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

(a)        Petition – Speeding on Francis Street

The Sub-Committee considered a report on the receipt of a petition, requesting the Council to address alleged speeding and traffic volumes along Francis Street.  A map showing Francis Street was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report stated that on 8 August 2023 a petition had been submitted to the Council that had contained 32 signatures.  The petition read as follows:

“Reading Council, non resident car owner, delivery vans, and bin vans often drive too fast on Francis Street. Residents’ cars are parked on both sides of the street. With an increase of “through” traffic and the number of wide vans, residents’ cars are regularly scratched, dented and damaged often with no recourse or named parties given for insurance claims.

We would like to park our cars without worrying that they will be damaged and want to avoid a pedestrian or cyclist being hurt. Reading Council; the residents agree that we need to tackle speeding on Francis Street with anti-speeding measures and investigate other ways to cut the volume of traffic on the street.”

The report explained that Francis Street was a one-way street that ran west to east between Elgar Road and Sherman Road and that within the previous five years of Police supplied casualty data up to 1 April 2023 there had been no recorded incidents on the Street. 

The Requests for Traffic Management Measures report that was submitted to the Sub-Committee twice annually contained an entry for requested traffic calmed 20mph restrictions on Alpine Street, Francis Street and Edgehill Road specifically.  The list had been submitted to the Sub-Committee meeting on 2 March 2023, Minute 54 refers, and it was intended to submit an update to the next meeting on 13 November 2023.

The report stated that there was currently no allocated funding for the development and delivery of a 20mph zone on Francis Street and officers were aware of the desire for similar treatment in the surrounding area.  Officers acknowledged the concerns that had been raised by residents both in the petition and with prior direct contact and 20mph appeared to be appropriate for the nature of the street.  Therefore, the report proposed that the entry in the Requests for Traffic Management Measures Report should be updated to reflect the receipt of the petition, with an expectation that scheme development would commence once funding had been identified.  The application of traffic calming features, such as speed humps, required statutory consultation and could be locally controversial, but would likely also deter motorists from using these streets as short-cuts, and would additionally address the concerns that had been raised in relation to current traffic volumes.

At the invitation of the Chair Ian Fullbrook, addressed the Sub-Committee on behalf of the petitioners.

Resolved –

(1)        That the report be noted;

(2)        That the existing entry on the ‘Requests for Traffic Management Measures’ report be updated to reflect the receipt of the petition be agreed;

(3)        That the lead petitioner be informed of the decisions of the Sub-Committee, following publication of the agreed minutes of the meeting;

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

(b)        Petition – Improving Safety at Kenilworth Avenue and Monks Way Entrances

The Sub-Committee considered a report on the receipt of a petition, requesting the Council to improve the safety of the entrance of Kenilworth Avenue and Monks Way, with requests for raised pedestrian crossings and waiting restrictions.  A copy of the petition was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that on 22 August 2023 a petition had been submitted to the Council from the Southcote Park Estate Committee that requested three changes:

·         The implementation of double-yellow lines around the eastern corner of Kenilworth Avenue, continuing eastbound along Southcote Lane.  This was being requested to improve visibility for motorists exiting Kenilworth Avenue onto Southcote Lane, which was currently being compromised by on-street parking;

·         Raised table/bump across Kenilworth Avenue at its junction with Southcote Lane.  This was being requested to align with other junctions along Southcote Lane that had had this treatment.  It was anticipated to help reinforce pedestrian priorities at the junction which the recent Highway Code changes had introduced;

·         Raised table/bump across Monks Way, at its junction with Southcote Lane.

The report stated that beyond the junctions with Southcote Lane these sections of Kenilworth Avenue and Monks Way were not adopted Highway.  However, the Highway adoption of Southcote Lane extended into the junctions, so any feature/design would need to be feasible within that adopted section.  Tables of this nature should be set back from the junction give-way lines to reduce the risk of vehicle destabilisation when turning and to ensure that the give-way markings were prominent.  The table would have entry/exit ramps of a prescribed gradient and a minimum table width of 1.5m should be provided for pedestrians.  It was expected that the current extent of adopted land would not fully accommodate this, so development of the scheme would likely require further land adoption, albeit to a relatively small extent to make the scheme feasible.  This would allow necessary realignment of the approaching footways and an offset of the table from the junction.  Other raised tables along Southcote Lane were set back from the junction and occupied approximately five to five and a half metres between the junction and the end of the furthest ramp.  These were relatively wide tables which could be reduced for application at Kenilworth Avenue and Monks Way, but not to the three metres adopted length that had been suggested within the petition. 

Surface water drainage would be a consideration of the design and if additional gullies were required this might also necessitate additional potential adoption of land to enable feasibility of the installation. 

The report stated that within the previous five year period of Police supplied casualty data up to 1 April 2023, there had been no recorded incidents either at the junction of Kenilworth Avenue or Monks Way.

The report explained that the request for double-yellow lines had already been captured on the list of new requests proposed for the 2023B Waiting Restriction Review Programme, see Minute 21 below, and would be developed as part of the programme.  There was currently no allocated funding for the development and delivery of the two requested raised crossings, but officers acknowledged the concerns that had been raised in the petition.  The report proposed that the requests should be added to the Requests for Traffic Management Measures Report and once funding had been allocated, scheme development could be programmed and resourced. These development processes would include the requirement for statutory public consultation, so it needed to be noted that they would not be guaranteed for delivery, even when funding became available.

At the invitation of the Chair Soren Sturup-Toft, Trustee member of the Southcote Park Estate Committee, addressed the Sub-Committee on behalf of the petitioners.

Resolved –

(1)        That the report be noted;

(2)        That the request for waiting restrictions has been captured in the 2023B Waiting Restriction Review programme be acknowledged and that it is developed through this programme agreed;

(3)        That the requests for raised tables at the entrances to Kenilworth Avenue and Monks Way be added to the next ‘Requests for Traffic Management Measures’ report update be agreed;

(4)        That the lead petitioner be informed of the decisions of the Sub-Committee, following publication of the agreed minutes of the meeting;

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