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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Suite - County Hall

Contact: Gerry Rufolo, 01392 382299  Email: gerry.rufolo@devon.gov.uk

Items
Note No. Item

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32.

Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2021 (previously circulated).

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting eld on 18 October 2021 be signed as a correct record.

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33.

Items Requiring Urgent Attention

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

Minutes:

No item was raised as a matter of urgency.

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34.

Bus Services in Exeter

Stagecoach representative to report updates on services and answer Members’ questions

Minutes:

Mr M Watson, Managing Director, Stagecoach Southwest, attended  and spoke at the invitation of the Committee on developments affecting bus services in and around the Exeter network. 

 

Mr Watson reported that as a result of staff shortages (which was being addressed) a number of services (A, E, I, J, R, and S) had been impacted. The shortages had peaked in September and with increased salary awards these had now reduced and services would be covered.

 

Mr Watson responded to Members’ questions as follows:

 

·      the Company’s mitigations in regard to the C-19 risk included fitting rubber stoppers to some windows to prevent them from being closed; and in the main passengers were abiding with the requirement to wear face-masks and drivers would politely remind the public of this and noting that some passengers were exempt for medical reasons and there were few complaints overall;

 

·      the staff shortage was being addressed with significant pay rate increases from £10.76/hr to £11.80/hr, nearly 10%, which added to the Company’s cost base and noting that fares had not risen in nearly 3 years despite significant inflationary pressures;

 

·      the impending loss of the Bus Revenue Support Grant in April would also cause difficulties for the Company along with reduced revenues of 23% arising from changes relating to the Concessionary Fares Scheme, a Devon County Council decision permitted by new Government guidance regarding the rates of reimbursement;

 

·       imminent revised timetables would come as a result of staffing issues along with severely depleted patronage. The proposed takeover by National Express currently had no bearing on decisions made; 

 

·       teething problems with the Company’s phone ‘App’ were being addressed and members of the public should refer to the interactive map on the App for up to date information;

 

·      whilst services A, E, I, J, R, and S were seeing a reduced frequency from Monday, Stagecoach would be monitoring patronage and the priority will be to restore the 57 frequency back to 15 minutes as early as April;

 

·      in regard to requests to extend some services down the High Street (rather than terminating in Sidwell Street) this needed to be balanced against some elements of the community wishing to reduce bus volumes in the High Street;

 

·      modifications to buses were planned to the boots to deter anti-social behaviour with young people jumping onto the back although support was still needed from the local community to address the behavioural issues at the heart of this; and

 

·      maintenance of information screens on the High Street was the County Council’s responsibility.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Y Atkinson, SECONDED by Councillor Barnes and

 

RESOLVED that a report be made to the next meeting on the operation of the Concessionary Fares Scheme.

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35.

Queen Street, Exeter, Social Distancing Measures pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/1), attached

 

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/1) on the outcome of consultation on permanent scheme proposals to reduce traffic volumes in both Queen Street and Iron Bridge and increase active travel. 

 

The previous temporary changes had reduced traffic volumes and the proposals  were consistent with the Cabinet approved Exeter Transport Strategy 2020-2030. Improving the key pedestrian corridor of St David’s Station and Queen Street to the city centre had also been identified in the 5 year action plan of the Transport Strategy.

 

Members’ discussion points included:

 

·         the priority given to pedestrians in the scheme, followed by cycles and then public transport, with access for taxis consistent with that of buses;

 

·         mixed views on the proposals from the local community, but support from stakeholders, improved safety for high pedestrian numbers and that Queen Street is a central part of the wider city centre amenity; 

 

·         liaison with the RNIB and the consideration of the needs of more vulnerable pedestrians with disabilities and the proposed segregation measures to improve safety, and officers undertook to carry out  further discussion with these users; and

 

·         the expectation in regard to a reduced collision record at the Clock Tower roundabout as a result of the proposals.  

 

It was MOVED by Councillor C Whitton; SECONDED by Councillor D Barnes and ?

