Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director, Regeneration and Economic Development regarding an objection made to a proposed traffic regulation order in South Moor (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Strategic Traffic Manager informed the Committee that the County Council was committed to regularly reviewing traffic regulation orders to ensure that the restrictions held within them were relevant and appropriate.  A request had been received from a local business to consider the introduction of some waiting restrictions to aid accessibility and improve road safety at the junctions of Bridge Street and Mundell Street, South Moor.

Highways Officers had visited the site and observed coaches performing multiple reversing manoeuvres on to Park Road to gain access to the depot, and determined that there was a requirement for restrictions to aid road safety.  As an interim measure ‘keep clear’ markings were laid at strategic locations to help ensure access/ egress to the depot without the need to carry out reversing manoeuvres.

The ‘Keep Clear’ markings were installed in July 2014, and following feedback received, it was proposed to replace the markings with No Waiting at Any Time restrictions on Bridge Street and to remove the ‘keep clear’ markings on Mundell Street and extend the existing No Waiting at Any Time restriction by 5 metres to allow better access to larger vehicles and still allow some parking.

The Committee then heard from the objector, who informed the Committee he was representing the residents of Parmeter Street and raised the following issues:

·       The proposed double yellow lines were being introduced to accommodate a request from a local business man.

·       There had not been a problem in the area for buses until a new owner bought the nearby bus business.

·       If the restriction was to be introduced, could consideration be given to the introduction of residents parking on Parmeter Street.

·       There was suspicion that traffic movements had been staged during the visit to the area by Highway Officers – could an unannounced site visit take place by the Committee.

·       There were already parking problems in Parmeter Street for local residents as vehicles parked there to use nearby shops – the proposed restriction on Bridge Street and Mundell Street would exacerbate these problems.

The Strategic Traffic Manager responded to the issues raised by the objector.  The site visit by Highways Officers to the area which had taken place last week was unannounced.  During the site visit buses had been observed undertaking difficult and potentially dangerous manoeuvres at the junctions of Bridge Street and Mundell Street and the introduction of No Waiting at Any Time restrictions on these junctions would improve road safety.

Councillor Gunn, while sympathising with the objector, informed the Committee that there were many towns and villages where people came to shop and parked outside of resident’s homes, and asked what parking was currently like in Parmeter Street.  The objector replied that local residents were afraid to move their cars because the space was almost immediately taken by people visiting the local shops.

Councillor Stradling informed the Committee that while he was not familiar with the South Moor area, this proposal would prevent vehicles parking on a road junction and 5 metres from the junction, adding that vehicles should not be parking on a near a junction in any event.  He moved approval of the recommendations in the report.

Councillor Hall referred to the request from the objector for a residents parking scheme in Parmeter Street and asked whether this could be considered.  The Strategic Traffic Manager replied that discussions could take place with residents and a survey be carried out to ascertain whether Parmeter Street met the County Council’s usual criteria for a residents parking scheme.

Seconded by Councillor Gunn and

Resolved:

That the implementation of the Burnopfield, Tanfield, Oxhill, South Stanley, Craghead and Bloemfontein Parking & Waiting Restrictions Order be approved.