Agenda item

The Brooklands Business Park Accessibility Project is a major transport project which plans to establish a formal and safer route for cycling between Brooklands and Weybridge town centre. Provision of the route between Brooklands and Brooklands Lane on Heath Road, north of Weybridge Railway Station, is now substantially completed.

Further improvements are now planned to complete the safer route for cycling north of Brooklands Lane through to Weybridge town centre.

That the Local Committee [Elmbridge] agreed:

(i)     To approve the advertisement of a notice under Section 90 of the Highways Act1980 for the construction of a road table on Heath Road around the junction with Brooklands Lane, as detailed in the drawing shown in Annex A of the report.

(ii)    To agree that the County Council’s intentions to introduce double yellow line extensions on Brooklands Lane as shown in Annex A should be formally advertised and subject to statutory consultation. Also to agree that if objections are received, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor are authorised to try and resolve them. If any objections cannot be resolved, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the Divisional Member, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

(iii)   To agree that the County Council’s intentions to introduce double yellow line extensions on Waverley Road as shown in Annex A should be formally advertised and subject to statutory consultation. Also to agree that if objections are received, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor are authorised to try and resolve them. If any objections cannot be resolved, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the Divisional Member, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

(iv)   To authorise the making of the Cycle Track Order. Also to authorise the Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman and Divisional Member to resolve any objections to the Cycle Track Order if possible.  Objections should be considered as resolved if they are contradicted by the reasoning provided in section 2 of this Report. Also, if necessary, to authorise the Project Sponsor to submit any unresolved objections to the Secretary of State for determining whether the Order can be confirmed, or whether a Local Inquiry is required.

Reasons:

To provide a safer route for cyclists from the completed shared cyclist/pedestrian facility along Heath Road into Weybridge town centre, to complete the route between Brooklands and Weybridge town centre. Completing this key missing link in the route would help to meet the project’s strategic aims to encourage sustainable, safe and healthy forms of travel. The proposed road table will also provide an improved environment for pedestrians. 

The Cycle Track Order specifically would formalise the town paths adjacent to Chuchfields Recreation Ground as cycle route options. Count data evidences that these paths are already very well used by cyclists, particularly younger users attending Heathside School and Brooklands College. Accident data shows that the route using these paths offers a safer cycling route to Weybridge town centre. There are plans to undertake improvements to these paths.

Full details of the reasoning are provided in Section 2 of the report.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Tim Vickers, Transport Planner

Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: See item 5

Member discussion –key points

The officer introduced the report.  Members were supportive of the proposals which would provide a welcome addition to the area when completed.

Resolved:

(i)     To approve the advertisement of a notice under Section 90 of the Highways Act1980 for the construction of a road table on Heath Road around the junction with Brooklands Lane, as detailed in the drawing shown in Annex A of the report.

(ii)    To agree that the County Council’s intentions to introduce double yellow line extensions on Brooklands Lane as shown in Annex A should be formally advertised and subject to statutory consultation. Also to agree that if objections are received, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor are authorised to try and resolve them. If any objections cannot be resolved, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the Divisional Member, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

(iii)   To agree that the County Council’s intentions to introduce double yellow line extensions on Waverley Road as shown in Annex A should be formally advertised and subject to statutory consultation. Also to agree that if objections are received, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor are authorised to try and resolve them. If any objections cannot be resolved, the Area Highways Manager and Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the Divisional Member, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

(iv)   To authorise the making of the Cycle Track Order. Also to authorise the Project Sponsor, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman and Divisional Member to resolve any objections to the Cycle Track Order if possible.  Objections should be considered as resolved if they are contradicted by the reasoning provided in section 2 of this Report. Also, if necessary, to authorise the Project Sponsor to submit any unresolved objections to the Secretary of State for determining whether the Order can be confirmed, or whether a Local Inquiry is required.

Reasons:

To provide a safer route for cyclists from the completed shared cyclist/pedestrian facility along Heath Road into Weybridge town centre, to complete the route between Brooklands and Weybridge town centre. Completing this key missing link in the route would help to meet the project’s strategic aims to encourage sustainable, safe and healthy forms of travel. The proposed road table will also provide an improved environment for pedestrians. 

The Cycle Track Order specifically would formalise the town paths adjacent to Chuchfields Recreation Ground as cycle route options. Count data evidences that these paths are already very well used by cyclists, particularly younger users attending Heathside School and Brooklands College. Accident data shows that the route using these paths offers a safer cycling route to Weybridge town centre. There are plans to undertake improvements to these paths.

Full details of the reasoning are provided in Section 2 of the report.