Officers from Transport Development, Leicester City Council, will be in attendance to present the proposal for the Jarrom Street Traffic Calming scheme.
Minutes:
Steve Warwick from Transport Development, Leicester City Council presented the proposal for the Jarrom Street Traffic Calming Scheme. With the proposed pedestrianisation of Mill Lane, Leicester City Council have requested as part of the planning application from De Montfort University (DMU) the implementation of traffic calming to Eastern Boulevard and Jarrom Street, in the form of 20mph speed restrictions and speed reducing cushions. DMU have offered to pay for the speed cushions, should the pedestrianisation of Mill Lane go ahead. Negotiations with DMU had also secured a Section 106 agreement for improved pedestrianisation (which included The Gateway between Mill Lane and Gosling Street) and cycling facilities in the area.
Steve informed the meeting that DMU had been asked to provide a full traffic impact assessment on Leicester City Council’s terms of reference. The only cost to the Council had been officer time in analysis of the data received. It was suggested that a third of current traffic (around 2,000 vehicles per day) would use Jarrom Street, and that traffic calming measures were welcome, and could act as a deterrent to drivers using Jarrom Street. The meeting was also informed the Police had the power to open Mill Lane in an emergency.
Consultation on the proposed 20mph zone would end on 17 February 2012, after which residents had 21 days to raise formal objections with Legal Services. Notices would also be placed on The Gateway, Mill Lane and in the Leicester Mercury inviting objections.
Residents expressed concern over the increase in traffic in the residential area from 7.00am onwards. Steve informed the meeting that a full traffic count on Mill Lane had been undertaken, and that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) had shown the majority of cars had been through traffic. The information had been fed into a transport model which showed the majority of cars would continue to use a main route and not divert onto Jarrom Street.
Residents also expressed concern that the speed cushions would have a detrimental impact on their cars. Steve explained that the speed cushions in Jarrom Street would be 75mm in height, which was the Government standard. Also the 20mph speed limit would be self-enforcing due to the location of the speed cushions. Residents were also informed the speed cushions were made of pre-formed rubber and bolted into the road, were cheap and quick to install, and required less management and upkeep than previously built cushions.
Councillor Kitterick stated that he was neutral minded on the scheme, but the exhibition at DMU had envisaged that by taking traffic out of the area it would create a better environment, for example, as in High Street in the city centre.
Moving on, a resident asked how many buses were allowed to park on Tigers Way during match days. Steve stated the arrangement was to drop off supporters and go to the Gas Works, returning 5-10 minutes before the end of the game. Six coaches were allowed to park on Tigers Way, but up to 10-12 coaches had been pictures parked up. The issue had been raised by the Police as a concern and was to be discussed at the next Safety Advisory Group, a multi-agency panel.