Agenda item

-           Presented by Members of the Public

-           Presented by Councillors

-           Petitions to be debated

5.1       Requesting Safeguards Including a 20 Mph Zone, Barriers and Speed Cameras Along Hungarton Boulevard

Petitions from members of the public

Mr Shah Ali, presented a petition with 535 valid signatures in the following terms:-

“The Safer Streets Healthier Neighbourhood's scheme for Evington will reduce access to and from residents homes on Davenport Road, Greystone Avenue, Newhaven Road & Mickelton Road and force them to take longer journeys using busier, frequently congested and more dangerous roads/junctions which will greatly affect the families, elderly and working populace of the area while doing almost nothing to meet the schemes desired goals.

It will also force local traffic onto already congested/dangerous main roads. As well making the situation worse and putting the lives of these and other Leicester residents, many of who are likely to be friends and family of Evington / Goodwood residents, at risk and in the end actually lead to an increase in pollution.

All cars on the school run now will also be forced to find somewhere to turn around as they complete their drop off/pick up, putting pedestrians further at risk, in order to make their way back out of the schools area via the same route they arrived on.  This will also again lead to their journeys being longer, more dangerous and polluting if they actually need to reach a different side of Evington / Goodwood.

The scheme will also restrict certain residents from using vehicles on their road completely during suggested peak times which will unfairly limit their way of life greatly, unless an agreement is reached with them that provides compensation.

To resolve school rat runs that occur twice a day on weekdays only local residents will be penalised 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

The scheme does not appear to take into account the large number of essential workers (such as school teachers, medical centre employees, pharmacists, care home workers, domiciliary carers and grocery/takeaway shop staff) that need to travel in and out of Evington / Goodwood to perform their already difficult roles and who will experience significant problems due to the planned barriers being put in place on their regular journeys, making their roles even more challenging and untenable.

The scheme also stated it aimed to put the detailed measures in place every day of the week for the entire year despite schools being closed over weekends/holidays and residents having no serious issues with traffic at those times.  The scheme was also designed without the input of the community, its implementation decided with no prior notice of the plans to the public and its communication was only supplied in English despite this being a second language for many of the local residents who would therefore struggle to understand the document and changes that would be severely impacting them.

In summary, the suggested road changes detailed in the scheme will actually cause an increase in pollution, lead to greater risks in public safety and needlessly cause great difficulties to Evington/Goodwood and Leicester residents in general if they are implemented so we urge the council not to proceed with them and instead look at discussing alternative options with the community.”

Mr Stephen Cooper, presented a petition with 560 valid signatures in the following terms:-

“WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, PETITION LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL to rescind IMMEDIATELY the traffic management measures that were introduced on 8^th May 2022 and consult the residents openly about their objectives, the evidence that supported them, the impacts of those measures on residents and alternatives that may be equally or more effective.

We support the global need to reduce atmospheric pollution and reduce risks to local pedestrians and cyclists but argue that forcing non-ambulant residents to drive up to two miles further on each journey along already-busier roads is not appropriate, particularly in this period of high inflation.

We reported the “school run” traffic to and from the Harringworth Road entrance to Whitehall Primary School to the Council’s then Head of Traffic in about 1992. The new one-way traffic order on Gamel Road between its Davenport Road and Skampton Road junctions has forced all those vehicles to try to emerge onto Goodwood Road, which is already heavily congested at those times. This leads to substantial queues that also delay the Centrebus 54A services.

We know and have notified the Council’s Transport Strategy staff that Davenport Road has been used by Centrebus as an impromptu diversion route by both 54A and 22A service buses when their assigned routes have been obstructed. The proposed blockade on Davenport Road (withheld after residents’ protests on 8^th May) would preclude that option. We are concerned that its later introduction is likely to lead to the withdrawal of the 54A bus service from the Goodwood estate to the permanent detriment of alternative travel options for non-driving, infirm and elderly residents.

We are concerned that some of the historical traffic complaints received by the City Council may have been prompted by complainants’ personal biases against the recently-opened Gamel Road Mosque and its congregations. We deprecate such attitudes and request that the Council’s designs are focussed solely on effective, beneficial traffic measures.”

Hannah Wakley, presented a petition with 214 valid signatures on a paper petition and supported by an electronic petition with 476 signatures in the following terms:-

“We ask that the City Council changes their policy and stops using pesticides in parks and green spaces. Pesticides such as glyphosate are known to be hazardous to human health. They persist in the soil for years and affect all wildlife, including bees. Weedkiller is currently being sprayed around trees, fence posts and rocks in Leicester’s parks and green spaces. This is not necessary. Stopping this spraying would protect the people who use and maintain the parks and allow more wildlife habitat to develop.”

Petitions from Councillors

No petitions were received from Councillors.

Under Council Procedure Rule 13a the aforementioned petitions will be referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration and action as appropriate.

Petitions to be debated

The Monitoring Officer noted that under the terms of the Council’s Petitions Scheme each petitioner had been invited to speak on their petition for a maximum of five minutes. This would be followed by a debate on the issues raised by the petition for a maximum of 15 minutes.

A petition was presented by Mr Rashid Thathyala with 1854 valid signatures and an e-petition with 22 signatures in the following terms:

“We the undersigned petition the Council to Residents demand the following safeguards before someone is killed: 1. A 20 mph speed limit along Hungarton Boulevard (LE5 1DF and 1HT) – in line with the amended speed limit in Humberstone Village; 2.  Barriers along the bend to protect homes and keep residents safe when vehicles leave the road; and 3. Speed cameras to issue penalties to speeding drivers, acting as a deterrent and enforcing the speed limit.”

Moved by Councillor Clarke, seconded by Councillor Russell and carried:-

That the petitioners be thanked for raising their concerns and ask that the Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission receive a report on the issues raised by the petition to consider what further safety measures can be put in place.