Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on the development of proposals to improve pedestrian safety on Bridge Street, Guildford, and recommendations for committee to consider and decide the way forward.

The Local Committee agreed that

(i)      The proposals to provide raised road tables at the signalised crossing points across Onslow Street at the junction with Bridge Street, described within this report as Option B, proceeds to implementation. This will be funded from central county council budgets separate from the budget allocated to the local committee for highway improvements.

(ii)      A traffic regulation order to implement the raised road tables will be advertised and authority delegated to the Area Highways Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Divisional Members for Guildford South West and Guildford South East to consider any objections before proceeding.

Reasons: Analysis has highlighted a pattern of pedestrian casualties at the junction of Bridge Street with Onslow Street in Guildford. The proposals presented here will help to reduce the risk of further pedestrian collisions and will improve the facilities for pedestrians when crossing the road at this important link between the railway station and town centre.

The report provided an update on the development of proposals to improve pedestrian safety on Bridge Street, Guildford. This followed a road traffic collision on 20 February 2016 that led to the deaths of two pedestrians. This issue was the subject of a petition to the council on 17 May 2016. It was subsequently considered by the Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board on 9 June 2016 and then again on 2 March 2017 where it was recommended that officers continue to undertake work to refine the design proposals before presenting the final options to the Guildford Local Committee for approval and funding consideration.

Members asked the Cabinet Member for Highways if the proposals for Bridge Street would be centrally funded as originally agreed.

Action: Councillor Kemp to check the central Highways budget to ensure that funding had been allocated for this work and come back to the Committee and Road Safety Team Manager.

Members queried why the raised tables were going to be put in a different position at the pedestrian road crossing rather than the location of the collision.  The Road Safety Team Manager informed members that there is a pattern of incidents that have occurred at the pedestrian crossing.  Members also discussed whether it would be better to go with Option C in the report to improve the traffic signal sequence and signals for pedestrians.  The officer stated that he wasn’t convinced that signalling timing would reduce collisions but it was likely to increase delay times and traffic congestion.  Members also discussed the general issues with pedestrians crossing               that stretch of road such as not using the crossing and crossing in between traffic at different points on the road.

The question was raised whether possible issues of introducing raised tables at the crossing for cyclists and motorcyclists had been considered.  Officers had discussed this with the police and consequently the tables will be made perpendicular with the road.

The Local Committee agreed that:

(i)      The proposals to provide raised road tables at the signalised crossing points across Onslow Street at the junction with Bridge Street, described within this report as Option B, proceeds to implementation. This will be funded from central county council budgets separate from the budget allocated to the local committee for highway improvements.

(ii)      A traffic regulation order to implement the raised road tables will be advertised and authority delegated to the Area Highways Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Divisional Members for Guildford South West and Guildford South East to consider any objections before proceeding.

Reasons: Analysis has highlighted a pattern of pedestrian casualties at the junction of Bridge Street with Onslow Street in Guildford. The proposals will help to reduce the risk of further pedestrian collisions and will improve the facilities for pedestrians when crossing the road at this important link between the railway station and town centre.