Agenda item - PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDERS FOR THE WOKING TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)

(Louisa Calam – Project Manager Town Centre Development, Faouzi Saffar - Town Centre Engineer)

[Approximate starting time – 7.05pm)

To inform committee about the various Traffic Regulation Orders which need to be amended/revoked/made to facilitate the delivery of Woking Integrated Transport Package

Woking Joint Committee agreed to note (each has been labelled as SCC delegated authority or WBC delegated authority):

1) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for the creation of a 20mph zone within the town centre, to include revoking of the existing speed limit. High Street and The Broadway fall under WBC (a) delegated authority, and the remaining town centre roads fall under WBC (b) delegated authority. It is necessary to extend the 20mph zone to the adjoining roads within the town centre area to provide a comprehensive 20mph zone for vehicles to enter and to avoid confusion with changes to speed limits. This will improve safety of the whole area and assist in the delivery of the public realm improvements for the town centre (amended VD15278-SK-048-E and VD15278-SK-048-F).

2) An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented along High Street from its junction with The Broadway to its new junction with Victoria Way for a one way direction route westbound for use by “buses”, “cycles” and “authorised vehicles” with a time period shown (7am – 9pm) with Contra-flow pedal cycles (amended VD15278-SK-025 Rev N). In due course, consideration will then be made as to whether or not to make a permanent Order under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in like terms to those contained in the current Experimental Traffic Order (WBC(a) delegated authority).

3) The use of the new enforcement camera device which is proposed to be installed at the junction of The Broadway with High Street to enforce the restricted access TRO mentioned above.

4) An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented along The Broadway, between its junction with Duke Street and High Street for one way movement of all vehicles westbound, and a contraflow cycle lane eastbound (amended VD15278-SK-027 Rev G). In due course, consideration will then be made as to whether or not to make a permanent Order under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in like terms to those contained in the current Experimental Traffic Order (WBC(a) delegated authority).

5) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for High Street from its junction with The Broadway to its new junction with Victoria Way in close proximity to Victoria Arch for revoking existing parking bays, taxi bays, disabled badge parking bay and a bus stop and implementing loading bay and disabled badge parking bay (amended VD15278-SK-025 Rev N) (WBC(a) delegated authority).

6) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for The Broadway from its junction of Duke Street to High Street for revoking existing parking bays, and implementing taxi bays, loading bays, disabled badge parking bay (amended VD15278-SK-027 Rev G) (WBC(a) delegated authority).

7) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for a restricted parking zone along The Broadway from its junction with Duke Street extending along High Street to its junction with Victoria Way (plan VD15278-SK-053) (WBC(a) delegated authority), to include any necessary revoking of existing TRO’s. This restricted parking zone will also apply to Chapel Street since this is a road adjoining High Street and accessed directly from High Street with no other point of entry (WBC(b) delegated authority).

8) An Experimental (amended from Permanent TRO)Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued to restrict general traffic on Chapel Street between its junction with High Street and Commercial Way. (plan VD15278-SK-050) (WBC(b) delegated authority).

9) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for the reverse of the one-way section of road on Duke Street between its junction with Locke Way and Chertsey Road, and along Chertsey Road from its junction with Duke Street to Stanley Road. This will enable traffic to travel in one direction from Locke Way turning left into Duke Street and right onto Chertsey Road to reach the roundabout. Traffic will be able to turn both ways out of Locke Way onto Duke Street. Existing on street parking bays will need to be revoked and altered as a result to enable the free flow of vehicles along Chertsey Road and Duke Street (amendedVD15278-SK-028-B) (WBC(b) delegated authority). This will improve traffic flows in the town centre area following the implementation of the one-way section of Broadway, allowing vehicles to travel directly out of the town centre area via Chertsey Road.

10)A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued to revoke the Bus Lane on Victoria Way between its junction with Goldsworth Road and its junction with Church Street West (plan no VD15278-SK-051) (SCC delegated authority).

11)A new bus stop on Victoria Way on the northbound carriageway between Goldsworth Road and Church Street West will be provided. Bus Stop Clearways do not need advertising. The Signs Regulations allow for them to be installed without a TRO. (plan no VD15278-SK-051) (SCC delegated authority).

12)A new bus stop on the eastbound carriageway of Church Street West between its junction with Goldsworth Road and Forge End will be provided. No advertising is required (plan no VD15278-SK-051) (SCC delegated authority).

13)A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for no left turn for all vehicles except for “Buses” and “Cycles” from Victoria Way into Church Street West (plan no VD15278-SK-051) (SCC delegated authority).

14) To note the new enforcement camera device which is proposed to be installed at the junction of Victoria Way with Church Street West to enforce the restricted access TRO mentioned above.

15) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for a Bus Lane on Victoria Way between its junction with Lockfield Drive and the pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Bedser Bridge. (plan no VD15278-SK-052) (SCC delegated authority).

16) A new bus stop on Victoria Way eastbound section on the approach to the pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Bedser Bridge will be provided. This does not require advertising. (plan no VD15278-SK-052) (SCC delegated authority).

17) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued to change the position of the pedestrian crossing on Victoria Way adjacent to Bedser Bridge. The proposal is to keep a staggered crossing setup. (plan no VD15278-SK-052) (SCC delegated authority).

Any objections will be reviewed either by the Cabinet Member for Transport and Flooding at SCC, the Deputy Chief Executive at WBC in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, or the WBC Assistant Director (Place), each with respective delegated authority for the orders as identified.

