Agenda item

To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68.  Notice should be given in writing or by e-mail 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.

·         A petition from Mr Tony Nockles requesting, in relation to the Jolly Boatman/Hampton Court Station site, ‘Surrey County Council to immediately commission a revised Road Safety Audit (Stage 1) using published site drawings available in 2008 and in 2012’.

·          A petition from Sue Kittlesen stating ‘travelling from Byfleet Road to the Painshill junction with the A3 and the other way towards West Byfleet along Parvis Road has become a nightmare on a regular basis due to road works. We ask Surrey County Council to restrict all non emergency work to between 10pm and 5am on this very busy route’.

·         A petition from Sarah Spence requesting ‘SCC to implement traffic calming measures on Ewell Rd’.

·         A petition from residents of Prospect Rd, Long Ditton  requesting ‘that all six trees that have been removed by Surrey County Council be replaced and replanted as soon as possible’.

Four petitions were received and the details are attached as Annex A.

1. A petition containing 91 signatures was received from Tony Nockles requesting: ‘Surrey County Council to immediately commission a revised Road Safety Audit (Stage 1) using published drawings available in 2008 and in 2012’.

Tony Nockles spoke for 3 minutes in support of the petition.  He showed a plan which identified the land owned by Surrey County Council explaining that it contained two public roads which are used as footpaths by pedestrians and cyclists.  He added that 1000s of people cross these roads each year.

He explained the purpose of the petition was to ensure that the safety audit previously agreed by the Local Committee in February 2014 will address both present and future risks to pedestrians and cyclists crossing Hampton Court Station’s forecourt, SCC owned frontage and Cigarette Island Lane.  Tony Nockles said that after the February 2014 meeting the SCC officer agreed with the Councillor Stuart Selleck that a revised road safety report would be produced and the resulting Road Safety Comments were based on assumptions and focussed on the entrance to Cigarette Island Lane, ignoring the construction phase of the development, the bus stops and the station forecourt.  He asked that SCC, as both the highways authority and the landowner, ensured that the revised safety audit was carried out without delay and that it should take into account the 2008 site drawing and the information in the 2012 Method of Construction Statement.

Stuart Selleck, the divisional Member, expressed his support for Tony Nockles.  He added that Tony Nockles and some Councillors had met with South West Trains who had expressed concern for the safety of pedestrians on the forecourt of the station.  In addition he knew that the one of the bus services of Transport for London (TfL) was no longer scheduled to stop at the station as they deemed the forecourt unsafe. He requested that SCC officers talk to the other agencies involved with the site and look at the safety audit.  In support Cllr Steve Bax urged SCC to look into this issue.

3. A petition containing a total of 454 signatures was received from Sarah Spence requesting ‘SCC to implement traffic calming measures on Ewell Rd.’ Sarah spoke in support of the petition giving a number of examples of ‘near misses’, adding that 100s of other people had had similar experiences, explaining that this dangerous junction was the route used by many residents to access the local schools, nursery and recreation ground. She said that approximately 20% of the Long Ditton population had signed the petition and she had been overwhelmed by the response.  She requested either a controlled crossing or speed restrictions as it is the most popular place to cross but on coming vehicles cannot be seen.

Peter Hickman, the divisional Member, said he had asked SCC officers to investigate as to whether the location could be included in the, already scheduled, Long Ditton schools safety measures work. 

2. An e- petition containing 83 signatures was received from Sue Kittelsen stating ‘travelling from Byfleet Road to the Painshill junction with the A3 and the other way towards West Byfleet along Parvis Road has become a nightmare on a regular basis due to road works.  We ask Surrey County Council to restrict all non emergency work to between 10 pm and 5 am on this very busy route’.

The response to the petition is attached as Annex B.

The officer Kevin Orledge summarised his response explaining that each application for roadworks is considered and a number of factors need to be taken into account.

4. A petition with 38 signatures was received from Mr Alfred Manly stating ‘we the undersigned residents hereby request that all six trees that have been removed by Surrey County Council be replaced and replanted as soon as possible.’

Mr Manly spoke in support of the petition explaining that originally 10 trees were planted in 1980’s, partly funded by the residents, and six have since been cut down by SCC without the residents receiving any consultation or notification.  The residents do not agree that the trees were dead and think that they probably only needed pruning. He explained that the residents are all angry at the loss of the trees which enhanced the Victorian street of charm and gave much pleasure.

Peter Hickman, the divisional Member, suggested that the trees which were valued by the residents were replaced with the same or another variety.