The Strategic Director Regeneration will submit a report (Document “S”) which sets out a petition requesting control measures to reduce the amount of vehicles passing through Netherlands Avenue, deter vehicles abusing the Access Only Order and reduce vehicle speeds and noise levels.

Recommended –

(1)          That no further action be taken on the request for additional traffic measures on Netherlands Avenue.

(2)          That the lead petitioner be informed accordingly. 

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Environment and Waste Management

The Strategic Director Regeneration submitted a report (Document “S”) which set out a petition requesting control measures to reduce the amount of vehicles passing through Netherlands Avenue, deter vehicles abusing the Access Only Order and reduce vehicle speeds and noise levels.

The Principal Highways Engineer alluded to the historic traffic issues and Traffic Regulation Orders affecting Netherlands Avenue and that although officers acknowledged that there was a lot of through traffic, and that the Access Only Order was regularly flouted, the average speed was in the low thirties and therefore no scheme was being suggested at the present time which would visibly reduce the issues being experienced by residents, barring a traffic calming scheme or a road closure, none of which had universal support in the area.

The lead petitioner was present a the meeting and stated that he was only made aware of the matter being discussed by this Area Committee quite late in the day and he had not had time to study the contents of the report.  However in the 20 years he had lived on the area, there had been a number of accidents, many which had not been reported, so the figures relating to accidents were not accurate.  He also expressed concerns at the speeding traffic and that this could result in a serious injury or a fatality and therefore the issue of speeding traffic and volumes of traffic on Netherlands Avenue had to be addressed, with a traffic survey being undertaken to fully understand traffic volume as well as improved enforcement by the Police, regarding speed.

A former Ward Councillor was present and expressed his support for the petition and suggested that the funding should be found for traffic lights at the junctions and a method for controlling speed, particularly in the vicinity of the primary school.

In response the Highways Engineer acknowledged that not all collisions were reported to the Police, however a speed survey had been undertaken, which had not raised a concern about speeding traffic and that any speed enforcement was an issue for the Police, however where there were speeding concerns, the Council did flag these up with the Police through partnership meetings.

A Ward Councillor was also present and stated that many of the issues raised were historical, however the report had failed to identify and address some of the key issues affecting Netherlands Avenue.  He expressed concerns that ward councillors in the area had not been fully consulted on the issues and although he appreciated that options had been looked at many years ago, that officers should now look at the issue afresh, including clarification of the traffic survey data, traffic speeds and consulting with ward councillors and residents on possible options.

Members agreed with the above suggestions and it was therefore:

Resolved –

(1)          That consideration of the petition be deferred to allow for further consultation to be undertaken with ward councillors and residents with a view to looking at all the options and clarification of traffic survey data.

(2)          That the lead petitioner be informed accordingly. 

ACTION:       Strategic Director Regeneration

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Environment and Waste Management