Councillor Ayub declared an interest in item 40 on the grounds that he owned a hackney carriage.

The Minutes of the meeting of 10 November 2022 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to agenda item 2, Minutes of the previous meeting, being amended in the penultimate paragraph of Minute 30 to correctly reflect the spelling of the word kerb.

Questions submitted pursuant to Standing Order 36 in relation to matters falling within the Sub-Committee’s Powers & Duties which have been submitted in writing and received by the Head of Legal & Democratic Services no later than four clear working days before the meeting.

A question on the following matter was submitted, and answered by the Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport on behalf of the Chair:

(The full text of the question and reply was made available on the Reading Borough Council website).

To receive petitions on traffic management matters submitted in accordance with the Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference.

(a)      Petition for Tackling Speeding on St Bartholomew’s Road

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the receipt of a petition, asking the Council to tackle speeding on St Bartholomew’s Road.

The report stated that on 4 January 2023 a petition had been submitted to the Council that had contained 64 signatures, 43 from paper forms and 21 from an electronic form.  The petition read as follows:

“Cars frequently drive too fast on St Bartholomew’s Road which has a 20 mph speed limit. It is not uncommon for the cars at the side of the road to be driven into and recently a driver rolled their car over. Reading Council please can you tackle speeding on St Bartholomew’s Road.”

The report explained that addressing the issue of speeding motorists was particularly challenging for a local authority.  Speed enforcement, which included the placement and operation of fixed and mobile enforcement equipment, could only be carried out by the Police.  With funding and resource limitation, alongside other policing priorities, enforcement could not currently be relied upon to provide a sustained method in which to deter speeding.  The Council had been, and had continued, to lobby government and Police for an increase in civil powers of enforcement against speeding motorists.  Local authorities had limited tools to address speeding, which were predominantly limited to the implementation of physical speed calming ‘features’, such as speed humps and it was understandable that such features would not be welcomed by many as they were indiscriminate and impacted on the surrounding environment.  A scheme of features could also be resource intensive and costly for local authorities to design, install and maintain.   However, until mooted mandatory technologies were in place to override motorist inputs and limit vehicle speeds, and/or autonomously impose fines on the offending motorist, there appeared to be no alternative to these physical measures.

The Council had previously received a request for additional traffic calming on St Bartholomew’s Road and the Sub-Committee had agreed to add the request to the Council’s regularly reported Requests for Traffic Management Measures list.  Currently, there was no allocated funding for the development and delivery of the requested changes.  However, it was acknowledged that there was a demand for speed reduction features on St Bartholomew’s Road and the report proposed that the existing entry on the Requests for Traffic Management Measures was adjusted to reflect the receipt of the petition and the entry updated to reflect the latest road casualty dated for the road that had been supplied by the police.

At the invitation of the Chair the petition organiser, Melissa Marselle, addressed the Sub-Committee on behalf of the petitioners.

Resolved –

(1)      That the report be noted;

(2)      That the existing request for additional traffic calming on St Bartholomew’s Road contained within the regularly-reported ‘Requests for Traffic Management Measures’ be updated to reflect the receipt of this petition;

(3)      That the lead petitioner be informed of the decisions of the Sub-Committee, following publication of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

A report seeking approval for officers to undertake statutory consultation for recommended new/alterations to waiting restrictions.  These proposals aim to address the issues that were raised in the initial list of requests.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report that sought approval for officers to carry out statutory consultation for recommended new/alterations to waiting restrictions.  The proposals aimed to address the issues that had been raised in the initial list of requests, which had been submitted and agreed for investigation at the meeting on 14 September 2022 (Minute 18 refers).  The recommendations set out in the report had been shared with Ward Councillors and the recommendations and drawings, by Ward, were attached to the report at Appendix 1.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That having considered option 4, Abbey Ward, West Street, and option 28, Kentwood Ward, Lyndhurst Road, of the recommendations report, as set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report, the options set out in (3), below, be agreed;

(3)     That the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to undertake a statutory consultation in accordance with the Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996, for the proposals contained within in Appendix 1, subject to:

(i)      Abbey Ward, Russell Street – Officer recommendation be agreed, namely to defer to the next programme;

(ii)     Abbey Ward, West Street – Officer recommendations be agreed, namely that the bay on West Street be changed to a good vehicle loading bay;

(iii)    Coley Ward, Carsdale Close – Defer to the next programme;

(iv)     Coley Ward, Lorne Street – Remove from the programme;

(v)      Emmer Green Ward, Almond Drive – Defer to the next programme;

(vi)     Kentwood Ward, Lyndhurst Road – Option B be agreed, namely a single yellow line, but subject to it applying between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm, seven days a week;

(4)     That subject to no objections being received, the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make the Traffic Regulation Order;

(5)     That any objection(s) received following the statutory advertisement be submitted to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee;

(6)     That no public inquiry be held into the proposals.

A report seeking approval from the Sub-Committee to undertake a statutory consultation for the implementation of traffic restrictions in the form of double yellow lines, reducing an existing bus lane and removal of the tidal flow lane on Castle Hill and Bath Road as required as part of implementation of the Active Travel Fund Tranche 3 scheme.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report that sought approval to carry out a statutory consultation for the implementation of traffic restrictions in the form of double yellow lines, reducing an existing bus lane and removal of the tidal flow lane on Castle Hill and Bath Road as required as part of the implementation of the Active Travel Fund Tranche 3 scheme.  A plan showing alterations to residents parking bays on Castle Hill was attached to the report at Appendix A, a plan showing alterations to the eastbound bus lane on Bath Road was attached at Appendix B and a plan showing removal of the central peak traffic flow reversible lane was attached to the report at Appendix C.

