Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Garne (substitute: Councillor Hadley) and Willis (no substitute).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(a)  Councillor Flewitt – Agenda Item No. 9 (Requests for Waiting Restrictions – Wells Avenue and Rochford Road service roads) – Non-pecuniary interest: has lobbied with the other ward councillors;

(b)  Councillor Van Looy – Agenda Item No. 6 (Royston Avenue – Verge Hardening Consultation) – Non-pecuniary interest: Knows residents in the street; and

(c)  Councillor Van Looy – Agenda Item No. 9 (Requests for Waiting Restrictions – Southchurch Boulevard) – Non-pecuniary interest: Patient of Central Surgery, Southchurch Boulevard.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday, 13^th September 2018 be received and confirmed as a correct record.

The Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning the representations that had been received in response to the statutory consultation for proposed Traffic Regulation Orders for the introduction of permit parking controls and the amendment of waiting restrictions in various roads bounded North Road, West Road and London Road.

The report also sought an appropriate recommendation to the Cabinet Committee on the way forward in respect of these proposals, after having considered all of the representations that had been received in writing and at the meeting.  Large scale plans of the proposals were displayed at the meeting.

Resolved:

That, in respect of The Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (North Road Area Parking Management Scheme) (Zone NR) (Waiting Restrictions, & Permit Parking Zone) Order 2018, the Cabinet Committee be recommended:

(i)  that no further action be taken in respect of the permit parking controls and that these be deleted from the traffic regulation order; and

(ii)  that consideration of the amendments to the traffic regulation orders in relation to the alternate waiting restrictions in Albion Road, Windsor Road and Osborne Road be deferred to the next meeting of the Traffic Regulations Working Party and Cabinet Committee.

Further to resolution 4 of Minute 807 of the meeting of Cabinet Committee held on 8^th March 2018, the Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sort approval to authorise the advertisement of a traffic regulation order introducing 20 mph speed limits, rather than a 20 mph zone, in the roads immediately adjacent to Earls Hall School, in accordance with the statutory processes and, subject to there being no objections received following statutory advertisement, to arrange for the relevant orders to be sealed and implement the proposals.

Resolved:-

That the Cabinet Committee be recommended to authorise the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to publish the relevant statutory notice and undertake the necessary consultation for a traffic regulation order for the introduction of 20mph speed limits in the roads immediately adjacent to Earls Hall School and, subject to there being no objections following statutory advertisement, to arrange for the works to be added to the existing work programme, the order to be sealed and the proposals implemented.

The Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning the outcome the results of the consultation with residents on the proposed verge hardening scheme in Royston Avenue. Plans of the proposals were displayed at the meeting.

Resolved:-

1.  That the outcome of the consultation as set out in the report, be noted.

2.  That Cabinet Committee be recommended that the scheme be progressed without the introduction of any traffic regulation orders/waiting restrictions and that the extent of verges to be hardened be minimised where possible.

The Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sought approval of proposals to amend the road layout and traffic flows, including the introduction of signal controls and amendment of traffic regulation orders to support the proposals, in Queensway, at the junctions with Whitegate Road and York Road.  The proposals included:

(i)  the introduction of a signal controlled right turn manoeuvre by vehicles travelling south from Queensway into Whitegate Road;

(ii)  the introduction of a signal controlled right turn manoeuvre by vehicles travelling south from Queensway into York Road;

(iii)  the introduction of a left turn manoeuvre by vehicles travelling north from Queensway into Whitegate Road;

(iv)  the revocation of the existing one way traffic flow in the section of Whitegate Road from the eastern most exit of Warrior Square Car Park to the eastern extremity of Whitegate Road, enabling two way traffic flow in this section;

(v)  the revocation of the existing restrictions in the section of Whitegate Road referred to in (iv) above and the introduction “no waiting at any time” restrictions;

(vi)  the revocation of the existing “no waiting at any time restriction” at the existing western exit of Warriors Square car park and the introduction of a section of Payment Parking (Zone_TC) 9am-6pm (Tariff_1) restriction; and

(vii)  the relocation of the existing “Toucan” pedestrian crossing in Queensway in the southbound carriageway of Queensway to a new position south of the junction with York Road.

Plans of the proposals were displayed at the meeting. 

Whilst the Working Party noted the objective of the proposals, it felt that the introduction of the right turn manoeuvres from Queensway were unnecessary, and may lead to increased congestion.  Access to the Warrior Square Car Park could however, be improved by amending the road layout and waiting restrictions at the eastern extremity of Whitegate Road as proposed without the right turns manoeuvres from Queensway but retaining the proposed left turn manoeuvre from the north bound carriageway of Queensway only.  This would however, require a remodelling of the scheme and a full safety audit and may not therefore be appropriate.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet Committee be recommended that the proposals as submitted not be progressed and that that officers requested to investigate the feasibility of introducing a revised scheme to improve access to the Warrior Square Car Park excluding, if possible, the introduction of the right turns from Queensway in to Whitegate Road and York Road, through

(a)  the introduction of the left turn from the northbound carriageway of Queensway into Whitegate Road;

(b)  the revocation of the existing one way traffic flow in the section of Whitegate Road from the eastern most exit of Warrior Square Car Park to the eastern extremity of Whitegate Road, enabling two way traffic flow in this section; and

(c)  the revocation of the existing “no waiting at any time restriction” at the existing western exit of Warriors Square car park and the introduction of a section of Payment Parking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sought approval of revisions to the current working practices to encompass any improvements and amendments.  A copy of the revised document, illustrating the proposed amendments, was circulated at the meeting.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet Committee be recommended:

1.  That the revised policies, processes and procedures as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved, subject to the exclusion of the proposed amendment set out in section 2, sub-section (ii) so that it now reads:

(ii) Any proposals in this regard should have at least two ward councillors’ agreement.

2.  That officers be instructed to follow the revised policies for all future consideration of traffic & parking requests.

The Working Party received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sought approval to authorise the advertisement of the amendments and/or new waiting restrictions at the locations indicated in Appendix 1 to the submitted report, in accordance with the statutory processes and, subject to there being no objections received following statutory advertisement, to arrange for the relevant orders to be sealed and implement the proposals.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet Committee be recommended:

1.  That the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) be authorised to publish the relevant statutory notice and undertake the necessary consultation for a traffic regulation order(s) for the following requests and, subject to there being no objections following statutory advertisement, to arrange for the order to be sealed and the proposals implemented:

(i) the introduction of permit parking controls in the service roads adjacent to each carriageway of Rochford Road;

(ii) the introduction of permit parking controls in Wells Avenue;

(iii) the amendment of the existing limited waiting bays in West Street on the southern side, west of its junction with Victoria Avenue from a one hour to a two hour restriction;

(iv) the introduction of waiting restrictions in the turning area in Bunters Avenue;

(v) the provision of “drop off” bays within the Cliffs Pavilion service road;

(vi) the removal of a section of parking bays and the introduction of waiting restrictions in East Street, Southend on Sea, to enable access to St Mary’s Church; and

(viii) the provision of additional limited waiting bays outside the GP surgery on the eastbound carriageway of Southchurch Boulevard, the timing of which to be limited to one hour, no return in four hours.

2.  That officers be requested to investigate the possibility of amending the prohibition of waiting restrictions between the bus stop and the bays in Southchurch Boulevard, referred to in (viii) above, to provide additional limited waiting.