A report summarising the outcome of a meeting with Ward Councillors and Reading Cycle Campaign to discuss other areas of concern that had been raised about the officer recommendation to alter a priority-flow measure on Redlands Road.  The report also summarises some desirable changes and some officer comments.

Further to Minute 30 of the meeting on 10 November 2022, the Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report that summarised the outcome of a meeting with Ward Councillors and Reading Cycle Campaign that had discussed areas of concern that had been raised about the officer recommendation to alter a priority flow measure on Redlands Road. The report also summarised some desirable changes and some officer comments.  The original scheme drawings, that had been advertised during the statutory consultation, were attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that at the meeting on 10 November 2022 the Sub-Committee had agreed to alter a priority-flow measure on Redlands Road.  This alteration was still subject to funding and would require statutory consultation.  There had been an additional action added, that officers met with Ward Councillors and Reading Cycle Campaign to discuss other areas of concern that had been raised and to submit agreed proposals to a future meeting so that a single statutory consultation could be carried out.  The meeting took place on 27 March 2023 and additionally included attendance by the then Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, Councillor Page, and a number of local residents.  The report included a summary of the elements that had been raised during the joint site visit; desirable changes and some officer comments.  Funding had not yet been identified for these changes and the majority of the requested alterations would be subject to detailed investigation, design, road safety audit and statutory consultation before they could potentially be agreed, or otherwise, for implementation. 

The report proposed that a high-level summary of the requested changes should be added to the regularly reported Requests for Traffic Management Measures so that they were formally captured.  It also proposed the removal of the priority flow feature on Redlands Road was given priority for any identified funding and for resourcing, as it had been this element that had been identified in the road safety audit and appeared to be causing the greatest local concern.  Agreement for a suitable replacement to this speed calming feature would need to form part of this work and further discussions would need to take place in order to reach an agreement in principle about the type of feature that should be investigated.

Resolved –

(1)        That a high-level summary of the requested changes be added to the regularly reported ‘Requests for Traffic Management Measures’ so that they are formally captured, as set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report;

(2)        That once resources permit, detailed investigations be conducted for the requested changes, enabling further stakeholder discussion and refinement toward an agreed scheme of alterations;

(3)        That the removal of the priority flow feature on Redlands Road, as set out in paragraph 3.5.1 of the report, be given priority for any identified funding, as detailed in paragraph 3.7 of the report;

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