The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on a review of the traffic management measures associated with proposed new accesses on Christchurch Road and Vicarage Road relating to the development works to The Abbey School.  The Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road location and restriction plan was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and photographs of the existing access arrangements were attached to the report at Appendix 2.

The report explained that planning permission had been granted for the erection of single and two storey extension to the existing building and the creation of new access and alterations and adaptations to existing access points at The Abbey School.  The access alterations included the provision of upgrading the existing dropped kerb access on Christchurch Road to a Bellmouth access in order to aid access for coaches and deliveries.  The proposals also included the removal of the existing dropped kerb located on the corner of Christchurch Road and Vicarage Road and the creation of a new Bellmouth access onto Vicarage Road located 15.8 metres from the Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road junction.  The existing access onto the Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road junction would be replaced with a pedestrian only entrance with a further pedestrian entrance which would be located south of the new vehicular access onto Vicarage Road.  The design had been agreed at the planning application stage and work was currently underway to implement the building works associated with development.

The Christchurch Road school frontage was currently controlled through a ‘No Waiting Mon – Sat 8.00am to 6.30pm’ restriction, which extended across the existing dropped kerb.  The proposal sought to alter the existing ‘No Waiting Mon – Sat 8.00am to 6.30pm’ restriction to the west of the proposed access.  The restriction commenced at the Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road junction, which would continue, and would extend to the east for a distance of 36 metres following the kerb radii for the proposed junction and cease at the back of the footway.  To the east of the proposed access the ‘No Waiting Mon – Sat 8.00am to 6.30pm’ restriction would commence at the back of the footway and follow the radii to the east of the proposed junction for eight metres.

The Vicarage Road school frontage was currently controlled through a ‘No Waiting at Anytime’ restriction, which extended from the Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road junction across the existing dropped kerb for a distance of 18 metres commencing at the end of the existing footway build out.  The proposal sought to extend the existing ‘No Waiting at Anytime’ restriction to the south for a distance of five metres following the junction radii concluding at the back of the footway.  To the south of the junction the proposal sought to introduce a ‘No Waiting at Anytime’ restriction, this was to commence at the back of the footway and extend for a distance of 12 metres until it met the existing School Keep Clear restriction.

All the above alterations were to ensure that parents did not drop off and/or pick up their children from Christchurch Road and/or Vicarage Road within close proximity to the proposed access, which would have detrimental implications for visibility and movement at either of the proposed accesses and for traffic movements close to the Christchurch Road/Vicarage Road junction.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to undertake a statutory consultation for the proposed restrictions on Christchurch Road and Vicarage Road, as set out in paragraphs 4.6, 4.7, 4.9 and 4.10 of the report;

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

(4)     That any objection(s) received following the statutory advertisement be submitted to a future meeting;

(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 enquiry be held into the proposals.