appendix meeting: southport area committee date of … 28… · 2.0 objections 2.1 the first...

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL Committee/Junction of Rookery Road & Hesketh Drive, Southport - objections

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Meeting: SOUTHPORT AREA COMMITTEE Date of Meeting: 28 JULY 2010 Title of Report: OBJECTIONS TO PROPOSED TRAFFIC REGULATION

ORDER – JUNCTION OF ROOKERY ROAD & HESKETH DRIVE, SOUTHPORT

Report of: Andy Wallis This report contains Yes No

Director of Planning & Economic Regeneration

CONFIDENTIAL Information/

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Contact Officer: Dave Marrin 0151 934 4295 Paula Butt 0151 934 4227

EXEMPT information by virtue of paragraph(s)............ of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972

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Is the decision on this report DELEGATED?

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Purpose of Report To advise Members of the receipt of two written objections to a proposed traffic regulation order, the effect of which will introduce 15 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Hesketh Drive and 10 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Rookery Road for junction protection. Recommendation(s) It is recommended that :-

(i) The objections be over-ruled and the proposed Traffic Regulation Order to introduce 15 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Hesketh Drive and 10 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Rookery Road for junction protection be progressed as originally advertised.

(ii) The objectors be advised accordingly. (ii) The necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation

and advertising the Council's intention to implement the Order(s), be approved.

.

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Corporate Objective Monitoring √ Corporate Objective

Positive Impact

Neutral Impact

Negative Impact

1. Creating a Learning Community √

2. Creating Safe Communities √

3. Jobs and Prosperity √

4. Improving Health and Well-Being √

5. Environmental Sustainability √

6. Creating Inclusive Communities √

7. Improving the Quality of Council Services and Strengthening local Democracy

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8. Children and Young People √

Financial Implications

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

2010/ 2011 £

2011/ 2012 £

2012/ 2013 £

2013/ 2014 £

Gross Increase in Capital Expenditure

Funded by:

Sefton Capital Resources

Specific Capital Resources

REVENUE IMPLICATIONS

Gross Increase in Revenue Expenditure 1000

Funded by:

Sefton funded Resources 1000

Funded from External Resources

Does the External Funding have an expiry date? When?

How will the service be funded post expiry? Traffic Management Budget

Departments consulted in the preparation of this Report: None List of background papers relied upon in the preparation of this report Committee report submitted to the 31 March 2010 entitled ‘Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Junction of Rookery Road & Hesketh Drive, Southport’.

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1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 At the meeting of the Southport Area Committee held on 31 March 2010, it

was resolved to progress the legal procedures of a traffic regulation order, the effect of which would be to introduce 15 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Hesketh Drive and 10 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Rookery Road for junction protection. A plan showing the proposal is shown in Annex A.

1.2 Site notices and an advertisement stating the Council’s intentions was placed

in the Southport Champion on 21 April 2010 and two written objections were received by the written objection deadline date of 12 May 2010. These are included in Annex B.

2.0 OBJECTIONS 2.1 The first objector has written in to object on the following grounds:

‘First and foremost, I use the local shops every day and have yet to experience any difficulties in either crossing the junction on foot or existing the road by vehicle. Furthermore, I have taken particular notice since this issue has come to light and have not seen cars parked in a way which could be perceived as causing a hazard…….It is unfortunate that a door to door survey of this issue appears to have been carried out when myself and my more immediate neighbours who would be affected by these changes were actually out – a note through the door would have been useful as any objections could have been raised earlier. It would seem that the instigation for these changes came from a resident who lives much further into Rookery Road cul-de-sac and would therefore be unaffected by additional parking encroaching at the Hesketh Drive end of the road. I feel very strongly that these restrictions should not be implemented until a fair and thorough survey has been carried out with the residents who would be bearing the brunt of additional and continuous interchange of parked traffic outside their homes………Restricting the number of parking spaces outside the shops would inevitably create a continuous overspill further into Rookery Road. We are already subject to some parking and cars turning in the road – this is a situation which is obviously going to be much exacerbated by the loss of additional parking outside the shops………..It goes without saying that the feelings of the local shop-owners should be a huge consideration in your decisions as the nature of their business very much relies on local support and restrictions of the already few parking spaces in front of them would inevitably lead to the loss of some business………..It is therefore of the upmost importance that they be consulted about any parking changes and any suggestions they may have to improve facilities in the area……….it is my feeling (and that of some of the owners) that parking needs to be increased – not reduced – and this could very effectively be achieved by making better use of the needlessly wide shop frontages……..creating parking bays (more effective if they were of an oblique shape as in other areas of town) would be the most sensible and longer lasting solution to any perceived parking issues in the area. This would still afford a wide space for pedestrian use in front of the shops and could be

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separated by concrete bollards for extra safety…………….Increased parking on Rookery Road is going to make it difficult for myself and immediate neighbours neighbours to exist our driveways, as well as making it impossible for any visitors to find a parking space – a situation which is not acceptable. It will also put an undue burden and wear and tear on our pavements and thus on our individual service pipes…………The proposed changes will in my opinion blight the homes affected and thereby their value – it is a known fact that homes which are subject to ongoing local parking prove to be very unpopular and difficult to sell………I only purchased by home seven months ago and can’t afford to have my home devalued in this way’.

2.2 The second objector has written in to object on the following grounds:

‘I have lived in Rookery Road for 30 years and I have not had any problems driving out of this road into Hesketh Drive – I feel the degree of driving has deteriorated over the years, if people cannot pull out of one side road into another, as the amount of parked cars has certainly not altered over the years because of the shops, if this is the only excuse neighbours around here want these markers…….Finally – as these yellow lines get nearer my house the cars will be parked near my driveway both sides of the road which at times will be very difficult for both my husband and I to reverse into it, as we both have large cars and the number of times people turn their cars half way down our drive and this is before you put the yellow lines down’.

