Agenda item

(a)  That the general principles of the proposed layout of the Harrow Market shown in Figure 5.1 be approved.

(b)  That Council officers proceed with detailed design, following consultation with the Commissioner for Social & Economic Inclusion, and are allowed a degree of flexibility in the design of the final scheme based upon the results of the following:

o  Road Safety Audits of the proposed scheme.

o  A survey of current services in the ground e.g. gas, water, electricity, on the understanding that widening of the carriageway to the south of the junction may be prohibitively expensive. 

o  A statutory consultation including emergency services, the freight haulage association etc. will be carried out if traffic regulation orders or traffic calming is proposed.

(c)  That Council officers report to the Councillors of the affected wards any significant changes to the design proposed in Figure 5.1 of the report.

(d)  That, subject to a satisfactory detailed design, construction of the final layout goes ahead within the current financial year 2014/15.

The Team Leader (Road Safety and Integrated Transport) introduced a report outlining the results of the public consultation on the experimental changes to the road layout of the Harrow Market in Langley and sought approval for the general principles of the final layout of the junction.

Commissioners were reminded of the background to the experimental scheme, including the measures trialled and assessed in the three phases since April 2013.  Members were advised that the Council had a legal duty to improve road safety, as set out in the report, and the Harrow Market area and approaches had been identified by the Road Safety team’s annual cluster analysis as having a high number of collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists.  The assessment of the three phases of the scheme included consideration of speed and journey time data as well as accident data, and the Cabinet were informed that this data showed a general reduction in accidents, particularly pedestrian accidents, which had fallen from eight in the three years leading up to the scheme down to one during the period of the experiment.

A wide ranging consultation process had been undertaken which revealed that respondents did not support any reduction in lane widths on the approach to the junction; divided opinion on traffic calming; and a clear majority in support of a 20mph zone.  All of the evidence and consultation had been considered in developing the principles of a permanent scheme for Cabinet consideration as set out in figure 5.1 (junction layout) and figure 5.2 (car parking layout).  In summary, the proposal was a widening of two approaches to the junction to ease congestion; introduced limited but necessary traffic calming near to new and improved pedestrian crossing points; retention of the 20mph zone; removal of confusing cycle lanes on the carriageway; and improved layout and additional spaces at Harrow Market car park.

Commissioners discussed a number of specific aspects of the scheme including the changes to the car park which it was felt would reduce some of the present obstruction of the junction; the positioning of the bus stops; and design of the traffic calming measures.  The Cabinet discussed the results of the extensive consultation that had been undertaken and recognised that the level of support varied for different elements of the trial.  It was noted that 492 supported the 20mph zone with 152 against; whereas there was no public support for the trialled narrowing of the approaches to the junction which was why this option had not been taken forward into the final proposal.  Commissioners were satisfied that objections had been taken on board and that the scheme proposed generally reflected the outcomes of the consultation, as far as possible, whilst also improving safety and traffic flow.

Councillors Coad and Abe addressed the meeting and highlighted the impacts the experimental scheme had had on road users.  They raised questions about the process of consultation and ward Member engagement; safety data; and frequency of services using the bus stops.  The Officer responded to these points by providing further detail on the consultation results and the safety and journey time data that had been assessed in developing the proposal.  Councillor Abe queried the deliverability of the proposed widening, however the Officer stated that the professional opinion of the Council’s traffic engineers was that it was deliverable, subject to the necessary survey work on current services in the ground as reflected in the recommendation.  Issues were also raised by Members in relation to the precise positioning of the bus stops and removal and lay-bys, pedestrian crossing and closing of access to the old Harrow Pub car park.  The Officer noted the comments and highlighted that these issues would be considered during the detailed design phase which included further survey work and statutory consultation.  It was also stated that the widening of the approaches provided ample space for vehicles to pass a stationary bus.

Following the lengthy discussion, the Cabinet agreed the general principles of the proposed layout of the Harrow Market roundabout, which they felt met the safety objectives of the scheme; improved traffic flows on the junction and car park; and broadly reflected the results of the consultation.  It was agreed that officers continue with the detailed design, conducting the necessary statutory consultation, survey work and engagement with Members.

Resolved –

(a)  That the general principles of the proposed layout of the Harrow Market shown in Figure 5.1 be approved.

(b)  That Council officers proceed with detailed design and are allowed a degree of flexibility in the design of the final scheme based upon the results of the following:

o  Road Safety Audits of the proposed scheme.

o  A survey of current services in the ground e.g. gas, water, electricity, on the understanding that widening of the carriageway to the south of the junction may be prohibitively expensive. 

o  A statutory consultation including emergency services, the freight haulage association etc. will be carried out if traffic regulation orders or traffic calming is proposed.

(c)  That Council officer’s report to the Councillors of the affected wards any significant changes to the design proposed in Figure 5.1 of the report.

(d)  That, subject to a satisfactory detailed design, and following consultation with the Commissioner for Social & Economic Inclusion, construction of the final layout goes ahead within the current financial year 2014/15.

(Councillor Sharif left the meeting)