Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed Members and officers to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr S L Bray CC and Mr D A Sprason CC

There were no urgent items.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 23^rd September 2010 were confirmed and signed as a true record of the meeting.

a)                      Network Rail – work in Hinckley and Bosworth Borough

b)                      Winter update

The Chairman asked Members if they had any comments on the items in the update.

Winter Maintenance

The Chairman asked that thanks be passed on to the frontline staff for the excellent winter maintenance service.

Mrs Notman explained the process behind the employment of farmers in the winter.  She asked that any particular problems highlighted by Mr B E Sutton BC be e-mailed to her.

(i)     A petition with 37 signatures from Mrs Gladys Stanley will be presented.  The petition requests traffic calming measures and parking restrictions on King George’s Way, Hinckley.

                  The residents of King Georges Way, Hinckley request traffic calming measures to be placed in the street to discourage motorists from using it as a racing track cut-through.  Also parking restrictions are needed to help with the congestion.

(ii)     A petition with 60 signatures from Mr S L Bray CC and Cllr. B. Witherford (of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council) will be presented.  The petition requests speeding and weight restrictions on Northfield Road/Westfield Road, Hinckley.

         We call on the County Council to put a weight restriction on Northfield Road and Westfield Road as a matter of priority.  We also call for further action to tackle speeding traffic in the area.

i) A petition with 37 signatures from Mrs Gladys Stanley will be presented.  The petition requests traffic calming measures and parking restrictions on King Georges Way, Hinckley.

          Mr D C Bill CC presented the petition and suggested that officers meet on site with Mrs Stanley.  Mrs Notman agreed to take this on board.  She confirmed that officers would investigate the petition with the outcome reported back to the lead petitioner and local Member within the prescribed six month period.  A report will also come to a future Forum meeting.

          ii) A petition with 60 signatures from Mr S L Bray CC and Cllr B Witherford (of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council) will be presented.  The petition requests speeding and weight restrictions on Northfield Road/Westfield Road, Hinckley.

          Cllr Witherford thanked the Chairman for allowing her to present the petition on behalf of the residents of Northfield and Westfield Road.

          Around 2004 vehicle speed reduction features were installed in Strathmore Road, 13 speed humps in a relatively short distance from the junction of Northfield and Westfield Road to Coventry Road, with an additional chicane outside Westfield School.  It is acknowledged that there is a need to protect the school children from speeding traffic along a relatively straight road, however, the knock-on effect is that now virtually all traffic is travelling from the Sketchley Island along Westfield then turning right into Northfield Road to access Coventry Road thus avoiding the speed reduction features.

          It is further acknowledged that there has been a change in the directional signage on Coventry Road which no longer shows a right turn into Northfield Road as a route to the M69/A5.  Whilst this was appreciated it is now ineffective due to the use of Sat Navs.

          The residents would request a weight restriction on Westfield and Northfield Roads to encourage larger vehicles to use Rugby Road as a route to Coventry Road and vice versa.

          The illuminated 30 mile hour sign in Northfield Road is largely ignored and light pollution is becoming a problem for householders in the near proximity to it.  The residents would ask that the County Council look at more effective speed control systems for this area.

          The Chairman explained that after investigations had been undertaken on the petition, the outcomes would be reported to the petitioners and the local Member within the prescribed six month period with a report coming to a future meeting.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport in response to the petition on Hinckley Road and Mill Street, Barwell.  A copy of the report is filed with the minutes.

Members were asked to note the report.

RECOMMENDATION

That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport on school travel plans.  The report was presented by Mrs Notman with a copy filed with the minutes.

Mrs Notman confirmed that this was an annual update for Members.  The County Council was well on the way to meeting the LTP target for 90% of all schools in Leicestershire to have completed a travel plan by 2010/11.

Mrs Notman highlighted the appendices for the Members:

Appendix A – schools which have developed a STP

Appendix B – schools working towards the development of a STP

Appendix C – schools that are not working towards a STP

Appendix D – schemes delivered and programmed for STP schools

Officers were asked to contact Mr B E Sutton BC and Mr R Ward BC to discuss 20mph zones outside schools.

-    differences between mandatory and advisory zone

-    time zones are implemented

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)       That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted; and

ii)      that officers contact Mr Sutton and Mr Ward to discuss 20mph

         zones outside schools.

-     differences between mandatory and advisory zones

-     times when zones are applicable.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport on reducing the impact of traffic schemes assessment system.  The report was presented by Mrs Notman with a copy filed with the minutes.

Mrs Notman explained to Members that this was a regular update to Members on the current position of requests for traffic calming schemes.  The status of the requested schemes are highlighted in Appendix A.

Mrs Notman drew Members attention to paragraphs 3 and 4 of the report which states that because the County Council is at present developing LTP3 which defines transport policy beyond 2010 then at present the decision has been taken to temporarily cease assessing any new requests until after the LTP3 implementation strategy has been established.

Mrs Notman agreed to ask officers to contact Mrs Witherford to explain what the benchmarks of the credibility check are.

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)              That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted; and

ii)            that officers contact Mrs Witherford to explain what the benchmarks of the creditability check on RIOT schemes are.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport on the 2010/11 maintenance programmes.  A copy of the report is filed with the minutes.  Mr Grierson confirmed that this was a standard report and with the approval of the Chairman asked for questions.

Mr Bradbury agreed to ask officers to contact Mr Bill to update him on Waterside Park.

Mrs Witherford agreed to e-mail Mr Grierson with problem areas of potholes.

Mrs J Richards CC was concerned that with the number of cars on the road how the County Council was able to address the issue of congestion.  In response, Mrs Notman explained that through LTP3 the County Council was endeavouring to make better use of the existing network and encourage motorists to use alternative forms of transport to address the problem of congestion.

Officers were asked to contact Mr D O Wright CC to discuss the Redmoor High cycle facilities scheme.

Mr I D Ould CC asked that consideration be given to advance the A444 Twycross kerbing scheme in order to complete the work in time for the summer tourist season.  He also confirmed that the Orton on the Hill scheme requires consideration to bring forward as the road surface is very poor.

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)                    That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted;

ii)                   that officers contact Mr Bill to discuss Waterside Park;

iii)                 that officers contact Mr Wright to discuss the Redmoor High cycle facilities scheme; and

iv)                 that consideration be given to advance the A444 Twycross kerbing scheme.

          The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport updating Members on the current position of the TRO programme.  The report was presented by Mr Grierson with a copy filed with the minutes.

          Mr Grierson explained that this was a standard report and with the approval of the Chairman asked for questions.

          Mrs Richards thanked officers for the work undertaken on the Station Road Earl Shilton TRO scheme.  She asked to be kept informed on the New Street Earl Shilton scheme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)                    That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted; and

ii)                   that officers keep Mrs Richards informed of the progress of the New Street Earl Shilton TRO scheme.

The Chairman confirmed that there were no outstanding on-going actions.

Will Members please submit these in writing to the officers prior to the meeting

There were no current items for future discussion.

There were no urgent items.

Tuesday 7^th June 2011 – 6.30 pm

(rearranged from 25^th May 2011)

The Chairman confirmed the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 7^th June

2011 at 6.30pm

The Chairman thanked Members and officers for their attendance at the meeting.