Agenda item

A report on the progress of schemes to date 2017/18 and planning the programme for 2018/19 ahead of the budget being set.

The Local Committee (Runnymede):

(i)            Noted the progress with schemes and revenue funded works for the 2017/18 financial year. 

(ii)           Noted the budgetary position.     

(iii)          Noted that a further Highways Update will be brought to the next meeting of this Committee.

(iv)         Agreed the undelivered proposed capital works programme for 2017/18 shown in table 1 at section 2.2 is carried forward to become the 2018/19 capital works programme.

(v)          Agreed that £15,619 of unallocated parking surplus is used to help reduce the existing 2017/18 Local Committee capital budget overspend.

(vi)         Agreed the introduction of a bus stop clearway (prohibiting stopping between 7am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday, except local buses) on A318 New Haw Road.

(vii)        Agreed the conversion of the section of footpath between the A308 The Glanty and Lovett Road (Staines-upon-Thames) from a segregated footpath/cycleway to a shared footpath/cycleway.

The Area Highway Manager (AHM) presented his report. He began by providing an update to the 2017/18 capital programme. The progress and budgetary position was noted by the committee. It was also agreed to carry forward the capital works programme into next year.

Recommendation (v) was to agree to use an amount of parking revenue surplus to offset some of  the overspend that had accrued the previous year. In considering this recommendation, committee members asked what other options were available if the money was not put to this use. The AHM did suggest that an alternative use could be for revenue maintenance works but this would not include the repair of potholes which come from a central budget and which to many is the priority maintenance item. He did however state that the preference was for the reduction of debt as this would be seen as best practice. The committee agreed with this assessment.

Recommendation (vi) came about as a result of an item that was deferred from the previous meeting. The proposal was originally for two bus clearways to surround bus stops in New Haw Road in Addlestone. In recognition of councillors’ concerns that it would take away valuable parking spaces, the report presented at this committee amended the proposal, reducing it one clearway with restrictions only being in place on one side of the road between the hours of 7am-7pm, which reflects  the bus service’s hours of operation.

The proposal originated from a complaint for an elderly resident who relies on buses, having no vehicle of her own and who found that vehicles parking in or alongside the bus stop obscured the bus driver’s view of her which meant they did always see her and her signal to stop. This led her to move into the carriageway in order for the driver to see her which presented a safety issue. Whilst recognising that parking at bus stops is already illegal, it is also acknowledged that parking is at a premium in the area and this resulted in  many residents choosing to park there regardless. The committee’s deliberations therefore centred around how to balance the needs of those who relied on public transport and available parking for residents.

In regards to the availability of parking: whilst sympathetic to the challenges faced by the resident in question, some councillors felt that the issue didn’t warrant the reduction in parking that would be afforded by this measure. Many pointed out that this bus stop had been in place for around 20 years and could not see why this bus cage was needed now. Although the request had come from the county council’s Passenger Transport Team, no data had been presented to show bus usage in the area in order for some councillors to feel that they could accurately gauge how many residents would be affected.

Countering this argument, it was commented that if buses were no longer able to stop safely in the area, the bus company might apply to have the stop decommissioned which would be a loss of an important amenity. The bus route goes towards Woking and St Peter’s Hospital and so benefits the community as a whole. It is also recognised that public transport is important if residents are to be convinced to reduce their reliance on their cars, otherwise parking problems will intensify as car ownership increases. In addition, it was felt that condoning those who were parking illegally could not be supported.

The Chairman offered committee members the option of requesting further information for decision at a future committee or voting on the topic as presented. The committee felt able to put this to a vote and it was carried by 4 votes to 3 in favour of agreeing the recommendation, with 2 abstentions.

The Local Committee were happy to accept the recommendation to convert the segregated to a shared path on the advice of the AHM. He reported that the path was not wide enough to continue being used as a segregated path and that there was no cost implication in carrying out the conversion. The committee did however, feel it would be helpful to receive any data relating to the usage of cycle paths in Runnymede.

The Local Committee (Runnymede):

(i)            Noted the progress with schemes and revenue funded works for the 2017/18 financial year. 

(ii)           Noted the budgetary position.     

(iii)          Noted that a further Highways Update will be brought to the next meeting of this Committee.

(iv)         Agreed the undelivered proposed capital works programme for 2017/18 shown in table 1 at section 2.2 is carried forward to become the 2018/19 capital works programme.

(v)          Agreed that £15,619 of unallocated parking surplus is used to help reduce the existing 2017/18 Local Committee capital budget overspend.

(vi)         Agreed the introduction of a bus stop clearway (prohibiting stopping between 7am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday, except local buses) on A318 New Haw Road.

(vii)        Agreed the conversion of the section of footpath between the A308 The Glanty and Lovett Road (Staines-upon-Thames) from a segregated footpath/cycleway to a shared footpath/cycleway.