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that a Traffic Regulation Order for the restrictions and road hump detailed in the Report be advertised and, if no significant objections are received, be made and sealed;

 

(b) that the Queen Street and Iron Bridge proposals shown indicatively in Appendix 2, be approved at an estimated cost of £250,000; and

 

(c) that the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment be given delegated powers, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and the local County Councillor, to make minor amendments to the scheme details.

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36.

Dryden Road Exeter: E9 Strategic Cycle Route pdf icon PDF 6 MB

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/2), attached

 

Minutes:

(Councillor M Asvachin declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of her residence in the local area)

 

(Olwen Foggin attended under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme and spoke to this item in objection to the proposals and requesting no further action).

 

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/2) on proposed changes either to make Dryden Road no entry except for cycles between Well Oak Park and Kipling Drive(option A) or proceed with an experimental order for one way eastbound traffic (and two-way cycling) between Well Oak Park and Kipling Drive (option B).  The option A  proposals had been introduced in June 2020 as part of the County Council’s Emergency Active Travel Fund measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Dryden Road was one of four temporary changes made to provide the cross city E9 strategic cycle route that connected the Newcourt/Pynes Hill area to the RD&E Hospital and the City Centre. Dryden Road remained the only part of the route where the long-term proposals were yet to be decided.

 

The Report detailed the proposals and options, data arising from monitoring and traffic surveys, the outcome of extensive consultations and a summary of the risks/benefits of the two preferred options.  

 

Members  debated the advantages and disadvantages of options A and B detailed in the report, including: 

 

·         the need to promote active travel in line with the Exeter Transport Strategy and the finely balanced views between both options arising from the consultations;

 

·         benefits from the Scheme having been trialled for over 18 months and as such the impacts from Option A were known;

 

·         the changes had helped provide a safer active travel route for Hospital staff, but that the RD&E had expressed a preference for Option B due to the comparatively reduced levels of traffic on Bovemoors Lane;  

 

·         option A, in particular, would result in increased journey times for transfer of patients between NHS Devon Partnership Trust (DPT) sites;

 

·         possible mitigations which the NHS DPT could consider within the hospital estate to mitigate any transport issues for transfer of their patients noting that these issues had been considered by Officers;

 

·         impacts of any changes on resilience of the highway network and how the obligations under S122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 had been considered; 

 

·         a significant portion of Exeter residents without access to a car; and

 

·         the need to provide facilities to encourage people to travel more sustainably for the County is to meet adopted active travel and carbon reduction targets. 

 

It was MOVED by Councillor M Asvachin, SECONDED by Councillor D Barnes and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that a Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit all vehicles except cycles on Dryden Road, over a length between Well Oak Park and Kipling Drive, as shown in Appendix 1 be made and sealed;

 

(b) that a  Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit parking on sections of Bovemoors Lane and Church Lane, as shown in Appendix 2, be made and sealed;

 

(c) that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

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37.

Doctor's Walk: Walking and Cycling pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/3), attached

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

(Councillor A Swain (Teignbridge District Council) attended (remotely) in accordance with Standing Order 25 and spoke to this item in support of the  Report’s recommendations)

 

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/3) on a temporary point closure to vehicles on Doctors Walk between the Ide A30 overbridge and West Exe school/Sainsburys/Marsh Barton area. The Report outlined the proposals in detail, the consultation response evidence of a 50% drop in vehicle volumes and a 60% increase in active travel, transport data evidence and options available.

 

The incorporation of “Green Lanes” supported active travel access from villages on the edge of the city was one of the recommendations from the review of the Exeter Transport Strategy by the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny.  A green lane proposal for Balls Farm Road had been identified in the 5 year Action Plan of the Cabinet-approved Exeter Transport Strategy 2020-2030.

