Agenda item

Redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth High School: Update on proposed Highways works.

The report provides a review and update on the highways issues raised by Councillor Kennedy regarding this development.  This report sets out the background, context and matters arising with respect to highways works associated with the redevelopment at Queen Elizbeth High Schools along with discussion and options on the highways works under review.

The Local Area Council received a report which provided a review and update on the highways issues raised by Cllr Kennedy and in response to objections received in relation to the discharge of the planning condition for the highways works.

The Chair confirmed that Members had received and had an opportunity to read the updated copy of the report which had been circulated electronically to the Councillors prior to the meeting with a paper copy had also been made available before the meeting commenced.

Chris Mead, Highways Development Manager, stated that the report set out the background, context and matters arising with respect to highways works associated with the redevelopment at Queen Elizabeth High School along with discussion and options on the highways works under review.

He thought it relevant to highlight that the Highways Development Management team (HDM) had reviewed the Road Safety Audit stages 1 and 2 along with the submitted design when considering the discharge of condition for the highways works.  The review for the purpose of the discharge of the condition concluded there were insufficient grounds for the greater extent of waiting restrictions, on the basis of road safety, as there would not be a behavioural change, nor would the outcome of a collision change if one was to occur.  HDM therefore recommended that revised drawing reducing the scope of waiting restrictions but retaining all other features as submitted.

On the basis that revised plans are submitted the HDM response to the Discharge of Conditions application will be to recommend:

·        To implement the highways works as follows including waiting restrictions in accordance with Peter Brett Associates drawing 

·        All other highways work in accordance with ‘Final Design following Road Safety Audit Stage 2 drawing including:

-       Tactile paving crossing points

-       Improvements to controlled crossing points

-       Footway widening

-       New vehicle and pedestrian access points to school

-       Resurfacing of Whetstone Bridge Road

-       20mph zone extension

The work was to be delivered in accordance with the agreed programme at Appendix B.  and monitored with a travel plan expectation to promote any further parking restriction, if required.

Councillor Kennedy highlighted the following issues on behalf of residents’ groups:

·        The impact on local residents, given it was a densely populated area with lots of housing and parked cars, needed to be balanced against the needs of the school.  The school was larger, there would be more buses, children being dropped off and also students driving to school as well as pedestrian and cycling movements at the start and end of the school.

·        They had concerns regarding the use of 24/7 double yellow lines and waiting restrictions, although reduced in part, when the problems only arose 30 minutes before the start and after the end of the school day.

·        If West Thornbridge Road was deemed safe with the lifting of some of the waiting restrictions, could the same not be applied to the top of Tynedale Terrace, where double yellow lines were to remain.

·        Could early discussions be held regarding the re-routing of coaches on to Allendale Road before the coach park became operational.

·        Previous emphasis had been on the parents waiting and student parking residents did not feel that their concerns had been listened to.

·        Why proper consultation with disability groups had not taken place.

·        Should the crossing on Whetstonebridge Road be staffed?

·        Formation of a working party which included representatives from the school users, parents, residents, councillors and officers.

Councillor Kennedy commented that road safety measures and a reduced speed of 20 mph on roads in the vicinity of the school had been successful resulting in a very low accident rate since an incident more than 10 years previously.  The proposed additional measures would have a significant impact on residents parking their cars as they would be displaced elsewhere which would create problems and pinch points in new areas for buses in streets where there where parked cars were parked on both sides.  He asked what happened next.

The Highways Development Manager explained that the HDM recommendation would be considered by the Planning Case Officer and lead to discussions with the applicant regarding requirement for amended plans to remove HDM’s objection to the proposals.  Technical Services would need to be contacted to reconsult on the Traffic Regulation Order with the amendments to reflect the planning drawings.  If successful, the order could be made, and the scheme implemented.

He suggested that the school needed to use its school travel plan and talk to nearby residents, pupils, other users of the road when it was most busy including bus operators.  Issues for consideration included staggered arrival and departures, holding areas etc.  He suggested that they needed to see how things operated, keep things under review and make functional changes as needed to see how it could best operate.  Early discussions had been held and he believed officers would be proactive to ensure that the travel plan and the area worked as safely and as well as possible.

The school was due to open imminently and the programme for the highways works was set out in the report.  The school travel plan operated for the lifetime of the development and would need to be promoted annually to ensure new users of the facility were educated and kept as safe as possible.  If it was believed that they would benefit from a school crossing patrol it could be considered in the future but they did not want to implement measures if they were not necessary.  HDM were satisfied that the highway would be safe for users.

The following comments were made by members of the committee:

·        The new school was one of the best things to happen in Hexham for a long time.

·        2 schools had been built on one site with younger students who would find the simplest and quickest route to school.  This might not be the safest route and therefore they needed a position in the best interest of the school pupils and residents adjacent to the school which was densely populated area.

·        Consultation had been held throughout the planning of the project and should continue now to enable residents to have an opportunity their voices and concerns heard.

·        Alterations to the original proposals had been welcomed.

·        There was sympathy for the concerns raised regarding the timings of the road safety audits as they did not appear to have been carried out at the busiest times.

·        Residents would have to live with the restrictions all of the time when the issues only arose 30-40 minutes before the start and end of the school day, Monday to Friday during term time.

·        The traffic problems were likely to be displaced to a wider area and it was felt that the optimum solution had not yet been achieved.

·        Signage.

·        Reference to the concerns raised by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

·        The school had a wide catchment area and use of school transport needed to be maximised to reduce separate car journeys.

·        Could the school travel plan to be shared with councillors whose wards fed into the catchment area.

·        Opportunities were being missed to encourage staff and pupils to walk or cycle to school e.g. discounting of school streets and parking strides initiatives.

The Highways Development Manager stated that Technical Services had sought to promote an inclusive design with dropped crossings and tactile pavement for visually impaired users.  The role of the Road Safety auditors was to review a proposal to see whether it could be made safer and had supported the provision of the aforementioned features.  He did not have a good planning reason to do otherwise as inclusivity was a priority within the NPPF.  He confirmed that he would request that the walking routes be reviewed to ensure they were correct.

He explained that the waiting restrictions were necessary with the increased bus movements and access to the school to protect opposite sides of the road where there were double yellow lines.  The waiting restrictions via use of single yellow lines were needed to ensure clear visibility splays at school times.  Parking could occur when access was not in use,  It was unfortunate that in some instances a design solution would have a repercussion and displace existing parking.  He noted that this was the same plan proposed at the planning stage.  The proposals had been given the full opportunity to be scrutinised by members of the public and councillors prior to determination at committee.

The school travel plan would need to be monitored and reviewed 6 months after commencement of the first term.  This would include assessment of initial travel to school surveys, specify targets to change modal shift, monitoring review and effectiveness of the travel plan and a scheme provided to the local planning authority.  If disappointed with the modal shift, officers would engage to ensure that the school was supporting sustainable modes of transport.  Promotion of walking and cycling and public transport were modes of transport that would be supported.

Highways powers were used to protect school frontages where pupils were most active and reduce interaction with motorised vehicles via use of waiting restrictions, school keep clear markings and single yellow lines.  It was recognised that double yellow lines were the most intrusive and lead to displacement of parked vehicles.  The current scheme had been in place 10 years and concerns had been raised when it was proposed to be enlarged.  Waiting restrictions were enforceable, could be ticketed and supported by a Traffic Regulation Order.  The school could request visits by Parking Attendants if included as an initiative within the school travel plan to ensure that the area was used appropriately.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report in respect of the update provided by Highways Development Management to the discharge of conditions application, be noted.