3.0 COMMENTS 3.1 The request for the waiting restrictions at the junction came from a Ward

Member as it is alleged that visitors to the nearby parade of shops are parking on the junction, creating visibility and manoeuvrability problems for road users, and are parking adjacent to and obstructing pedestrian dropping crossing points on the junction.

3.2 Site surveys at the junction at various times of the day revealed that visitors to

the local shops were observed to park on the junction of Rookery Road and Hesketh Drive, and over pedestrian dropped crossing points at the junction. The parked vehicles at the junction obstructed visibility for right turning road users eggressing from Rookery Road into Hesketh Drive and prevented the safe passage of pedestrians with prams or wheelchair users at the pedestrian dropped crossing points at the junction.

3.3 The proposed ‘At Any Time’ restrictions are 15 metres in length on Hesketh

Drive at the junction with Rookery Road, and are 10 metres in length on both sides of Rookery Road at its junction with Hesketh Drive. These lengths are the standard length introduced for junction protection and their introduction will improve visibility for all road users and pedestrians at the junction.

3.4 The first objector raises a number of points in their correspondence and these

will be answered individually as follows:

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• I use the local shops every day and have yet to experience any difficulties in either crossing the junction on foot or existing the road by vehicle. Furthermore, I have taken particular notice since this issue has come to light and have not seen cars parked in a way which could be perceived as causing a hazard – Several traffic officers carried out parking surveys at the junction at various times of the day and evening and observed vehicles to park directly on the junction, obstructing visibility for road users and dropped crossing for pedestrians with prams and wheelchair users.

• It is unfortunate that a door to door survey of this issue appears to have been carried out when myself and my more immediate neighbours who would be affected by these changes were actually out – a note through the door would have been useful as any objections could have been raised earlier. It would seem that the instigation for these changes came from a resident who lives much further into Rookery Road cul-de-sac and would therefore be unaffected by additional parking encroaching at the Hesketh Drive end of the road. I feel very strongly that these restrictions should not be implemented until a fair and thorough survey has been carried out with the residents who would be bearing the brunt of additional and continuous interchange of parked traffic outside their homes – Council officers carry out parking surveys at various times of the day to assess the on-street parking conditions at the junction and the suitability of introducing waiting restrictions at the junction. When introducing a traffic regulation order, the Council generally do not directly consult with affected residents/businesses unless the proposals are incorporated within a larger traffic scheme. The standard procedure for the introduction of a traffic regulation order is to advertise the proposals in a notice in the local press and on street furniture in the area.

• Restricting the number of parking spaces outside the shops would inevitably create a continuous overspill further into Rookery Road. We are already subject to some parking and cars turning in the road – this is a situation which is obviously going to be much exacerbated by the loss of additional parking outside the shops – Rule 243 of the Highway Code tells drivers not to stop or park opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space. Parking surveys carried out at the junction revealed that vehicles are parking on the junction, therefore on Rookery Road 10 metres of waiting restrictions are proposed to keep the junction free from parked vehicles. This will lead to the loss of approximately four on-street parking places at the junction (two on each side of Rookery Road

3.5 The second objector raises a number of points in their correspondence and

these will be answered individually as follows:

• I have lived in Rookery Road for 30 years and I have not had any problems driving out of this road into Hesketh Drive – I feel the degree of driving has deteriorated over the years, if people cannot pull out of one side road into another, as the amount of parked cars has certainly not altered over the years because of the shops, if this is the only

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excuse neighbours around here want these markers – the request for the introduction of waiting restrictions was received from a Ward Member and is considered necessary on the grounds of road safety. Various site surveys have revealed parked vehicles on the junction both blocking visibility for road users turning right from Rookery Road into Hesketh Drive, and obstructing pedestrians with prams and wheelchair users at the junction.

• Finally – as these yellow lines get nearer my house the cars will be parked near my driveway both sides of the road which at times will be very difficult for both my husband and I to reverse into it, as we both have large cars and the number of times people turn their cars half way down our drive and this is before you put the yellow lines down’ – Rookery Road is a cul-de-sac therefore road users will carry out three point turns in the road or at the turning head. Sefton Council cannot prevent road users from carrying out turning manoeuvres using private accesses and advises the objector to install gates to prevent road users from using their access as a turning facility. However the objector can apply for an h-bracket marking which is an advisory marking applied onto the highway to highlight dropped vehicular crossings to road users for a small charge. These markings assist in keeping vehicular accesses clear from obstruction by parked vehicles.

4.0 CONCLUSION

4.1 The two written objections were received by the objection deadline for this scheme of 12 May 2010.

4.2 The request for the waiting restrictions at the junction originated from a Ward

Member as it is alleged that visitors to the nearby parade of shops are parking on the junction, creating visibility and manoeuvrability problems for road users, and are parking adjacent to and obstructing pedestrian dropping crossing points on the junction. Site surveys have confirmed that this is the case.

4.3 The original proposals were discussed at a recent meeting of the Traffic

Management Liaison Group at which representatives from Parking Services and the Emergency Services gave their approval to the proposals.

4.4 It is recommended that the proposals for the junction (15 metres of ‘At Any

Time’ restrictions on Hesketh Drive and 10 metres of ‘At Any Time’ restrictions on Rookery Road for junction protection) be progressed as originally advertised.

Andy Wallis Director of Planning & Economic Regeneration

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 7

Annex A

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 8

Annex B

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 9

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 10

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 11

APPENDIX

SEFTON COUNCIL 12

appendix meeting: southport area committee date of … 28… · 2.0 objections 2.1 the first...

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