The report detailed the restrictions on Bath Road and Castle Hill.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That the proposal to carry out the Statutory Consultation be approved;

(3)     That subject to no objections being received, the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make the Traffic Regulation Order(s);

(4)     That any objection(s) received following the statutory advertisement be submitted to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee.

A report informing the Sub-Committee of traffic management measures associated with the development of the Station Hill site, which is bounded by Station Hill, Greyfriars Road and Gerrard Street and seeking approval to carry out a statutory consultation on changes to the waiting restrictions surrounding the southwestern interchange at Reading Station.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report informing the Sub-Committee about traffic management measures associated with the development of the Station Hill site, which was bounded by Station Hill, Greyfriars Road and Garrard Street.  A plan of the proposals surrounding the development and the exact line markings proposed was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The report also sought approval to carry out a statutory consultation on changes to the waiting restrictions surrounding the southwestern interchange at Reading Station.

The report stated that the changes required were minimal and ultimately resulted in minor relocations of the taxi rank and drop off bay facilities and stressed that the capacity of the taxi rank was being increased by the redesign from 18 to 22 with the drop off/pick up bay capacity being unaltered.  Plans showing comparison extracts were set out in the report.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to undertake a statutory consultation in accordance with the Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996, for the proposals contained within in Appendix 1;

(3)     That subject to no objections being received, the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make the Traffic Regulation Order for the proposed scheme;

(4)     That any objection(s) received following the statutory advertisement be reported to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee;

(5)     That the Head of Transport (or appropriate Officer) in consultation with the appropriate Lead Councillor, be authorised to make minor changes to the proposals;

(6)     That no public inquiry be held into the proposals.

(Councillor Ayub declared an interest in the above item on the grounds that he owned a hackney carriage. He left the room and took no part in the discussion or decision making.)

A report informing the Sub-Committee of traffic mangement measures associcated with the development of the former Homebase and Toys R Us site on Kenavon Drive and seeking approval to carry out a statutory consultation on changes to the waiting restrictions and a pay and display bay along Kenavon Drive to facilitate the installation of a bus stop cage on either side of the carriageway.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report informing the Sub-Committee of traffic management measures associated with the development of the former Homebase and Toys R Us site on Kenavon Drive.  A plan showing the proposals surrounding the development and the exact line markings proposed was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The report also sought approval to carry out a statutory consultation on changes to the waiting restrictions and pay and display bay along Kenavon Drive to facilitate the installation of a bus stop cage on either side of the carriageway.

The report explained that the development had been under construction for some time with works currently taking place to construct the final building on the site.  Highway works that were required to facilitate reconfigured and new vehicular access to the site had commenced with further works likely to proceed early in 2023, although exact timescales were unclear.  During the application discussions it had been agreed that dedicated bus stop cages would be provided on both sided of Kenavon Drive to facilitate bus route Buzz 42.  The buses currently stopped in these locations, but the developer was to provide the bus cages to identify fully the location of the bus stops and help promote public transport as an alternative mode of travel.  The report set out the revisions to the existing waiting restrictions and pay and display bays.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to undertake a statutory consultation in accordance with the Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996, for the proposals contained within in Appendix 1;

(3)     That subject to no objections being received, the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make the Traffic Regulation Order for the proposed scheme;

(4)     That any objection(s) received following the statutory advertisement be reported to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee;

(5)     That the Head of Transport (or appropriate Officer) in consultation with the appropriate Lead Councillor, be authorised to make minor changes to the proposals;

(6)     That no public inquiry be held into the proposals.

A report presenting financial and statistical data on the Council’s civil parking enforcement activities during 2021/2022.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report presenting financial and statistical data on the Council’s civil parking enforcement activities during 2021/2022.  A copy of the Parking Services Annual Report 2021/2022 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report stated that it was intended that the Annual Report for 2021/2022 would be published in January 2023.

Helen Taverner, Parking Services Manager, introduced the reported and informed the Sub-Committee that there had been an omission to the information set out in the table in Appendix A, Parking Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) – By Contravention, contravention code 49, Parked in Cycle Tracks, had not been included in the table and would have shown that ten PCNs had been issued in 2021/22.  Helen informed the Sub-Committee that these contraventions were currently difficult to enforce and asked that if they were seen the Parking Services Team be informed.

The Sub-Committee discussed the report and in particular the issues around parking and enforcement at schools at the beginning and end of the school day.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report, and the availability of annual reports for 2021/2022 on the Council’s website, be noted;

(2)     That the intention to publish the Annual Report for 2021/2022 in January 2023 be noted.

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following item on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act”

Resolved -   

That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of item 44 below, as it was likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

To consider appeals against the refusal of applications for the issue of discretionary parking permits.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report giving details of the background to the decisions to refuse applications for Discretionary Parking Permits from six applicants, who had subsequently appealed against these decisions.

Resolved –

(1)      That, with regard to applications 2 and 3, a first discretionary permit be issued, personal to the applicants;

(2)      That the Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services’ decision to refuse applications 1, 4 and 6 be upheld.

(3)      That the Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services’ decision to refuse application 5 be upheld and that officers also contact the applicant highlighting the availability of carer or visitor permits, that might be available to them from the resident.

(Exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2).