Following any necessary advertising of the amendments to the TRO’s, to implement subject to no irresolvable objections.

REASONS:

The amendments to the TRO’s were agreed to enable improved transport facilities and access to the town centre as well as the provision of a high quality urban environment as part of the major public realm improvements to Woking Town Centre. New plans were tabled at the meeting, which were under discussion at the time of writing the original committee report, and have now been finalised.

The Project Manager for Town Centre Development introduced the report which set out the changes to a number of Traffic Regulation Orders which are required to enable the delivery of the Woking Integrated Transport Package in Woking Town Centre.

An amendment was tabled which contained a number of updated plans which were not available when the report was published, as well as further clarification on some of the schemes included in the report.

Member comments:

In response to concerns about access to Lloyds car park and deliveries to the retail unit it was noted the Borough would work with Woking Shopping security to manage access for authorised users 24/7.
The barrier at the junction with the High Street will be moved slightly to prevent the High Street from becoming blocked.
It is proposed to provide a disabled parking bay outside the Marjory Richardson Centre.
The committee questioned whether an additional drop off was required on the north side of the station, and asked for the drop off area at Brewery Road to be monitored.
The pedestrian crossing by the Bedser Bridge is currently showing that it will go straight across rather than be staggered and concerns were raised about the impact on traffic flows along Victoria Way. It was explained that the crossing was still under review and designs were being worked up which would provide a balance between pedestrian and traffic flow.
Members highlighted concerns around potential conflicts between taxis and cyclists on Broadway and asked officers to relook at this.
Concerns were raised about the bus lane and the effect that this would have on traffic turning left off Victoria Way into Chobham Road as well as traffic going straight on. It was noted that the bus lane had been modelled and would be acceptable. The Planning Committee has requested that this could be put in temporarily and if it caused added congestion then it could be removed.
Members requested a bedding in period for residents to get used to the changes in the Town Centre before any enforcement action is taken.

RESOLVED

Woking Joint Committee agreed to note (each has been labelled as SCC delegated authority or WBC delegated authority):

1) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for the creation of a 20mph zone within the town centre, to include revoking of the existing speed limit. High Street and The Broadway fall under WBC (a) delegated authority, and the remaining town centre roads fall under WBC (b) delegated authority. It is necessary to extend the 20mph zone to the adjoining roads within the town centre area to provide a comprehensive 20mph zone for vehicles to enter and to avoid confusion with changes to speed limits. This will improve safety of the whole area and assist in the delivery of the public realm improvements for the town centre (amended VD15278-SK-048-E and VD15278-SK-048-F).

2) An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented along High Street from its junction with The Broadway to its new junction with Victoria Way for a one way direction route westbound for use by “buses”, “cycles” and “authorised vehicles” with a time period shown (7am – 9pm) with Contra-flow pedal cycles (amended VD15278-SK-025 Rev N). In due course, consideration will then be made as to whether or not to make a permanent Order under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in like terms to those contained in the current Experimental Traffic Order (WBC(a) delegated authority).

3) The use of the new enforcement camera device which is proposed to be installed at the junction of The Broadway with High Street to enforce the restricted access TRO mentioned above.

4) An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented along The Broadway, between its junction with Duke Street and High Street for one way movement of all vehicles westbound, and a contraflow cycle lane eastbound (amended VD15278-SK-027 Rev G). In due course, consideration will then be made as to whether or not to make a permanent Order under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in like terms to those contained in the current Experimental Traffic Order (WBC(a) delegated authority).

5) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for High Street from its junction with The Broadway to its new junction with Victoria Way in close proximity to Victoria Arch for revoking existing parking bays, taxi bays, disabled badge parking bay and a bus stop and implementing loading bay and disabled badge parking bay (amended VD15278-SK-025 Rev N) (WBC(a) delegated authority).

6) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for The Broadway from its junction of Duke Street to High Street for revoking existing parking bays, and implementing taxi bays, loading bays, disabled badge parking bay (amended VD15278-SK-027 Rev G) (WBC(a) delegated authority).

7) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for a restricted parking zone along The Broadway from its junction with Duke Street extending along High Street to its junction with Victoria Way (plan VD15278-SK-053) (WBC(a) delegated authority), to include any necessary revoking of existing TRO’s. This restricted parking zone will also apply to Chapel Street since this is a road adjoining High Street and accessed directly from High Street with no other point of entry (WBC(b) delegated authority).

8) An Experimental (amended from Permanent TRO)Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued to restrict general traffic on Chapel Street between its junction with High Street and Commercial Way. (plan VD15278-SK-050) (WBC(b) delegated authority).

9) A Permanent Traffic Regulation Order will be pursued for the reverse of the one-way section of road on Duke Street between its junction with Locke Way and Chertsey Road, and along Chertsey Road from its junction with Duke Street to Stanley Road. This will enable traffic to travel in one direction from Locke Way turning left into Duke Street and right onto Chertsey Road to reach the roundabout. Traffic will be able to turn both ways out of Locke Way onto Duke Street. Existing on street parking bays will need to be revoked and altered as a result to enable the free flow of vehicles along Chertsey Road and Duke Street (amended VD15278-SK-028-B) (WBC(b) delegated authority). This will improve traffic flows in the town centre area following the implementation of the one-way section of Broadway, allowing vehicles to travel directly out of the town centre area via Chertsey Road.