hill School.  The officer responded that pedestrian crossing near Pinner Hill School could be added to school safety programme which was top priority next year would be included in the LIP.  The Council will bid for funding to start the process.

An adviser expressed concerns about the language used by an officer in an email to a resident indicating there had to be a fatality before officers could do something.  He indicated that he was however encouraged by what was said and wish officers good luck as something had to be done.  The officer explained that perhaps the officer was referring to the stance of the police that to get a speed camera installed, there must have been three fatalities.

The officer informed the committee that a report would be presented at the next meeting of the Panel in February 2023 on how programmes could be prioritised Fatality would be given top priority.

The Chair advised that the response rate of the Police was unacceptable and perhaps a deadline should be issued by end of next week.

RESOLVED:  That the report and the recommendation to include the Uxbridge Road/Blythwood Road/Waxwell Lane in the TfL LIP submission be noted.