17 April 2015

Present:-

Devon County Council:-

Councillors Croad (Chairman), Brazil, Gilbert, Hart, Hawkins, Hosking, Rowe and Vint

Apologies:-

Councillor Hannaford (South Hams District Council)

*35 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2014 be signed as a correct record.

*36 Devon Highways Update

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste on highway maintenance under the Voluntary Joint Venture agreement with South West Highways and Mr G Robinson, Operations Director, South West Highways also attended and spoke at the invitation of the Committee. The presentation and discussions covered:

the County Council s success in bidding for 16,000,000 of Government funding in 2014/15 from both the Pothole Fund to address damage caused by extreme weather conditions and the Maintenance Challenge Fund with 9,600,000 of this being spent on resurfacing works and 2,900,000 being spent on patching - 13,400,000 of the additional funding needed to have been spent by the end of the current financial year and the County Council had been able to do so;

the challenge of continuing to provide the necessary level of highway maintenance in coming years while facing reduced revenue support grants and capital funding from Government, and the increasing importance of successful bids for challenge/incentive funding;

the submission to the Department for Transport to consider Devon as a special case and provide funding for maintenance of the rural road network alongside bids for additional capital and revenue funds for 2015/16 made available by the Government for major road networks;

the Tough Choices strategy for the 2015/16 revenue budget which included stopping grass cutting (except in visibility areas) and weed treatment and remodelling of the parish lengthsman service;

efficiency achievements totalling 2,000,000 over the last three years;

pothole and other safety defect repairs - improved response time/lower cost/new repair techniques (the V works ICT system had made a significant contribution to increased productivity/efficiency);

monitoring of performance, quality and value for money in relation to minor works;

the potential for reactive repairs and those involving safety blemishes rather than defined safety defects to mitigate against efficiency;

progress made on, and examples of, mobilising community support through involvement of Parish and Town Councils in the Community Self-Help/Community Road Warden Scheme and measures to speed up highway safety awareness and Chapter 8 training;

budgetary provision for training until at least July 2015;

information on the County Council s website on, and how to report, highways problems, and on the Community Road Warden and Community Self-Help schemes;

the role of County Councillors in raising local communities awareness of these arrangements:

rebranding of South West Highways Devon services as Devon Highways;

removal of roadsigns etc following completion of highway maintenance work;

progress made on managing demand - work with communities on reviewing and prioritising the local highway network;

options for future delivery models for highway services from April 2017 which would be considered by the County Council s Cabinet in May 2015.

*37 Bus Stop on A385, Shinners Bridge, Dartington (Minute *9/12 July 2013)

The Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste referred to concerns about the safety of passengers using the bus stop directly in front of the Dartington Cider Press raised by Dartington Parish Council and parents of schoolchildren who used the stop, and the investigation of alternative stopping locations in view of the difficulty of improving pedestrian access to the existing facility.

The Head of Service reported that agreement in principle had been reached with The Dartington Trust to relocate the bus stop to a position on their land beside the A384 at no cost to the County Council for the land in conjunction with the proposed redevelopment of the lower car park for the Cider Press. He indicated that work was still taking place in relation to the provision of a crossing point on the A384, the design of the bus stop and associated construction works and identifying suitable sources of funding. Dartington Parish Council would be kept informed of progress.

*38 Blackawton Speed Limit

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2), Councillor Hawkins had asked that the Committee consider introducing a 20mph limit in Blackawton, particularly in view of new development in the village.

The Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste reported on investigations into the speed and collision history for Blackawton which showed that there were no overriding factors to support a reduction in the existing 30mph speed limit as a departure from policy. However, he added that it might be appropriate to extend the 30mph limit on some of the roads within the village.

It was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED that consideration of the request for a 20mph limit in Blackawton be deferred until the next meeting of the HATOC in July 2015 to enable the Cabinet Member for Highway Management Flood Prevention to visit the area to assess the situation and for investigations to be undertaken into the possibility of extending the 30mph limit in the village as an alternative.

*39 Land behind Pembroke Park, Marldon formerly comprising part of the old Torbay Ring Road

(Councillor J T Pennington, Chairman of Marldon Parish Council, attended and spoke to this item in accordance with the constitutional arrangements for HATOCS in support of action to regularise the position relating to the land involved, and circulated photographs and relevant correspondence)

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2), Councillor Rowe had asked that the Committee consider, and if appropriate make representations to the Public Rights of Way Committee on, the status of this area of land in response to a request from Marldon Parish Council.

The Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste reported that upon completion and opening of the remodelled A380 Torbay Ring Road in 1989 it had been intended to extinguish the alignment of the former carriageway through a process of stopping up and to reserve bridleway rights over the land involved. However, highway records showed that the confirmed Torbay Ring Road Side Roads Order, as it applied to that part of the former carriageway now within the South Hams District (as opposed to the Torbay Council area), had only stopped up and reserved as bridleway a short section at the junction with a public footpath. The Head of Service indicated that while the remainder of the former carriageway had been blocked off to traffic and was regarded locally as a bridleway, it was formally an unclassified road and no legal order had been enforced to stop up vehicular rights. As the legal process relating to the status of this land was not a priority for the Highway Authority, it had been suggested that Marldon Parish Council might wish to fund a new Stopping Up Order or alternatively a Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit motor vehicle access.

The Head of Service also referred to the Cockington Geopark Cycle Hub Project being led by Torbay Council which it was hoped would formalise the current unofficial position of the land and legally restrict access to walkers, cyclists and horseriders only.

It was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED that investigations be made into sources of funding for the making of a Traffic Regulation Order and that, if the necessary funding becomes available, the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice-Chairman and the local County Councillor, be authorised - on submission of a formal application - to advertise and implement, if no substantial objections are received, a Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit motor vehicle access to the land behind Pembroke Park, Marldon formerly comprising part of the old Torbay Ring Road.

*40 Action Taken Under Delegated Powers

The Committee received the Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (HCW/15/29 - text only | pdf HCW/15/29) setting out action taken under delegated powers on advertised Traffic Regulation Orders since the last meeting.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 10.00am and finished at 11.55am.

The Minutes of the South Hams Highways Traffic Orders Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-