Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members of the Council will declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered at this meeting, prior to any discussion taking place on that item.

The other registrable interests of Councillors of Devon County Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes: A list of county councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors.

The Chair reminded Members they should declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered, prior to any discussion taking place on that item.

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

There was no matter raised as a matter of urgency.

(An item to be taken under s18 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to any reviews of parking policy sought in line with the Council’s Petition Scheme.)

Mr I Frankum presented the Chair with a petition signed by 1,623 individuals on behalf of Heavitree businesses, a response to which would be sent to the petitioner on the issues raised, within 15 days. 

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/92), attached.

RESOLVED that the Committee:

(a)  note the responses to the consultations;

(b)  approve the making and sealing of the traffic regulations orders for Pinhoe Road, as detailed in section 5(b) of this report;

(c)  approve the making and sealing of the traffic regulations orders for Honiton Road, as detailed in section 5(b) of this report;

(d)  approve the making and sealing of the traffic regulations orders for Heavitree Road, as detailed in section 5(b) of this report;

(e)  approve the making and sealing of the traffic regulations orders for Fore Street Heavitree, as detailed in section 5b) of this report, subject to recommendations (f) and (g);

(f)   approve the relaxation of the proposed bus lane operation times on Heavitree Fore Street from Monday to Saturday 12 hours (7am-7pm) to Monday to Friday peak times (7am-10am and 4pm-7pm) and further monitoring take place for Saturday, to be brought back to this Committee at a later stage;;

(g)  approve that the modification of the traffic regulation order (6192) to relocate the loading bay on Fore Street is explored, as detailed in section 4(c) of this report, and delegate the final decision to the Director of Climate Change Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Chair of this Committee and Local County Councillors;

(h)  delegate authority to the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the Chair of this Committee and Local County Councillors, to make minor amendments to the scheme as required; and

(i)     that consideration be given to alternative parking and loading locations in the local area, and an update report be provided to a future meeting.

(Councillor A Davis from Devon County Council and Councillors L Pole and L Haigh from Exeter City Council attended and spoke to this item in accordance with Standing Order 25.)

In accordance with the Council's Public Participation Scheme, the Committee received and acknowledged representations from: John Burgoynes (Estate Agent), Karen Jones, (Thrifty Stylist), Richard Barnes (Superwash Launderette), Paul Jenner (Resident/trader), Neil Chard (Gun & Sport Shop), Suzanne Selly (Heavitree Post Office), Neil Martin (Heavitree Brewery), Sue Simmonds and Edward Pickering who spoke against the proposals; and from Mandy Darling (Devon in Sight), Peter Nickol (representing Exeter & District Bus Users Group) and Peter Knight (Stagecoach) who spoke in favour of the proposals.

The Committee considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/24/92) on the Exeter Central and Eastern Corridor Bus Service Improvement Plan, seeking approval for the

Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) required to amend the bus lane operation times and waiting restrictions associated with the schemes.

The report noted that the Exeter Central (Heavitree) and Eastern (Pinhoe) corridors were vital public transport routes carrying large numbers of passengers each year. These corridors had been identified in the Devon Bus Service Improvement Plant to improve bus journey times and reliability. 

The report summarised that the improvements to the Central and Eastern bus corridors in Exeter would support two key public transport corridors enabling 800,000 passengers a year to have faster, more reliable journeys to access employment, education and city centre facilities.  It would also safeguard a strong public transport corridor to mitigate the impacts of future housing. 

The report further stated that the proposals had been approved in principle at Cabinet on 10 July 2024 and the TROs to facilitate the improvements had been advertised between 19 September and 10 October 2024.  As a result of the feedback received, the proposed bus lane operation times had been amended on Fore Street from 12 hours to extended peak hours only (7am-10am and 4pm-7pm Monday to Saturday), retaining limited waiting between the peak hours.  Additionally, the making and sealing of the TROs, as modified, would enable faster and more reliable journey times, helping to lower transport emissions within the county.

The matter was debated by Members at length, which included: the impact on local businesses; the importance of community engagement; seeking clarity on the timing of loading restrictions, noting that most businesses did not have rear entrances; seeking reasons why 3pm to 6pm as an alternative had been discounted and why the loading restrictions were also being applied on Saturdays. There was a need for a balance between improving bus services and supporting local businesses.

Officers were asked to follow up on the following:

-       To investigate whether Gordon’s Place car park (Exeter City Council) could offer short term free parking and/or whether a section of the supermarket car park could be negotiated for people accessing shops and services in Heavitree.

-     To consider what other potential loading bays could be delivered in the locality.

-        Providing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 179.