Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Cabinet Member for Traffic Transportation Councillor Ellcome had sent his apologies for absence due to a family bereavement; therefore the Leader had requested that fellow cabinet member Councillor Symes discharge these responsibilities for this meeting.

There were no declarations of members' interests at this meeting.

The report is by the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support.

Following full Council agreement of the capital budget for 2016/17 on 9 February 2016, this report seeks approval for the Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3) Implementation Plan 2016/17.  Additionally it details how the approved budget for the LTP3 programme (£353k) and the Traffic Signals Optimisation Programme (£910k) will be apportioned.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Approves the LTP3 Implementation Plan and Traffic Signals Optimisation Programme.

(2)  Delegates authority to the Director for Transport, Environment and Business Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and the Section 151 Officer to agree any minor amendments to the Implementation Plan that may be required to take account of future funding changes and policy announcements.

A decision on this item was deferred until the Traffic & Transportation meeting on 24 March 2016.

A decision on this item was deferred until the Traffic & Transportation meeting on 24 March 2016.

The report by the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support  seeks approval to undertake consultation via Traffic Regulation Order on the implementation of a designated cycle lane on Goldsmith Avenue.  This follows the referral from the Members' Information Service item by Councillor Hunt (MIS issue 5 on 22 January 2016).

RECOMMENDED that approval is given to undertake a consultation via a Traffic Regulation Order on the implementation of double yellow lines on the north side of Goldsmith Avenue, adjacent to the railway line opposite Francis Avenue to the pedestrian crossing west of Fratton Way.  This will include removing the loading bays and the current unrestricted parking to facilitate the introduction of a mandatory eastbound cycle lane.

A decision on this item was deferred until the Traffic & Transportation meeting on 24 March 2016.

A decision on this item was deferred until the Traffic & Transportation meeting on 24 March 2016.

RECOMMENDED that approval is given to widen the carriageway on both sides and reinstall Pay & Display parking on the west side.

that approval is given to widen the carriageway on both sides and reinstall Pay & Display parking on the west side.

Alan Cufley, the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support, presented his report which set out the response to the public consultation on the advertising of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO 12/2016) on the proposed footway adjustment and installation of parking spaces.

The following deputations were then made, which are summarised:

(i)            Mr Kay - as a long-standing local resident who shopped locally had seen the benefits of the widening of pavements and removal of some parking in 2010, with less pollution from car fumes with more free flowing traffic.  He questioned if the new proposals favoured traders and motorists over local residents, pedestrians and cyclists, and gave examples of shopping areas that worked when encouraging other forms of transport. He also felt that the residents should have been directly consulted.

(ii)          Mr Dibben - as local resident who had been actively involved in the previous GIA schemes and the Neighbourhood Forum, he had also chaired the earlier project to make improvements in North End, their first priority had been to reduce heavy goods vehicles, secondly to widen the pavements to reduce traffic and thereby pollution, and their third aspiration of provision of a community hub had not come to fruition. He supported Mr Kay's objections on health grounds to the local community and the lack of public involvement.  He would favour promotion of the existing car parks to have free half hour parking, and felt that to remove the previous improvements would be a retrograde step.

(iii)         Mr McGannan - as a local resident and also as a member of the Portsmouth Cycle Forum who felt that the decline in the shops was not due to on-street parking and felt that the Council should ask local residents for their views on what they would like to see for North End shopping centre.  As a cyclist he had seen the safety benefits from the widening of pavements.  He was concerned that bus wing mirrors may hit cyclists and car doors opening would be hazardous, when there were already high casualty rates for cyclists in the city. Cyclists would need to ride further out, thereby holding up the flow of traffic.  He would encourage cars to go down Derby Road to park and at Ashling Lane where half hour free parking could be accommodated. 

The opposition spokespersons were then given the opportunity to ask questions and make comment.  Councillor Chowdhury commented on the importance of residents' views in North End and not just the traders, as this shopping centre was beneficial to the residents. 

The Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support reported that the proposal had been brought forward to respond to a request from local businesses.  The Council does not own, and could therefore not control, the car park behind the Co-Operative store.  The Council does own the car park in Stubbington Avenue where a half hour tariff had recently been introduced and the facility was now free from 3pm until 6pm for the next 12 months, to encourage use of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

The report by the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support seeks to consider the response to the public notice regarding the proposals to implement a one-way system within Wymering Road and Portchester Road.

RECOMMENDED  that the proposed one-way scheme is implemented to the proposed Option 2, i.e. Wymering Road to be made one-way eastbound and Portchester Road to be made one-way westbound. 

that the proposed one-way scheme is implemented to the proposed Option 2, i.e. Wymering Road to be made one-way eastbound and Portchester Road to be made one-way westbound.

Pam Turton, Assistant Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support, presented the report which outlined the response to the public notice. There had been one objection received regarding cycling and against the loss of on street parking.

A deputation was made, as summarised:

Mr Jon Spencer, Portsmouth Cycle Forum, firstly commented on the engaging of the wider public in the TRO consultation process.  He supported 2 way cycling and pointed out that when 1 way traffic was introduced the tendency would be for traffic to speed up so there was the need to have effective measures to slow it down and to help protect the cyclists.

There were no comments or questions raised by members.

DECISION: that the proposed one-way scheme be implemented to the proposed Option 2, i.e. Wymering Road to be made one-way eastbound and Portchester Road to be made one-way westbound.