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Agenda item

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/37), attached.

Decision:

It was MOVED by Councillor Connett and SECONDED by Councillor Russell

and

 

RESOLVED:- 

 

(a) that the Upper Den Carriageway, Teignmouth remained closed through the summer period; and

 

(b) that Officers investigate and report back on whether additional disabled parking could be provided on existing highways in the vicinity of the play area.

 

Minutes:

(Councillor Phipps, Teignmouth Town Council spoke in favour of the Carriageway remaining open, with the consent of the Committee).

 

The Committee considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/37), recommending against supporting

a request from Teignmouth Town Council that the Upper Den Carriageway remained open through the summer months, due to safety, environmental and policy concerns.

 

Officers advised that the carriageway had been closed to motorised traffic

between 1 May and 10 September for a number of years and was located between the Den open space and the beach, both areas being popular with visitors and family groups. There were a number of uncontrolled crossing points on the road, providing the main route between the town and the beach, which if reopened would create safety conflict, prejudicing against pedestrians walking to the beach including many family groups.

 

Whilst the proposal would increase on street parking revenue for the County Council, it raised significant safety issues which would likely incur road layout changes at substantial extra cost.  If the road was reopened during the summer, it would still have to be closed on a number of dates for events such as the Teignmouth Air Show. It could be confusing for residents and visitors, who had been able to cross this road freely during the summer.

 

Teignbridge District Council officers opposed the reopening for safety, environmental and economic reasons.

 

The request conflicted with County and District Council policies as set out in section 6 of Report (CET/22/37), including the County Council’s Climate Declaration 2019.   Should this Committee be minded to reopen the road during the summer, this would need to be referred to Cabinet as it was against policy. 

 

The local County Councillor advised that he supported Teignmouth Town Council’s view that reopening would have a positive impact on trade in the town, providing additional parking over the extended summer period.  This was also supported by the Teignmouth Chamber of Trade.  (Previously the Town Council had favoured closing the road over the summer period and raised issues of camper vans and the emptying of waste into highways drains, which drained directly onto the beach, potentially impacting on Teignmouth’s prestigious Blue Flag Award for bathing water quality).

 

The local County Councillor further advised that with appropriate safeguards, safety concerns could be addressed, including disabled access for the play park and additional signage.  Some motorists currently accessed the road in error.

 

The local District Councillor and other Members however were in favour of the current summer closure remaining in place on safety and environmental grounds and there were a series of summer events in additional to the Air Show which would still require road closure.  Teignmouth is a popular family resort with a constant movement of unaccompanied children at this location as parents and families have become used to the road being closed offering a traffic free, safe environment and increased freedom for children and families.  

 

Member also asked whether any additional disabled parking may be required on existing highways in the vicinity, especially in the area around the newly refurbished play area at the southern end of the promenade, even if this used general parking spaces.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Connett and SECONDED by Councillor Russell

and

 

RESOLVED:- 

 

(a) that the Upper Den Carriageway, Teignmouth remained closed through the summer period; and

 

(b) that Officers investigate and report back on whether additional disabled parking could be provided on existing highways in the vicinity of the play area.

 

Supporting documents:


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