Agenda item

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.

Three received at time of despatch. One response attached and the rest to follow.

Three received.

The petitions and responses (which were provided to the petitioners) are attached to the minutes as Appendix A.

The Local Committee Chairman decided to take the Pinch Points petition, x2 Pinch point’s related public questions and Item 7 at this point in the meeting and to hear discussion on the items after hearing the petitions, questions and report.

Petition 1 - Mrs Pamela Erskine submitted a petition with 1060 signatures from local residents requesting that the pinch points on Godstone Road in Lingfield are demolished.

Mrs Erskine was in attendance and presented the petition.

The Chairman then moved on to hear the related public questions.

PETITIONS  [Item 4]

The petitions and responses (which were provided to the petitioners) are attached to the minutes as Appendix A.

Petition 2 – Mr David Chambers submitted a petition with 12 signatures from local residents regarding HGVs out of Lambs Business Park causing significant noise and vibration.

Mr Chambers was in attendance and presented the petition. He also referred to the speed of the vehicles and a drain collapse outside Orme House

The responding officer elaborated from her answer to the petitioner and informed him that a scheme to improve the junction of A22 Eastbourne Road/Tilburstow Hill Road is on a list of possible future works for which no funding has been allocated.  

She continued that they were unable to install any traffic calming measures in roads that have no street lighting, such as this one, and that a reduction in the speed limit in Tilburstow Hill Road would not meet the speed limit policy criteria. The officer agreed to speak with the petitioner outside of the meeting regarding the drain.

Member Discussion – key points:

·         Members agreed that HGVs travelling at unsociable hours in the district are a big problem and discussed whether the District Council could do anything about it.

·         There is a move to get HGVs to drive on main A roads therefore signage perhaps needs to be changed to reflect this.

·         Members asked the highways officers whether signage could be improved to provide advance warning of the low bridge in Tilburstow Hill Road.

·         Mrs Sally Marks requested that the highways team contact the HGV companies (after hearing that the average speed in the area is 47mph). She also requested that the team look at the junction to see if anything can be done there to improve things.

·         The highways officer responded that in the Local Transport Strategy it mentions junction improvements however it would need more funding. Enforcement of the current speeds would be a matter for Surrey Police.

·         Mr David Hodge highlighted that while there is a large wish list of works to be done, there are often problems with land ownership and utilities also which in turn raise the cost significantly.

·         The Chairman suggested the damaged bus stop and phone box in that location could be removed in order to improve sight lines.

Petition 3 – Mr Craig Anderson submitted a petition with 29 signatures from local residents asking to reduce the speed limit on Stafford Road to 20MPH.

Mr Anderson was unable to attend the meeting but had been sent the response in advance of the meeting.

Member Discussion – key points:

·         Mrs Sally Marks informed the committee that this particular road was very challenging with regards to parking. She continued that while she had every sympathy with the resident’s perception of the road, that she was unsure how vehicles could build speed down the road due to the parking.

·         Members believed the situation of the road and its parking problems could be due to the flats and suggested that perhaps the District council could be contacted in order to request that off-street parking on District Council land in the area is created. Tandridge District council have often given planning permission to blocks of flats with inadequate parking provision.

·         Mrs Sally Marks however pointed out to the committee that the district council in one instance refused planning permission but were overruled by the Planning Inspectorate.

·         Members agreed that the district should still look at creating more parking near to Stafford Road to alleviate some of the problems there.

·         Although the County Council are consulted and has the opportunity to comment on planning proposals, some members believed that elected members views are not sufficiently taken into account.

Members asked that they are made aware of planning applications with transport implications at an early stage in order to give them the opportunity to comment.  It was agreed that the Local Committee Chairman write to the District Council to this effect.

The Chairman continued with Item 5 – Public written questions.