Councillors and committees

Agenda item

PETITION RESPONSE - TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RED ROAD, LIGHTWATER [FOR INFORMATION]

Mr Andrew Milne, Area Highways Manager will present this report.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report responding to a petition that had been received at its last meeting.

 

Andrew Milne (Area Highways Manager NW) presenting this item pointed out that no road in Surrey had a traffic management plan. The report covered a number of issues that had been raised and identified possible ways forward.

 

Following the reduction in the speed limit on Red Road to 50mph, Surrey County Council undertook traffic surveys at the four locations where surveys were carried out in 2007 prior to the introduction of the lower speed limit. A comparison between the 2007 and 2013 data showed that the average vehicle speed has reduced at all 4 sites since the speed limit was reduced.  At three of the sites the reduction in average speed was regarded as significant.

 

Whilst there has been some variation in the location of the collisions the total number remained relatively similar from 2012 to 2014 and none of the junctions has a particularly poor safety record.  However, it is noticeable that a greater number of collisions occurred in 2015 and that this was specifically caused by a significant increase in collisions at the junction with MacDonald Road.  The majority of these accidents have involved vehicles turning right out of MacDonald Road.

 

Concerns about the MacDonald Road junction have been raised by residents in the past and a number of proposals have been considered. The most popular of these options is to signalise the junction and this would help reduce the risk of collisions involving vehicles turning right out of McDonald Road.  However, traffic signals on Red Road would adversely affect the flow of traffic along Red Road and increase the risk of rear end collisions during peak hours (due to limited forward visibility to the west of the junction).

 

The section of Red Road between The Maultway and MacDonald Road is due to be resurfaced as part of Project Horizon before March 2018.  A detailed analysis of the road surface condition over the remaining section of Red Road is planned since there has been a pattern of accidents occurring in wet conditions.

 

SCC’s Road Safety Team has a proposed safety improvement scheme for the junction of Red Road and Lightwater Road which is due to be implemented spring/summer 2016.

 

The Local Committee (Surrey Heath) agreed:

 

(i)            To note the contents and conclusions of this report and

(ii)           Surrey County Council’s Area Highway and Road Safety Teams continue to closely monitor safety issues associated with Red Road and undertake detailed analysis of collision data.

(iii)          To note that the County Council’s Road Safety Team have a safety improvement scheme proposed for the junction of Red Road with Lightwater Road which is due to be implemented during spring/summer 2016.

(iv)         there has been a reduction in average vehicle speeds for Red Road following the introduction of the reduced speed limit of 50mph and a series of other improvements.

(v)          there has been a significant improvement in the recent safety record for the section of Red Road between The Maultway and McDonald Road.

(vi)         the section of Red Road between The Maultway and MacDonald Road is due to be resurfaced as part of Project Horizon by April 2018.

(vii)        that a detailed review of the road surface condition, including analysis of the skid resistance, has been planned for the section of Red Road between MacDonald Road and the A322 Guildford Road.

(viii)       the impact of the additional measures to be introduced will be assessed.

(ix)         Undertake a further assessment of vehicle volumes.

Supporting documents: