A report asking the Sub-Committee to consider the objections that have been received to the experimental restriction that was implemented on 11 July 2019 and recommending agreement to make the Order permanent.

Further to Minute 60 of the meeting held on 11 January 2018, the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report asking the Sub-Committee to consider the objections that had been received in respect of the implementation of an experimental Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that altered the Kings Road inbound bus lane restriction.  A plan showing the location of the inbound bus lane was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and the objections to the order/restrictions, which had been received to date, were attached to the report at Appendix 2.

The report explained that the experimental restriction permitted buses, bicycles, motorcycles and ‘authorised vehicles’, to pass along the lane.  The TRO defined ‘authorised vehicles’ to be Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles, which had been licensed by Reading Borough Council.  The restriction had been intended to reduce the overall volume of traffic using the lane, with the outcome of providing more consistent journey times for the Borough’s public transport providers, in addition to making the lane more appealing for use by cyclists. 

An experimental TRO could run for a maximum period of 18 months and local authorities were required to invite objections for a minimum period of six months before the Order could be made permanent.  The Kings Road experimental TRO had been in place for more than six months and the report recommended that it was now made permanent.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That, having considered and taken account of the objections set out in Appendix 2, attached to the report, they be determined as insufficient to outweigh the benefits of the experimental order, which restricted access to onlypermitted buses, bicycles, motorcycles and ‘authorised vehicles’ on the Kings Road inbound bus lane;

(3)     That the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make the experimental Traffic Regulation Order into a permanent Traffic Regulation Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, advertised in accordance with the Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996.