The Strategic Director of Regeneration will submit Document “Y” which considers a petition expressing concerns with traffic speeds and volumes through the estate comprising Wilsden Old Road, Narrow Lane, Ferrands Park Way and all side roads adjoining these. The petitioners’ request that consideration be given to the introduction of  a point-closure (ie. physical closure) somewhere near Firbeck, a ‘one-way’ traffic system and horizontal traffic calming features with a view to preventing ‘through traffic’ using the estate.

Recommended –

(1)     That no further consideration be given to the petitioners’ request for a ‘one-way’ traffic system and/or horizontal traffic calming, but that the request for a point-closure be added to the list of traffic management scheme candidates to be considered annually by this Committee for possible inclusion within its future Capital Works Programme.

(2)     That West Yorkshire Police be formally advised of the petitioners’ concerns regarding contravention of the existing 30mph speed limit and ‘Prohibition of Driving (Except for Access)’ Order within the estate comprising Wilsden Old Road, Narrow Lane, Ferrands Park Way and all side roads adjoining these.

(3)     That the lead petitioner be advised accordingly.

(Environment and Waste Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Simon D’Vali – 01535 618181)

The Strategic Director of Regeneration submitted Document “Y” which considered a petition expressing concerns with traffic speeds and volumes through the estate comprising Wilsden Old Road, Narrow Lane, Ferrands Park Way and all side roads adjoining these. The petitioners’ were requesting that consideration be given to the introduction of a point-closure (ie. physical closure) somewhere near Firbeck, a ‘one-way’ traffic system and horizontal traffic calming features with a view to preventing ‘through traffic’ using the estate.

The Senior Engineer tabled a large scale drawing of the location (Appendix 2 of Document “Y”) and provided a summary of the report during which it was reported that the petition contained 188 signatures, in 1993 a ‘Prohibition of Motor Vehicles (Except for access)’ Order was imposed on roads comprising the estate, it was subject to a 30mph speed limit and the petitioners claimed both the Order and speed limit were regularly contravened. 

He corrected an omission in paragraph 2.7 of the report: two traffic collisions involving personal injury had occurred within the estate during the five year period ending 16 October 2016.

The Chair stated that the lead petitioner was unable to attend the meeting but had sent comments via email.  This information was circulated to Members and a summary of the points made by the lead petitioner were as follows:

·        The report stated that there had been no record of any traffic collisions in the past five years.  He had been passed details of at least three collisions within the noted streets, involving residents and could pass details to the Committee should they require it.

·        Regarding the issue of speeding, he was aware that findings showed that traffic seldom broke the 30 mph limit but the residents’ belief was that the 30 mph was too high for such a residential area anyway and that a 20 mph limit would be more appropriate, which was now apparent on Main Street, Wilsden, Long Lane, Harden and most residential streets in Lancashire. 

·        The benefit of a point closure would benefit residents in several ways: 

a safer neighbourhood from less traffic, a quieter neighbourhood and potentially safer from crime too (as statistics showed cul de sacs suffered less burglaries).

·        Any issues raised from attending emergency services, i.e.  taking longer to attend was purely subjective, as at no point when attending emergency incidents do we know which direction those services will be coming from.

In response to Members’ questions, it was reported that:

·        Officers could not state whether the volume of traffic revealed by the traffic survey was considered high for the area as each site should be considered on its own aspects.

·        The exit at location D (as shown on Appendix 2 of Document “Y”) led to Wilsden.

·        The primary entrance/exit locations where contraventions were occurring were at locations A and D (as shown on Appendix 2 of Document “Y”).

A Member considered 55 contraventions of the ‘Access Only Order’ during a 12 hour period (as stated in paragraph 2.2 of Document “Y”) to be a high number and raised questions about enforcement.  In response, it was stated that contraventions of the Order were enforceable by the Police and that the vehicle would need to be seen entering one side of the estate and exiting at the other without stopping for a legitimate reason.  It was agreed that officers would check whether the Police had carried out any recent enforcement.

Members discussed the current signage informing drivers that the area was ‘Access Only’.  Officers stated that the signs were visibly but their orientation would be checked to see if their visibility to road users could be improved.

Resolved –

(1)     That no further consideration be given to the petitioners’ request for a ‘one-way’ traffic system and/or horizontal traffic calming, but that the request for a point-closure be added to the list of traffic management scheme candidates to be considered annually by this Committee for possible inclusion within its future Capital Works Programme.

(2)     That West Yorkshire Police be formally advised of the petitioners’ concerns regarding contravention of the existing 30mph speed limit and ‘Prohibition of Driving (Except for Access)’ Order within the estate comprising Wilsden Old Road, Narrow Lane, Ferrands Park Way and all side roads adjoining these.

(3)     That the lead petitioner be advised accordingly.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Environment and Waste Management

ACTION: Strategic Director, Regeneration