Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
The London Borough of Hillingdon Re-joining the London Lorry Control Scheme
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext: 0693 DDI: 01895 25 0693 My Ref: SC To: COUNCILLOR IAN EDWARDS LEADER OF THE COUNCIL COUNCILLOR JOHN RILEY CABINET MEMBER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORT c.c. All Members of Executive Scrutiny Committee c.c. Perry Scott, Director of Infrastructure, Procurement, Business Improvement, Communications, Waste Services & ICT c.c. Chairman of the Residents, Education and Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee c.c. Sophie Wilmot, Residents Services c.c. Conservative and Labour Group Offices (inspection copy) Date: 27 April 2021 Non-Key Decision request Form D LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON RE-JOINING THE LONDON LORRY CONTROL SCHEME Dear Cabinet Member Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 5 May 2021 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied, and return it to me when y ou have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Steve Clarke Democratic Services Officer Title of Report: London Borough o f Hillingdon Re -Joining the London Lorry Control Scheme Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ………………………………………………………Date…………………….. Leader of the Council / Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON RE-JOINING THE LONDON LORRY CONTROL SCHEME Cabinet Member(s) Councillor Ian Edwards Councillor John Riley Cabinet Portfolio(s) Leader of the Council Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport Officer Contact(s) Sophie Wilmot, Residents Services Papers with report None HEADLINES Summary The report sets out details of the London Control Scheme across London and the history to Hillingdon’s membership of the scheme. The report also sets out details of how the Council can re- join the scheme to benefit residents around the Borough. Putting our Residents First This report supports the following Council objectives of: Our People and Our Built Environment. Financial Cost Membership to the London Lorry Control Scheme is now free for London boroughs. The costs associated with the scheme such as enforcement and signage requirements are covered by the penalty charges. Relevant Policy Overview Committee Residents, Education & Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee Relevant Ward(s) All RECOMMENDATIONS That the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport: 1) Revoke the decision made on 13 February 2001 for the London Borough of Hillingdon not to be part of the London Lorry Control Scheme and agree to now formally participate in the scheme to facilitate enforcement of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on the Hillingdon road network; Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public 2) Request that the Chief Executive delegates the necessary authority on behalf of the London Borough of Hillingdon to the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) to give effect to this; 3) Request Council Officers to work with London Councils to ensure appropriate signage is provided on the local highway network to denote the London Lorry Control Scheme; and 4) Be mindful of the changes in travel patterns and heavy goods vehicle logistics in the twenty years since the Council formally left the scheme and ask officers to work with their counterparts at London Councils to establish if revisions may be needed to the LLCS ‘Excluded Route Network’ from a local perspective, then to report their findings back to the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport. Reasons for recommendations In re-joining the London Lorry Control Scheme, enforcement will be undertaken on larger vehicles not using prescribed and direct routes to and from their destination. This will result in penalty charge notices being issued to vehicles who use short cuts / rat runs on residential roads which has a negative impact on residents living in these areas, particularly with regard to noise pollution. This will improve quality of life for residents and reduce the number of complaints received by the Council in regard to HGVs using unsuitable residential roads. Alternative options considered / risk management The Cabinet Member may wish to instruct Officers not to revoke the previous decision made and for the London Borough of Hillingdon not to re-join the London Lorry Control Scheme at this time. This would result in no enforcement action occurring on HGVs using residential roads around the Borough. Democratic compliance / previous authority Previous agreement was given by the Council on 1 3 February 2001 to remove itself from the London Lorry Control Scheme. This was reviewed by the then Cabinet Member for Planning & Transportation on 17 February 2003 and the decision made was not to re-join the scheme, as it was considered that it continued to offer little value against the cost. The Chief Executive has the necessary constitutional authority to formally authorise the transfer and delegation of such non-executive powers from the London Borough of Hillingdon to London Councils Transport and Environment Committee. This is s ubject to the endorsement of the Leader/Cabinet Member should they decide to agree the recommendations of this report. Policy Overview Committee comments None at this stage. Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. The Greater London (Restriction of Goods Vehicles) Traffic Order for the London Lorry Control Scheme is designed to regulate the movement of heavy goods vehicles over 18 tonnes maximum gross weight on weekdays between 9pm and 7am and weekends from 1pm Saturday to 7am on Monday. The Traffic Order is designed to ensure that goods vehicles over 18 tonnes cannot use those roads controlled by the Order during these times without prior permission. The aim is to help minimise noise pollution in residential areas during unsocial hours. 2. The Order also specifies a network of roads, usually main roads and access roads to industrial estates that are excluded from the Order, known as the ‘Excluded Route Network’ (ERN). During the prescribed hours goods vehicles with prior permission must travel along the ERN to the clos est point to their destination then follow the shortest route along non- ERN roads. Hauliers without permission cannot use non- ERN roads at all. Decriminalised enforcement started in April 2004 and under the civil regime scheme, offenders receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). 