Agenda item

Following a fatal collision in Titsey Road in April 2014, an initial investigation into road safety in Titsey Road/Titsey Hill has been carried out.  A number of locations have been identified where additional road signs and markings could be introduced to highlight the road geometry to drivers.  Consideration could also be given to reducing the speed limit.  A site meeting will be held early in July to consider these suggestions in more detail, the results of which will be presented to the Local Committee Chairman, Vice-Chairman and local divisional Members.

Report and Annex 1 attached.

The Committee:

(i)    NOTED the contents of the report

(ii)  AGREED to start investigating the process of reducing the speed limit

(iii)AGREED to appropriate interim warning signage to be erected

(iv)AGREED to seek geological assessment of the composition of the road and to ensure that it includes Titsey Hill in its entirety

(v)  AGREED to authorise the Highways Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Divisional member to implement the necessary traffic regulation order procedures on behalf of the Local Committee

REASONS:

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: John Lawlor, Highways Area Team Manager

[Item 12 was taken at the start of the meeting at the request of the Vice-Chairman who was chairing the meeting.]

Members were concerned when several incidents took place at these locations and therefore requested for the Highways Area Team Manager to look into if anything could/should be done to improve safety measures on this road.

The Highways Area Team Manager presented the report and confirmed that a discussion had already taken place and a meeting was scheduled with the police for July, where a detailed inspection and site visit would take place. However the team cannot move forward until the Police investigation has finished and the results are available in order to proceed further.

The Vice Chairman opened up the report for discussion by the committee members.

Member Discussion – key points:

·         Members expressed their condolences to the families and discussed the recent tragic incident which took place. Members agreed that a commitment needs to be made to the concerned families that Surrey Highways will progress and move on the police findings (if related to road safety) as soon as possible.

·         Mrs Sally Marks requested for the Highways Area Team Manager to erect advisory signs in the interim period.

·         Members praised the Police Road Safety team representative for being in attendance at the meeting and illustrating the Police’s involvement and commitment to the incidents that occurred.

·         Discussion continued with regard to the speed limit on the road and the potential to reduce it via a traffic order and whether this could be dealt with separately. A recommendation was proposed to start the process of reducing the speed limit which was agreed and seconded by all members of the committee present.

·         Members agreed to put forward another recommendation to implement appropriate interim warning signage which was duly seconded and agreed by all members present.

·         The Highways Area Team Manager explained the processes involved in establishing signs and reducing speed limits to members and agreed that the process could be started at the meeting via these recommendations

·         Members also raised concerns about further up Titsey Hill and regarding the undulations of the road and its geology.
It was agreed a further recommendation be put in place to seek geological assessment of the composition of the road and to ensure that it includes Titsey Hill in its entirety after the July site meeting. This recommendation was also agreed and seconded by members of the local committee.

·         Members put forward a further recommendation to authorise the Highways Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Divisional member to implement the necessary traffic regulation order procedures on behalf of the Local Committee in order to speed up the process which was agreed and seconded by all local committee members present.

·         Members discussed the best locations for the signs and agreed that Pilgrims Lane may be a possible location.

·         The Local Committee agreed that the families should be kept informed of progress.

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements:

·         Mr Palmer asked later in the discussion if an illuminated matrix style warning sign could be erected on the road due to concerns regarding overgrown vegetation covering any temporary signs. The Highways Area Team Manager confirmed that initially it would be a different sign however that a vehicle activated sign could also be looked into later.

·         Mr Palmer also requested the committee and Highways team to consider signs illustrating statistics on them regarding the number of accidents or deaths which have occurred on that stretch of road during the year which the committee agreed to also look into.

·         Mr Bristow informed the committee that the Department for Transport’s code of practice states that where a road is 2m above the landscape there should be a safety barrier in place and asked why this was not the case on Titsey hill.
The Highways Area Team Manager confirmed that this was correct however applies only to new roads and not historical infrastructure existing network.  He continued however that if it became a safety issue it would be something the team would pick up on and look into (however the guidelines technically apply to new works only).

The Committee:

(i)    NOTED the contents of the report

(ii)  AGREED to start investigating the process of reducing the speed limit

(iii)AGREED to appropriate interim warning signage to be erected

(iv)AGREED to seek geological assessment of the composition of the road and to ensure that it includes Titsey Hill in its entirety

(v)  AGREED to authorise the Highways Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Divisional member to implement the necessary traffic regulation order procedures on behalf of the Local Committee