The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “Y” which considers the following petitions relating to traffic matters:

1)    Access road between New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford – Request for road closure

2)    Rowan Avenue, Bradford – Request for permit parking

Recommended-

(1)          That no action be taken on the request for a road closure on the access road between New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford.

(2)          That no action be taken on the request for permit parking on Rowan Avenue, Bradford.

(3)          That the petitioners are informed accordingly.

(Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “Y” which considered the following petitions relating to traffic matters:

(1)          Access road between New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford

 – Request for road closure

(2)          Rowan Avenue, Bradford – Request for permit parking

New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford

In relation to New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford it was reported that the petitioners were requesting that the access road between New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford be closed to traffic.  The petitioners were concerned that rubbish was often dumped in this access road and it was used by joy riders at speed which had caused damage to property and road incidents on New Lane.  The residents also feared for the safety of their children when playing out because of traffic cutting through the access road to avoid the road humps on Kershaw Street and Denby Road.

Members were informed that during recent site visits, it had been noted that use of this route by vehicle was minimal and most drivers were gaining access to properties on Raglan Terrace.  There had been no recorded road injuries on Raglan Terrace or New Lane in the last five years and no high speeds were observed.

It was reported that there had been four incidents of fly tipping reported to the Council which the Area Operations Manager did not consider to be problematic.  It was therefore recommended that no action be taken on the request for a road closure on the access road between New Lane and Raglan Terrace.

A Member spoke in support of the petition and felt the road remaining open did not have any real benefits to local residents and would solve the issue of fly tipping.

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that it would cost £5000 to £6000 for the order to close the road.

A Member queried whether alternative options could be explored to reduce the issues raised in the petition, including the possibility of CCTV and a review of the road layout.

It was reported that part of the road was unadopted and the Council was limited in what it could do.

Members queried whether it would be useful to obtain views from the police on the impact of closing the access road.

It was suggested that a further report be brought back to the Committee after discussions had taken place with Wardens and the Police to look at alternative solutions.

Members stressed that closing the road would not be the answer to resolving the issue of fly tipping; officers could consider looking at placing CCTV in the area for monitoring the issues highlighted by residents.

Rowan Avenue

It was reported that petitioners were requesting the introduction of permit parking on Rowan Avenue, Bradford; due to the close proximity of Thornbury Academy, children were dropped off and picked up from Rowan Avenue, which caused inconvenience for residents and their visitors as well as safety concerns.  Other streets in the area had recently had residents only parking schemes introduced which the petitioners believed had led to some displaced parking from nearby businesses.

Members were advised that the Council had an approved policy on Community On-Street Permit Parking; 80% of parking spaces needed to be occupied for over six hours a day, over four days a week and a significant amount of that needed to be parking by non-residents.  The duration of parking was rarely the case at school sites where parking only occurred for a short time each day in term times. This street did not meet the criteria in the Council policy.

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that some displaced parking from nearby businesses did occur, there remained sufficient number of parking opportunities for residents.

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that parking was observed at three different times.

A resident of Rowan Avenue, attended the meeting and spoke in support of permit parking, she reported that:

·         Residents had not seen a Council officer undertaking a traffic survey.

·         Parking issues on Rowan Avenue had been ongoing for long periods of time.

·         The way people were parking obstructed emergency services.

·         Refuse workers could not gain access to collect residents bins.

·         The way cars were being parked were putting people’s lives at risk.

The petitioner presented a photo of how cars were being parked on Rowan Avenue.

Members sympathised with residents and anyone who lived close to a school but there were a number of streets in this same predicament.

In response to a Member’s question it was reported that approving residents parking on Rowan Avenue would not resolve issues for the street.

It was reported that implementing residents parking would cost about £8,000. This issue occurred in many areas where there was a school, but it was very rare that such locations met the approved policy criteria and it was important not to set a precedent.

Members suggested that the Neighbourhood Service work with the police and spends time in the area to ascertain the parking issues raised by the petitioners and to look at further actions in relation to enforcement.

Resolved-

(1)          That in relation to New Lane and Raglan Terrace, Bradford, alternative options be explored to reduce the issues raised in the petition, including the possibility of CCTV and a review of the road layout, and a report be presented to the Committee in the next 3 months.

(2)          That in relation to Rowan Avenue, Bradford a further report be presented to the Committee after consultation with Ward Officers and the Police on the issues raised by the petitioners.

(3)          That the petitioners are informed accordingly.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place