3. The Order, as written, applies in 32 London boroughs, however Barnet was never part of the original Order (but has decided to join) whilst Hillingdon, Havering and Redbridge are covered by parts of the Order but at present do not participate in the scheme. Under the London Lorry Control Scheme, those boroughs who subscribe to it allow London Councils to manage the Order; for this service boroughs have previously paid London Councils an annual fee calculated on a pro rata basis. As noted, Hillingdon is not currently a member of the scheme. 4. As the London Borough of Hillingdon is not a member this creates enforcement issues due to the Council not having details of those vehicles with permission to use non-ERN roads across Greater London. Without this information the Council is unable to enforce the Order itself since it cannot distinguish between vehicles with and without permission to use non-ERN roads. 5. The Council was initially a member of the scheme but the then ‘Transportation Sub- Committee’ took the decision on 13 November 2001 to leave, as it was dissatisfied with the level of service at the time, in particular the management of the lorry ban and the value for money received by Hillingdon, especially as the levels of enforcement i n the Borough appeared to be low, with activity heavily concentrated within boroughs further inside the GLA boundary. The Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation at the time reviewed this decision on 17 February 2003 and decided that the circumstances had not materially improved, and so resolved to remain withdrawn from the scheme. 6. Subsequently at the end of 2011, an electronic petition with 49 signatures and a paper petition with 30 further signatures (79 in total) were submitted to the Council under the following terms: ‘We the undersigned petition the council to implement effective enforcement arrangements to secure compliance with the London Lorry Control Scheme that places restrictions on the movement of Heavy Goods Vehicles (over 18 tonnes) during the hours of 9pm - 7am on the majority of residential roads in the Borough.’ Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public This petition was heard by the then Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling on 18 April 2012, at which the Cabinet Member remained unconvinced of any significant improvement in value for money received by the Council in return for its investment. Nevertheless, he instructed officers to make further enquiries and it was subsequently established that at the time, five officers covered the whole of L ondon and there was still a cost to participate. Consequently, Hillingdon did not re-join the scheme at that stage. 7. London Councils has recently re-engaged with all London Boroughs in the wake of a request by Central Government and the Freight Transport Association to temporarily suspend enforcement of the scheme in the early stages of the Covid- 19 pandemic. The scheme was duly suspended. 8. This fresh dialogue included an update on the better technology (with an ANPR system being trialled for later roll-out) and notification to the Council that membership of the London Lorry Control Scheme is now free of charge. London Councils has therefore invited the Council to reconsider becoming a member. All costs are now covered by enforcement activity; the Penalty Charge Notices are a PCN fine of £275 discounted or £550 to the operator, and PCN fine £65 discounted or £130 to the driver. 9. In order for Hillingdon to re -join the London Lorry Control Scheme, the Council needs to resolve to delegate its functions of implementing and enforcing ‘the Ban’ to the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) under the delegation powers in section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972. TEC would then resolve to accept the delegation. Transport for London roads within the Borough are already subject to a similar delegation from TfL. 10. On re-joining the scheme, Hillingdon could look to participate in a review of the Excluded Road Network (ERN) and Restricted Roads. The Restricted Roads included in the GLC Restriction of Goods Vehicles Traffic Order 1985 within or abutting the London Borough of Hillingdon (18t MGW Weight Limit) is currently as listed below. A map of the scheme is provided in Appendix A: • Airport Way (A3113). • Bath Road (B378) (From Stanwell Moor road to the Greater London boundary). • Bath Road / Colnbrook By-Pass (A4) (From the Greater London boundary to the boundary of the London Borough of Hounslow). • Bilton Way • Chester Way (This road either no longer exists or was added to the Order by the Greater London Council in error) • Great South West Road (A30) (Between the northern and southern boundary of the London Borough of Hounslow). • Horton Bridge Road • Horton Road (From Horton Bridge Road to Stockley road). • Moorhall Road. • Northwood Road (From Shrubbs Road to White Hill). • Pasadena Close. Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public • Pump Lane (From Coldharbour Lane to The Parkway (A312)). • Shrubbs Road. • Silverdale Road. • Stanwell Moor Road (From the Colnbrook By-pass (A4) to the Greater London boundary). • Stockley Road (From Horton Road to Cherry Lane Roundabout). • The Parkway (A312). • Western Avenue (A40). This extends from the Greater London boundary to the boundar y of the London Borough of Ealing and includes all slip roads and the two-way section at the top of the slip road by the former Master Brewer site. 11. Clearly in the period since the scheme first came into existence, and especially in the period following the Borough’s secession in 2001, there have been some modest changes to the local highway network. London Councils has undertaken work with officers to review the precise detail of the network if and when the principle has been agreed; any alterations that result would go through a normal Traffic Management Order revision process. 12. Furthermore, as part of re -joining the scheme, there clearly may need to be some review of warning signage, the reasonable costs of this to be borne by London Councils under the remit of the scheme itself. There would clearly need to be further work on this signage assessment, and officers have stressed to London Councils that should there be in principle support for the scheme, then the Council would also expect the extent of this signage (locations, frequency, size, potential conflict with other signs) to be kept to the absolute minimum. 13. London Councils’ officers have noted and accepted these concerns but have highlighted the fact that the need for side-road signage will in any case be limited, as a simple consequence of the size of goods vehicles of more than 18 tonnes, and the likelihood that many side roads would not be large enough to carry them in any case. Notwithstanding this, officers would wish to work jointly with London Councils and be in a position to present any ERN revisions and associated signage proposals to Members, or to delegate this role to a Chief Officer. 