Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were presented from Councillors Potter and Chowdhury; Councillor Stagg subsequently sent her apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of members' interests.

The purpose of the report by the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support is to consider the results of the recent Residents' Parking survey in an area of Cosham, and next steps.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation   approves either:

(1)       No further action or;

(2)       Formal parking zone design and consultation via Traffic Regulation Order on 1 of the following 4 options:

i.          New BA zone

(the area surveyed: Knowsley Road up to Havant Road - north to south - and the area between the High Street and Salisbury Road - west to east, incorporating the existing BA Park Grove zone)

ii.         New BF zone and new BA zone

            (2 separate zones: Park Lane area and Knowsley Road area; the latter to incorporate existing BA Park Grove zone)

iii.        New BF zone (Park Lane area) only

iv.        New BA zone (Knowsley Road area only, to incorporate the existing BA Park Grove zone).

The Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation approved that formal parking zone design and consultation take place via Traffic Regulation Order on new BF zone (Park Lane area) only.

Alan Cufley, Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support, presented his report.  The pointed out a typographical error in paragraph 3.1 which should refer to 2012 (not 2016) regarding the delay on the surveys, and he explained the background to the survey results being brought back after the elections, for the new Cabinet Member to consider the options to go out to consultation on via a Traffic Regulation Order.

Councillor Hunt addressed the Cabinet Member to set out his concerns and he felt that this proposal was not in line with the pledge to work up long term solutions rather than take a piecemeal approach.  He was not against the Cosham residents getting what they wanted but felt that the Southsea residents should be treated equally as their zones had been taken away on grounds of displacement; there should be consistency in policy.

Mr Jezz Baker then made a deputation as a local resident and thanked the Cabinet Member for agreeing to his late request to speak, as he had only become aware of the proposal through an article in the News the evening before.  He was concerned that the proposals would not work as there would be displacement parking in the wider area.  He had spoken with local residents who were in the majority against the proposals.  Long term projects were needed to combat the problems of commercial vehicles parking and to combat the rising number of student vehicles.

Councillor Fleming responded that the University of Portsmouth do have a 'no car policy' for students but are restricted in how they can enforce this.  He was aware that the Transport, Environment & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel wished to undertake a review to look at long term parking solutions in the city including sustainable transport, and he would encourage people to participate in this process.

With regard to the proposals for Cosham he reiterated the history of these which had been identified for survey in 2012 but an earlier Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation had put scheme options on hold and instead it had been chosen to implement a residents' parking zone for Central Southsea.  The Cosham survey had been undertaken before he himself had taken on the role as Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation so he had inherited this programme so it would have been unfair for him not to look at the survey results.  However he was not expecting to undertake any more surveys of this kind whilst the scrutiny review was being undertaken over this municipal year.

Councillor Fleming felt that it was clear from the results of the survey that the majority of residents were in favour of the BF zone so he wished to support recommendation 2.1.4.

DECISION: The Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation approved that formal parking zone design and consultation take place via Traffic Regulation Order on new BF zone (Park Lane area) only.

The purpose of the report by the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support is to seek approval for the purchase of 2 enforcement cameras to be available at various locations in the city to enforce parking contraventions on school zig zag road markings.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member approves the option to purchase the cameras and authorises the ongoing costs of operation as laid out in the Financial Appraisal shown at Appendix 1. 

The Cabinet Member approved the option to purchase the cameras and authorised the ongoing costs of operation as laid out in the Financial Appraisal shown in Appendix 1.

Councillor Fleming read out the written deputation he had received from Friends of Old Portsmouth Association (FOOPA) in which they had set out their grounds for strongly supporting the proposals for camera enforcement of zig-zag lines outside schools for the safety of children attending local schools and road safety, to encourage walking to school and to combat air pollution levels in the city.

Alan Cufley, the Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support, presented his report which aimed to improve road safety around schools.  The two cameras would be used where there was a priority for enforcement. He referred to a Traffic, Environment & Community Safety (TECS) Scrutiny Panel report from 2015 which had undertaken a survey that had reported that 84% of respondents had said that pupils felt at risk on the roads immediately outside their school.  Enforcement officers would continue to visit schools on a rota and the cameras were to further assist them.

Councillor Hunt addressed the Cabinet Member to say that whilst he was supportive of this proposal (and had been a part of the TECS scrutiny panel endorsing this action) he would ask that a caution not a fine be issued in the first instance.

Councillor Fleming stressed that this was to be part of the package of measures, such as safer walking route education packs for all schools, to improve safety by schools.  He hoped that a combination of education and enforcement would make it safer for pupils to get to and from school.  Whilst he did not like charging via fines he felt that a period of grace (as used on the bus lane enforcement) would not be appropriate as this was about the safety of children.  He was unsure if people would response to warnings and the headteachers felt that fines would be the best way to tackle the infringements as their staff had been put in unnecessarily confrontational situations.  The council's enforcement team was not able to fully resource enforce the contravention of zig-zags in person.  This was not about raising revenue but improving children's safety.

Copies of the children's pedestrian scheme had been placed in the group rooms.

DECISION: The Cabinet Member approved the option to purchase the cameras and authorised the ongoing costs of operation as laid out in the Financial Appraisal shown in Appendix 1.