Issue - meetings

ROAD SAFETY ON DISTRIBUTOR ROADS

Meeting: 04/06/2001 - Cabinet - for meetings after 09/05/11, please see 'City Mayor & Cabinet' (Item 6)

6 ROAD SAFETY ON DISTRIBUTOR ROADS pdf icon PDF 175 KB

The Cabinet Lead Member for Highways and Transportation submits a report seeking Cabinet approval to a new policy for traffic calming on local distributor roads and agreement in principle to a scheme which includes road humps for Wigston Lane.

Minutes:

Councillor Subedar submitted a report  which referred to the policy of the City Council since 1991 to introduce traffic calming in residential areas in the City.  Concerns however were expressed by the emergency services and bus operators following the introduction of the first schemes and as a result, since 1995,  the Council’s policy had been not to construct road humps on distributor roads.  It was noted however that experience of traffic calming measures in Leicester had confirmed that the most effective way of reducing vehicle speeds below 20 miles per hour was the use of road humps and these would continue to be the preferred option where justified in residential areas. 

 

Recently a scheme had been constructed on Wigston Lane which, as a strategic route for the emergency services, did not include humps.  However, measurement  of vehicle speeds on Wigston Lane had shown that the scheme had had little effect on vehicle speeds.  The speed of traffic continued to be inappropriate for this road given the pedestrian activity outside Montrose School and parents of pupils at the school had expressed concern about the speed of vehicles and had asked for additional features such as a pedestrian crossing and road humps.  The Cabinet was therefore asked to consider the amendment of the existing policy on traffic calming to allow the use of road humps on distributor roads in exceptional circumstances, to be determined by the Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED:

(1)that the existing Council policy that road humps will not normally be used on local distributor roads, and that, traffic calming, where proposed, will normally be implemented using other measures, such as chicanes, priority workings, pedestrian refuges and signing and lining, be confirmed;

 

(2)that only in exceptional circumstances, where other measures are unlikely to achieve or have not achieved the desired reductions in accidents on a local distributor road, will consideration be given to the judicious use of road humps as part of a package of measures;

 

(3)that, when such exceptional circumstances arise, a report requesting approval in principle of a scheme using road humps be brought to Cabinet, following initial consultations with the emergency services and bus operators; and

 

(4)that the scheme for Wigston Lane as detailed in the report be approved and formal consultations be undertaken with the emergency services, bus operators and local residents.