14. The London Borough of Hillingdon re-joining the London Lorry Control Scheme means enforcement will be undertaken on larger vehicles not using prescribed and direct routes to and from their destination. This will result in enforcement action being undertaken on the vehicles who use short cuts / rat runs on residential roads which has a negative impact on residents living on these. This will improve quality of life for Hillingdon residen ts and reduce the number of complaints received by the Council in regard to HGVs using unsuitable residential roads. 15. In order for Hillingdon to re-join the scheme the previous decision not to be part of the scheme made in 2003 needs to be revoked and instruction to re-join the scheme given to Officers. This has been set out as the first recommendation of this report. The Chief Executive of the Council can then provide written confirm ation to the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee that Hillingdon wish to re- join the scheme and at the same time delegate the necessary authority to London Councils to take enforcement action under the London Lorry Control Scheme. London Councils will provide the necessary paperwork to delegate powers Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public once approved by the Leader and Cabinet Member. Officers will arrange for these to be signed, returned and recorded by Democratic Services. Financial Implications There are no direct financial implications associated with the recommendations to this report. Membership to the London Lorry Control Scheme is now free for London boroughs. The costs associated with the scheme such as enforcement and signage requirements are funded by the penalty charges issued to offending vehicles; the organisation and administration of which is managed by London Councils. Existing staff resources within Transport, Aviation & Town Centre Initiatives will undertake partnership working with London Councils. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities In recent years there have been increasing pressures on the Council’s Highways Network from ever larger and more frequent goods vehicles, and correspondence from residents concerned at the noise nuisance; this is likely to be a continuing trend with the growth of home deliveries. The Council re-joining the scheme will improve the lives of Hillingdon residents as HGV movements can be controlled. Consultation carried out or required No consultation is required as part of the recommendations set out in this report. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and concurs with the financial implications set out above, noting that the costs of the scheme are covered by penalty charge income managed by London Councils. Legal The Borough Solicitor this confirms that the legal implications are included in the body of the report. Infrastructure / Asset Management None at this stage. BACKGROUND PAPERS Greater London Council Traffic Management Order 1985 No.343 Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public Minutes of the decision by Cabinet Member for Planning & Transportation dated 17 th February 2003. Cabinet Member Report – 27 April 2021 Part 1 - Public APPENDIX A: MAP OF EXISTING SCHEME
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Cabinet Member Decision Notice – 14 May 2021 OFFICIAL DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES ON 14 MAY 2021 The Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport has made the following decision today: 1. LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AND THE CABINET MEMBER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORT LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON RE -JOINING THE LONDON LORRY CONTROL SCHEME DECISION: That the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport: 1) Revoked the decision made on 13 February 2001 for the London Borough of Hilling don not to be part of the London Lorry Control Scheme and agreed to now formally participate in the scheme to facilitate enforcement of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on the Hillingdon road network; 2) Requested that the Chief Executive delegates the necessary authority on behalf of the London Borough of Hillingdon to the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) to give effect to this; 3) Requested Council Officers to work with London Councils to ensure appropriate signage is provided on the local highway network to denote the London Lorry Control Scheme; and 4) Were mindful of the changes in travel patterns and heavy goods vehicle logistics in the twenty years since the Council formally left the scheme and asked officers to work with their counterparts at London Councils to establish if revisions may be needed to the LLCS ‘Excluded Route Network’ from a local perspective, then to report their findings back to the Cabinet Member for Public Safety and Transport. REASONS FOR THE DECISIONS MADE In re-joining the London Lorry Control Scheme, enforcement will be undertaken on larger vehicles not using prescribed and direct routes to and from their destination. This will result in penalty charge notices Perry Scott, Director of Infrastructure, Procurement, Business Improvement, Communications, Waste Services and ICT Sophie Wilmot, Residents Services Cabinet Member Decision Notice – 14 May 2021 being issued to vehicles who use short cuts / rat runs on residential roads which has a negative impact on residents living in these areas, particularly with regard to noise pollution. This will improve quality of life for residents and reduce the number of complaints received by the Council in regard to HGVs using unsuitable residential roads. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED The Cabinet Members could have chosen not to revoke the previous decision made and for the London Borough of Hillingdon not to re-join the London Lorry Control Scheme at this time. This would result in no enforcement action occurring on HGVs using residential roads around the Borough. FURTHER INFORMATION The detailed report relating to this decision is available to view here. DECISION AUTHORITY & IMPLEMENTATION Where required, these decisions have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. These decisions, unless called in, will come into effect from 5pm on Friday 21 May 2021. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above decisions. If you would like more information on any of the decisions, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636. The right hand column indicates the name of the officer(s) responsible for implementing / following up the decision in each case. Circulation of this decisions sheet is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public.