Councillors and committees

Agenda item

PETITIONS

To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68. Notice should be given in writing or by email to the Community Partnership and 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.

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Order 68, Dr Heather Prideaux-King presented the following petition on behalf of local residents.  The petition received 142 signatures.

 

A petition in support of the design and implementation of road safety measures along Pembroke Road, Woking.  I agree that measures to restrict speeding are needed in Pembroke Road.

 

Dr Prideaux-King introduced the petition and explained residents’ concerns, especially in relation to the expansion of St Dunstan’s School in Onslow Crescent, where surveys have shown the majority of pupils travel to school by car on a regular basis. Traffic surveillance has shown a high proportion of speeding in both directions along the road. The petitioners would like steps taken to ensure that anti-speeding measures are designed and installed along Pembroke Road.

 

The Chairman invited Andrew Milne to respond to the petition.  The response is set out below:

 

An item for traffic calming measures along Pembroke Road is already on our work programme and £10,000 has been allocated for design work to be carried out during the current financial year.

 

In the last 3 year period, 2 personal injury collisions have taken place along the road, both at the crossroads junction with Shaftesbury Road and Onslow Crescent. However, it is known that damage only collisions have taken place which have resulted in street furniture being damaged and requiring replacement.

 

Speed surveys were undertaken at 3 locations along the road in April 2013 and generally indicated good compliance with the speed limit, although some high speeds were recorded. This suggests that some vehicles may be travelling at inappropriate speeds over some of the bends and the crossroads.

 

Officers have already engaged with residents (including the lead petitioner) and the Divisional Member.  Through the design process, various traffic calming options are being considered.  Although it is too early in this process to predict the likely recommendations, it is probable that physical traffic calming measures such as speed cushions or tables would be necessary.  Design work is scheduled for completion by March 2014, and the outcome of this will be shared with residents and the Local Member.  Further consultation will then be carried out, and the results will be presented to Committee together with estimates of costs and recommendations for decision. 

 

The Chairman thanked the petitioner for coming.

 

 

Will Forster declared a non pecuniary interest in this item as his brother is in the process of buying a property in Highclere Gardens.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 68 the following petition was presented to the committee.  The petition contained 50 signatures.

 

We the undersigned, being residents of Highclere Gardens, Knaphill, Woking, hereby request Surrey County Council to give urgent consideration to converting an existing grassed island in Highclere Gardens into additional parking spaces which are urgently required by residents.

 

Residents explained that the current situation was unbearable, with parking on greens, and pathways and access being blocked.

 

SajHussain, County Councillor for the area explained that this desperately needs addressing as the area was not designed for so many cars.  One of the biggest concerns is safety as emergency vehicles would find it difficult to get through with the current parking situation.

 

It was suggested that it may be helpful if the residents form a residents association.  It was queried whether if parking provision could not be enhanced, would the residents support the grass being protected by posts?

 

The Chairman invited Andrew Milne to comment.  The petition was not clear as to which grass area the petitioners were referring to.  Andrew would meet on site with the local councillor and the residents to look at possible solutions and associated costs.  A full report responding to the petition would be brought back to a future meeting of the local committee.

 

The Chairman thanked the petitioners for coming.