 

The changes also linked Ide to the proposed E12 north-south cycle route, which continued to Alphington, Marsh Barton Rail Station (under construction), Wonford and Heavitree, which offered connections to employment, education, public transport and green spaces.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Y Atkinson, SECONDED by Councillor R Hannaford and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit vehicles on Doctors Walk, at the Ide Village Road end as indicated in Appendix 1, be advertised, and, if no significant objections received, be made and sealed;

 

(b) that the subject to the outcome of the Traffic Regulation Order consultation the proposals for Doctors Walk and signage changes, shown in Appendix 1 be approved for construction at a total estimated cost of £35,000; and

 

(c) that the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment be given delegated powers, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and the local County Councillor, to make minor amendments to the scheme details.

 

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38.

Denmark Road: Consultation pdf icon PDF 127 KB

The Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment to report of the consultation and next steps.    

Minutes:

The Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment updated the Committee on the consultation which had recently closed (presentation attached).  This covered vehicle flow and speed data traffic from July 2019 to June 2021, consultation response data and details of the available options.

 

The preferred option would be for a trial Experimental Order which would be progressed once the Magdalen Road scheme was delivered and then views would be sought 6 – 12 months after. Recognising a lower response rate for residents not living on Denmark Road this would help inform whether to make the Order permanent or not and would represent a low cost trial.

 

It was expected that the Magdalen Road Scheme would be introduced by the end of 2022.

 

The Committee noted the position.   

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39.

Topsham Residents Parking Extension - Approval to Advertise pdf icon PDF 555 KB

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/22/1) attached, and supplementary plan (to follow)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/22/1) on the results of the informal public consultation on the extension of the residents parking scheme in Topsham and proposed next step.

 

The Report detailed the consultation responses and available options.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor A Leadbetter,  SECONDED by Councillor D Barnes and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the results of the informal consultation be noted;

 

(b) that the advertising of a Traffic Regulation Order to extend residents parking restrictions in Topsham as shown on plan 7072139-WSP-GEN-TOP-001-S2 be approved; and

 

(c) that that the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste be given delegated powers, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and the local County Councillor, to make minor amendments to the scheme details.

 

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40.

Clear Street Charter

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor S Aves has asked that the Committee consider this matter.

Minutes:

(In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor S Aves had asked that the Committee consider this matter)

Councillor Aves reported in this Charter agreed with the City Council to maintain clear streets for the safety of pedestrians in particular those with disabilities and requested regular updates by the Offices to this Committee on the Council’s duties as the Highway Authority, policy and implementation in the City.  

https://exeter.gov.uk/clean-safe-city/environment/clear-streets-charter/ 

 

The Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste confirmed that there had been a reluctance to enforce too strongly the promotion of businesses in the city centre.  However, where a safety defect was caused by such furniture, this would be recorded and acted upon during regular safety inspections, which varied in their timings, and the inspection of ad hoc reports, in accordance with policy.

 

With levels of pedestrian activity now increasing County Council Officers had recently discussed a targeted inspection in the City Centre to identify and remove such obstructions. 

 

The Chief Officer agreed that regular 6 monthly update reports on policy and implementation would be submitted to the Committee.

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41.

Pavement Safety

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor S Aves has asked that the Committee consider this matter.

Minutes:

(In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor S Aves had asked that the Committee consider this matter)

 

Councillor Aves reported on the need for all pavement users (dog walkers, cyclists for example) to be considerate of vulnerable and older users with disabilities in particular and for the County Council to promulgate information via press releases, social media and messages through schools to help highlight this growing concern. 

 

The Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste reported in the current information available on the Council’s website

Share this Space - Travel Devon and indicated that he would consider how information can be disseminated further.

 

 

 

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42.

Actions Taken Under Delegated Powers pdf icon PDF 15 KB

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/22/2), attached 

 

Minutes:

The Committee noted the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/22/1) on actions taken under delegated powers.

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43.

Dates of Meetings

6 May, 15 July, and 14 October 2022 and 16 January 2023 and 21 April 2023 (all at 10.30am)

 

Confirmation of dates available on-line at Browse meetings - Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee - Democracy in Devon

Minutes:

29 April  2022 (changed from 6 May), 15 July 2022, 14 October 2022, 16 January 2023; and 21 April 2023 (all to start at 10.30 am). Up-to-date information on dates available on-line at: Browse meetings - Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee - Democracy in Devon


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