Agenda item

This report summarises progress with the Local Committee’s programme of Highways works for the current Financial Year 2018-19.

Committee’s delegated Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 have now been confirmed.  Preparations are being made to deliver next Financial Year’s programmes of works.

The Local Committee [Epsom & Ewell] agreed:

(i)       The (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 as set out in Table 4 of the report.

(ii)      To note with concern that, since it last met in December, there has been an additional cut to the proposed Epsom and Ewell local highway budget for 2019/20 based on a criteria that does not take into account road usage and which provides insufficient funding to address locally identified need. The Local Committee therefore calls upon the Cabinet to review both the funding of, and the criteria for, the allocation of the Local Highway budget for 2020/2021.

(iii)    To the implementation of three options to invest the £50,000 s106 funding in pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road:

a.           Implement a new shared pedestrian / cycle route connecting Station Approach to the alleyway leading to Pound Lane;

b.           Implement the street lighting improvements underneath the railway bridge in Waterloo Road;

c.           Consult the local community on an experimental closure of the end of Horsley Close;

(iv)    To approve thirteen new bus stop clearways as detailed in Annex C of the report.

(v)     Authorise the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes.

Reasons:  Recommendations are made to facilitate development of Committee’s 2019-20 Highways programmes, while at the same time ensuring that the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Members are fully and appropriately involved in any detailed considerations.  The Committee wished to draw the attention of the Cabinet to the level of funding provided for this area and the criteria used.  Specific recommendations are made to facilitate the investment of a £50,000 s106 sum that must be spent on pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road.  Committee is asked to provide the necessary authorisation to deliver its programmes of work in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Member without the need to revert to the Committee as a whole.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Nick Healey, Area Highways Manager

Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: None

Member discussion –key points

The Area Highways Manager reported that since the last meeting the Cabinet member for Highways had decided not to divide the capital funding for Local/Joint Committees equally as in previous years, but to use different criteria.  This had resulted in a roughly 20% reduction in the funding available to this Committee.  The capital programme can go ahead as planned as the Borough council have given agreement to the release of some s106 funding which can be used to fund some of the work planned on East Street.

Members were unhappy with the reduced level of funding and the criteria used which includes the number of divisions and the length of road in each area.  The County Council has challenged Government on using road length rather than usage to determine funding, but is now applying this criteria to its own funding.  Epsom & Ewell now have the lowest level of funding anywhere in Surrey despite having some of the most used roads.

Members queried whether if it is not possible to use the CIL funding for tree planting in East Street whether the funding will be returned.  The Area Highways Manager confirmed that £1,800 has currently been provided to carry out radar surveys to see if there are any suitable sites for planting.  The Borough can ask for the return of any unused funding at any time.

It was reported that the original plans for the Stoneleigh Park Road cycleway had proposed converting the footway outside the shops to shared use, but this was not now suitable on safety grounds.  An alternative solution is being sought.

It is not possible to say what level of funding will be available in future years to fund central maintenance schemes via Project Horizon.  Noted that the resurfacing in East Street had been postponed as a result of the requirement to replace the gas main for which SGN currently have a tendering process taking place.

Members queried whether High Street East would be resurfaced.  It is not currently on any programme, although if the Committee wished to do so it could consider pooling resources to carry our this work.

The Ward member thanked the Area Highways Manager for the work carried out in Noble Park.

The zebra crossing originally proposed in Waterloo Road to use the developer funding from the station had not proved acceptable as a result of the loss of too many parking spaces by the shops.  However, it was felt to be important that this funding does not have to be returned.  The proposal currently under consideration is not to close Horsley Close but to consult more widely to gauge if there is any support for this option.

Noted that the dropped kerbs planned along the Chessington Road are to improve accessibility and won’t add any new cycle facilities.

The Local Committee [Epsom & Ewell] agreed:

(i)       The (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 as set out in Table 4 of the report.

(ii)      (on a proposal from Cllr Kington seconded by Cllr Mason it was unanimously agreed) To note with concern that, since it last met in December, there has been an additional cut to the proposed Epsom and Ewell local highway budget for 2019/20 based on a criteria that does not take into account road usage and which provides insufficient funding to address locally identified need. The Local Committee therefore calls upon the Cabinet to review both the funding of, and the criteria for, the allocation of the Local Highway budget for 2020/2021.

(iii)    To the implementation of three options to invest the £50,000 s106 funding in pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road:

a.           (6 votes FOR, 1 AGAINST, 1 ABSTENTION) Implement a new shared pedestrian / cycle route connecting Station Approach to the alleyway leading to Pound Lane;

b.           (ALL in favour) Implement the street lighting improvements underneath the railway bridge in Waterloo Road;

c.           (8 votes FOR, 1 AGAINST) Consult the local community on an experimental closure of the end of Horsley Close;

(iv)    To approve thirteen new bus stop clearways as detailed in Annex C of the report.

(v)     Authorise the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes.

Reasons:  Recommendations are made to facilitate development of Committee’s 2019-20 Highways programmes, while at the same time ensuring that the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Members are fully and appropriately involved in any detailed considerations.  The Committee wished to draw the attention of the Cabinet to the level of funding provided for this area and the criteria used.  Specific recommendations are made to facilitate the investment of a £50,000 s106 sum that must be spent on pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road.  Committee is asked to provide the necessary authorisation to deliver its programmes of work in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Member without the need to revert to the Committee as a whole.