Decision details

Two new petitions were received.

The Committee received a petition on improving the safety of the traffic lights on York Road outside Waitrose in Guildfordsigned by 103 residents, agreeing with the statement:

Motorists exiting Waitrose car park turning right up York Road are being confused by seeing red traffic lights at the pedestrian crossing. They stop, then sometimes realise their mistake and drive through late, by which time a green man is displayed. Crossing is used extensively by primary school children. Suggested improvements: 1) add right filter light on opposite side of York Road to Waitrose 2) add a sensor to hold the pedestrian light on green when there are many people crossing.

Calum Shaw made the below point s and suggestions to the Committee:

Confusion to motorists:

1.   Traffic stops going up/down York Road

2.   Traffic released from Waitrose, and turning right going up York Road about 20% of the time (in a 20 minute observation) the first car will stop at the lights (A/B/C) thinking it's red to stop them at the pedestrian crossing despite there being no stop line

3.   Next car behind sits across the junction

4.   Pedestrians start crossing as Traffic on York Road going down is released

5.   Car across junction may realise it's in the way and goes around the incorrectly stopped car and goes through the lights

I have three reports (from Bethany Halliday?,   Ashley Harrison Stapledon,   Claire Rogerson?) of near misses where parents with children have been crossing when this exact situation has happened.

Adding long tubes to the lights and covering one of the lights has not solved the problem.

The pedestrian crossing is overloaded during two 20 minute periods each day when children are going to/from Sandfield primary school.  This means that traffic is being released going up York Road while pedestrians are still crossing.  The green man is lit for only 4 seconds.  This was specified in design to be 5 seconds, but in any case this is too short during peak periods.

Suggestions

1.   change the phasing of the pedestrian crossing so that they cross before Waitrose traffic released (though there will still be confusion and thus danger)

2.   add a new light opposite the Waitrose exit to indicate that Waitrose traffic can proceed 

3.   add a box junction (though that doesn't necessarily stop the cars dithering)

4.   remove the light at A for traffic going up York Road

5.   allow crossing of pedestrians for a longer for 20 minute period at 8.30am and 3.15pm, or add a sensor to hold the pedestrian lights on green

The Committee NOTED the response of the Highways Manager Surrey County Council attached to the minutes as Appendix A.  The Highways Manager noted the suggestions made by the petitioner and would pass these onto the Signals team.

The Member Question from Councillor Caroline Reeves was taken at this point as it related to the petition (see Item 7 Member Written Questions).

The Committee received a petition on Improving Road Safety on Burpham Lane signed by 155 residents, agreeing with the statement:

As residents, including the Burpham Community Association, we would like to ask the Local Committee to take action to improve road safety on Burpham Lane: to lower the speed limit to 20mph and to introduce additional traffic calming measures. We are asking the Committee to commission an assessment of the feasibility of a lower speed limit (20mph) via the local highways team. It was suggested by Mr. Duncan Knox, Road Safety Team Manager at Surrey CC, that the highways team could order some pneumatic tube surveys to collect data which could be used for this assessment.

George Harris who was presenting the petition on behalf of Joanna Chwatow also asked when the investigation would take place and when would the Transportation Task group meet to look at the issue.

The Chairman informed the petitioner that the Transportation Task Group (TTG) would be meeting on 17 October 2016 to consider Highway issues that have been brought to its attention thorough petitions etc, and they already had a long list. The TTG uses a Highways Prioritisation Framework to evaluate highways issues and will then make recommendations to the 13 December 2016 Local Committee.  Any Highways Schemes agreed would be delivered in 2017/18.  Mr Harris informed Members that Burpham Community Association could possibly assist with costs of a scheme. 

The Committee NOTED the response of the Highways Manager Surrey County Council attached to the minutes as Appendix A. 

Action: Highways Manager to provide the results of the survey of this area to Councillor Ellwood. 

Councillor Ellwood asked whether another survey could be done of this area to see if speeds differed from the first survey.