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 petitions will be presented at the meeting. 

4.1       RECEIVE PETITION – THE HATCHES BRIDLEWAY PATH IMPROVEMENTS

An online petition has been submitted.  The petition states “The Hatches bridleway between Frimley Green and Farnborough North station is a narrow tarmac path with grass/mud verges. In the winter, the grass/mud takes over making it very difficult, especially for pedestrians who have to negotiate their way across the puddles and mud. The path is narrow so difficult for cyclists to get past pedestrians which sometimes causes conflict. We would kindly request that the council consider upgrading the path in the next budget year, or at least reserve funding for improvement in the near future. An ideal outcome for many people would be a Shared Use route for Pedestrians & Cyclists, perhaps with a simple white line along the centre to segregate the flow of traffic”.

Mr Jon McClelland (petitioner) will have 3 minutes to address the meeting.

The path upgrade has already been discussed at the previous two meetings and a short report from the Countryside Access Team is attached.

4.2       RECEIVE PETITION – REMOVE THE BUS LANE IN LONDON ROAD, CAMBERLEY

An online petition has been submitted.  The petition states “I have lived and worked in Surrey Heath for most of my life, both as a police officer, and now currently a chauffeur, and the bus lane in the London Road,     applicable 7am to 9.30am, and 4pm to 7pm causes much confusion and is the cause of accidents, as well as near misses.    Regardless of the time the majority of motorists do not drive in it, and thus one third of the road is not used. This results in long queues of traffic, adding to an increase in pollution.    At the present time Farnborough are removing their bus lane and one of the reasons given was that it holds up buses, which was the very opposite reason for having it in the first place.  Removing the bus lane would be safer and less dangerous for all road users. Currently it is used by some 6 or so buses an hour”.

Mr Ken Clarke (petitioner) will have 3 minutes to address the meeting.

4.3       RECEIVE PETITION – REVERSE THE UNACCEPTABLE DETERIORATION OF THE CAMBERLEY ROUTE 2 BUS SERVICE

An online petition has been submitted.  The petition states “We the residents of the communities through which the Camberley Route 2 bus service passes require Surrey County Council to negotiate with the bus company that runs this service - Stagecoach - an improvement to this service, which has deteriorated beyond any level of acceptability over many years. Specifically we require that: a) the service be returned to a frequency of every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday. b) the service be extended in the evening such that the final bus leaves Camberley and Farnborough no earlier than 10.30pm, especially on a Friday and Saturday evening”.

Mr Graham Tapper (petitioner) will have 3 minutes to address the meeting.

Three petitions were presented at the meeting. 

RECEIVE PETITION – THE HATCHES BRIDLEWAY PATH IMPROVEMENTS

An online petition of 300 signatures was submitted.  The petition stated “The Hatches bridleway between Frimley Green and Farnborough North station is a narrow tarmac path with grass/mud verges. In the winter, the grass/mud takes over making it very difficult, especially for pedestrians who have to negotiate their way across the puddles and mud. The path is narrow so difficult for cyclists to get past pedestrians which sometimes causes conflict. We would kindly request that the council consider upgrading the path in the next budget year, or at least reserve funding for improvement in the near future. An ideal outcome for many people would be a Shared Use route for Pedestrians & Cyclists, perhaps with a simple white line along the centre to segregate the flow of traffic”.

Mr Jon McClelland (petitioner) addressed the meeting.  The path upgrade had already been discussed at the previous two meetings and a short report from the Countryside Access Team was available.  Mr McClelland praised the work already undertaken by the Countryside Access Team and noted that longer term improvements for the pathway had been included in a LEP funding bid.

RECEIVE PETITION – REMOVE THE BUS LANE IN LONDON ROAD, CAMBERLEY

An online petition of 251 signatures was submitted.  The petition stated “I have lived and worked in Surrey Heath for most of my life, both as a police officer, and now currently a chauffeur, and the bus lane in the London Road, applicable 7am to 9.30am, and 4pm to 7pm causes much confusion and is the cause of accidents, as well as near misses.    Regardless of the time the majority of motorists do not drive in it, and thus one third of the road is not used. This results in long queues of traffic, adding to an increase in pollution.    At the present time Farnborough are removing their bus lane and one of the reasons given was that it holds up buses, which was the very opposite reason for having it in the first place.  Removing the bus lane would be safer and less dangerous for all road users. Currently it is used by some 6 or so buses an hour”.

Mr Ken Clarke (petitioner) addressed the meeting and invited Members to meet with him and observe the bus lane in operation.

The Chair noted that Officers had been tasked with producing a report to be discussed at the next public meeting on 12 March.  Members were planning to hold a public debate on the issue, which linked in with Town Centre Plans and Transport Studies.

RECEIVE PETITION – REVERSE THE UNACCEPTABLE DETERIORATION OF THE CAMBERLEY ROUTE 2 BUS SERVICE

An online petition of 95 signatures was submitted.  The petition stated “We the residents of the communities through which the Camberley Route 2 bus service passes require Surrey County Council to negotiate with the bus company that runs this service - Stagecoach - an improvement to this service, which has deteriorated beyond any level of acceptability over many years. Specifically we require that: a) the service be returned to a frequency of every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday. b) the service be extended in the evening such that the final bus leaves Camberley and Farnborough no earlier than 10.30pm, especially on a Friday and Saturday evening”.

Mr Graham Tapper (petitioner) addressed the meeting.  He stated that the route had been run every 15 minutes, but was now operating every half an hour, which was unacceptable to residents.

The Chair referred to the County Council review of Local Transport Services.  The County Council was looking at whether savings could be made and he urged all residents to comment on the consultation.  The route in question would be reviewed as part of the consultation.