Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2022 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 July 2022 be signed

as a correct record.

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

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

Presentation by the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport.

Link to Councillors’ Dashboard Landing:  Councillor Dashboard Landing Page - Power BI

Link to public webpages: Collision & Casualty Data - Roads and transport (devon.gov.uk)

The Committee received a presentation by the Director of Climate Change,

Environment and Transport on a website dashboard which provided detailed

information on road casualty data in Devon at Devon-wide,

District/Parish/Town Council and electoral division levels.

The Dashboard information was available via:

Link to Councillors’ Dashboard Landing:

Councillor Dashboard Landing Page - Power BI

Link to public webpages:

Collision & Casualty Data - Roads and transport (devon.gov.uk)

Members’ questions and discussion points with the Officers included:

•      the useful resource available for County Council Members and a request

that it be made available also to the non-County Council Members of this

•      Committee, which would be arranged;

•      the dashboard showed official published collision data up to the end of the

previous calendar year and now covered Devon and Cornwall;

•      the role of the Vision Zero SW (a collaborative project between Devon & Cornwall Police, Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, National Highways, Devon Air Ambulance, Cornwall Air Ambulance, The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Devon County Council, Cornwall Council, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS),

•      new data was published on the dashboard in July the following year after a

verification process with the Department for Transport;

•      there was a delay in receiving serious/fatal accident records pending

investigation by the Police (usually 2 - 4 weeks or more in certain cases);

•      and fatal/serious collisions were also routinely investigated by specialist

officers; and Members should contact the Officers (email: rshelp@devon.gov.uk) in regard to unpublished incidents undergoing the verification process for example;

•      the legal duty if involved in an accident with a vehicle where there was

either injury or damage to property, was to stop and give your name and

to anyone who reasonably required it; and if details were not

exchanged, to report the collision to the police (within 24 hours) and this

could now be reported online in Devon and Cornwall; and

•      confirmation that most accidents were on the main arterial routes.

The Chair thanked the Officers for the informative presentation.

Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport to report

The Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport reported that a new puffin crossing at a location (further down the hill) had now been ruled out due to build and design difficulties and that a scheme for an improved crossing at the current zebra crossing location would be designed for consideration at a future meeting of this Committee.

The Committee noted the position.

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/60), attached

The Committee considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/60) on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) which were a strategic approach

to identifying cycling and walking improvements at a local level. The framework was set out in the Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which formed an important part of Government’s strategy to increase the number of active travel trips.

The proposed Barnstaple with Bideford and Northam (BBN) LCWIP sought to outline the focus of future walking and cycling investment in the Barnstaple, Bideford and Northam area over the next 10-20 years. The Plan incorporated  four walking areas and six cycling routes that aimed to transform northern Devon, (as shown illustratively on the map in the report and in detail in report in Appendix 1).

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The BBN LCWIP aimed to:

• Support Devon County Council’s response to the climate crisis.

• Support health, wellbeing and access for all in Northern Devon.

• Improve accessibility and social sustainability.

• Help the area to accommodate local housing and employment growth.

• Deliver economic benefits in Northern Devon.

The LCWIP fulfilled these aims by: setting out active travel proposals that took 

account of evidence and data on existing and future demand, ensuring proposals met the latest design standards, identifying infrastructure schemes in readiness for funding bids and ensured that investment was targeted where it would have the greatest impact.

It was MOVED by Councillor L Hellyer and SECONDED by Councillor D McGeough and 

RESOLVED

(a) that the Barnstaple with Bideford and Northam Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (BBN LCWIP), contained in Appendix 1, including measures estimated at a cost of £78m be supported; and

(b) that Cabinet be requested that it gives the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport delegated powers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highway Management, to make alterations to the Plan.

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/61), attached

(Councillor D McGeough declared a personal interest by virtue of his Membership of Torridge District Council (as the Local Planning Authority)).

The Committee considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/61) on the submissions in response to the statutory consultation on the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) restrictions proposed in Pitt Hill, Appledore, to provide a safe and sustainable route through a new residential development. The proposed TRO followed approval of a residential development by the Local Planning Authority at Wooda Road/Pitt Lane, Appledore.

The planning application had included a proposal to introduce a prohibition of motor vehicles restriction on a short length of Pitt Hill.  This would remain adopted public highway and become a traffic-free route for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders through the new development, with a vehicle crossing approximately halfway along to provide access to a small number of dwellings alongside the lane.  Traffic travelling between Wooda Road/Pitt Lane would use the new length of road through the development. 

Plans of the development and TRO were available in Appendix 1 of the Report.  The reason for the TRO was to take the opportunity to improve road safety and active/sustainable travel by transferring through traffic to a new road which was more suitable.

Details of the objections received to these proposals, and the County Council’s response were shown in Appendix 2 to this Report.

It was MOVED by Councillor A Saywell, SECONDED by Councillor L Hellyer and

RESOLVED that the proposed Prohibition of Motor Vehicles Order be  implemented as advertised.

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/62), attached

The Committee noted the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/62) on actions taken under delegated powers

20 February, 27 June and 10 October 2023 and 26 February 2024

Details available here: Browse meetings - Torridge Highways and Traffic Orders Committee - Democracy in Devon

20 February, 27 June and 10 October 2023 and 26 February 2024

Details available here: Browse meetings - Torridge Highways and Traffic Orders Committee - Democracy in Devon