Agenda item

To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68.  Notice must be given in writing or by email to the Partnership Committee Officer at least 14 days before the meeting.  Alternatively, the petition can be submitted on-line through Surrey County Council’s e-petitions website as long as the minimum number of signatures (30) has been reached 14 days before the meeting.

A petition has been received from Beth Pinkerton-Smith which contains 28 signatures and reads:

“This petition is to gain support from the residents living on and around PORTSMOUTH ROAD (between Milford and Godalming) to present before the Waverley Local Committee, with the request to assess and introduce traffic calming measures to reduce the speed and improve the safety of the road.”

Petition response report attached.

The Local Committee (Waverley) resolved to AGREE to:

Note the officer response and the suggestion for the introduction of a Vehicle Activated Sign, to be funded from the Divisional member Mr Peter Martin’s committee allocation for 2020/21.

Declarations of Interest: None.

Officer in attendance: Frank Apicella, Area Highway Manager (South West).

Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: One petition.

A petition was received from Beth Pinkerton-Smith which contained 28 signatures and read:

“This petition is to gain support from the residents living on and around PORTSMOUTH ROAD (between Milford and Godalming) to present before the Waverley Local Committee, with the request to assess and introduce traffic calming measures to reduce the speed and improve the safety of the road.”

The petitioner spoke for the allotted three minutes and included the following points:

·         This morning at 7.25am while opening her car door, the number 71 bus, on its way to Milford, did considerable damage to the petitioner’s open car door on the Portsmouth Road, but failed to stop.  The petitioner said that this highlights the daily dangers residents face.

·         Portsmouth Road is a very dangerous road, particularly from Flat 1A up to Primrose Ridge.  This is a residential stretch of road, where over half of cars and motorbikes exceed the 30mph speed limit.  Drivers seem unaware of the speed limit.  The petitioner has reported dangerous incidents over the past few years, but the issue has not been resolved.

·         Another resident helped to gain nearly 200 signatures of support and there was an overwhelming response from her community.  Another resident in Croft Road, which is parallel to Portsmouth Road, has just started a petition as Croft Road residents find it dangerous to pull out onto Portsmouth Road.

·         Portsmouth Road is an integral route for Godalming and its economy.  Two big developments are going to be built nearby and more people will use the Portsmouth Road.  A speeding road and narrow pavement does not encourage people to walk to use the local facilities.

The petition response report was presented by the Area Highway Manager.

Member discussion – key points:

Members acknowledged that the issue of high volume traffic is a problem on the Portsmouth Road and also on most of the roads in and out of Godalming.  There was a request for a general 20 mph discussion for some Waverley roads at a future local committee meeting, as indicated in the minutes of the meeting on 27 September 2019.

The Area Highway Officer stated that 30 mph signs do not need to be placed where there are street lights, as written in the Highway Code.  The issue of speeding is a police enforcement matter.  The Portsmouth Road could be made a priority for consideration of further action, if Committee members decide to add it to the Committee’s priority list.

SCC Members asked if they could move divisional Highways monies between members to help fund a vehicle activated sign (VAS).  The Chairman supported this and Mr Martin, who’s division the Portsmouth Road is in, will discuss it with the Area Highway Manager.

The Local Committee (Waverley) resolved to AGREE to:

Note the officer response and the suggestion for the introduction of a Vehicle Activated Sign, to be funded from the Divisional member Mr Peter Martin’s committee allocation for 2020/21.