Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Avenue Close, West Drayton - Objection To Proposed Waiting Restrictions
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext: 0833 DDI: 01895 250833 My Ref: CMD 498 To: COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BIANCO CABINET MEMBER FOR PROPERTY, HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORT c.c. All Members of the Property, Highways & Transport Select Committee c.c. Caroline Haywood, Place Directorate c.c. Perry Scott, Corporate Director for Place Date: 24 May 2022 Non-Key Decision request Form D AVENUE CLOSE, WEST DRAYTON - OBJECTION TO PROPOSED WAITING RESTRICTIONS 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 1 June 2022 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. James Jones Democratic Services Apprentice Title of Report: Avenue Close, West Drayton – Objection to Proposed Waiting Restrictions Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ………………………………………………………Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public AVENUE CLOSE, WEST DRAYTON - OBJECTION TO PROPOSED WAITING RESTRICTIONS Cabinet Member(s) Councillor Jonathan Bianco Cabinet Portfolio(s) Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport Officer Contact(s) Caroline Haywood, Place Directorate Papers with report Appendix A - Location Plan Appendix B - Plan of Proposal Appendix C - Plan of Revised Proposal HEADLINES Summary To inform the Cabinet Member that objections has been received to the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions on Avenue Close, West Drayton. Putting our Residents First The request can be considered as part of the Council’s annual programme of road safety initiatives. Financial Cost There are no direct costs associated with the recommendations in this report. Relevant Select Committee Property, Highways & Transport Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) West Drayton RECOMMENDATIONS That the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport: 1) Considers the objections received from the statutory consultation for the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions on Avenue Close, West Drayton; 2) Asks officers to defer the propos ed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions on Avenue Close, as shown on Appendix B; and 3) Asks officers to proceed with the formal consultation on a revised proposal to install ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions on Avenue Close, West Drayton as shown as Appendix C. Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public Reasons for recommendations To address concerns from residents yet still maintaining parking for residents. Alternative options considered / risk management The Council could decide to proceed with the installation of the ’At Any Time’ waiting restrictions as advertised. Democratic compliance / previous authority None at this stage. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. Avenue C lose is a residential cul -de-sac within West Drayton Ward comprising of 11 properties. Avenue Close leads onto The Green and then onto Mill Road which is one of the routes out of the borough. There are existing double yellow lines on both sides of the entrance to Avenue Close. A plan of the area is shown on Appendix A to this report. 2. The Council received a request from a local resident for measures to remove obstructive parking on Avenue Close. As a consequence, a detailed site investigation was undertaken by Council officers. 3. Officers observed that vehicles were parking on all available kerbside space on Avenue Close. However, these vehicles could restrict forward visibility for vehicles exiting Vineries Close. 4. As a result of the site observations a proposal was developed to install double yellow lines on the furthest south-eastern end of Avenue Close which are intended to improve access and egress to residential properties at the end of the road. The proposed waiting restrictions are shown on the plan attached as Appendix B of this report. 5. The Cabinet Member agreed to take the proposal through the statutory 21-day consultation process, which involved the placing of advertisements in the local press and the display of public notices on site. During this period the Council received three objections to the proposal. 6. The first objector stated “ We strongly object to this proposal. We are already short of parking in Avenue Close. Limited number of cars come to the area. The whole yellow line needs to be reviewed. At the last request a few years ago, a resident said there was no pathway to walk. I have been monitoring and no one uses the path, all resident walk in the Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public road or travel in their cars. Including the resident that complained. You should have someone come and monitor how many people actually use the pathway. Where do you propose that residents park their cars if you put yellow lines on both sides of the road????? Can this question be put to the person who has put in this concern” 7. The second objector stated “The way the parking is at the moment is working ok. The only times there is an obstructive problem, is when cars or vans are parked outside 9 Avenue Close, opposite where you intend to extent the double yellow lines to the corner. This would cause more of an obstruction, as there would be nowhere else to park other than outside 9 Avenue Close, this restricting access to 10- 16 avenue Close. At the moment “ambulances” have a problem backing down there, and we do know “patient ambulances” frequently won’t back down to collect or drop off patients because of cars outside 9 Avenue Close, so what would happen if a “fire engine” and other emergency services were required. So, we think a yellow line would be better use outside No 9. So, no one can park there, and leave your existing parking gap where it is.” 8. The third objector stated “Since moving in, we have made use of the two singular spaces afforded by the narrow and closed street for a variety of reasons such as receiving family members and guests, receiving home renovators/building supplies and deliveries. In fact, the occupants of the entire street have made use of these two spaces for these very same reasons, and we are concerned as to the impact of these works on this implicit facility. If the works were to go ahead, and the remaining space were occupied on a particularly busy day, vans and cars would be forced to park on the curved pavement opposite Franklin House Care Home; this would cause an obstruction to those living in Rickard Close or worse, to emergency services attending the care home, which is a frequent occurrence. I would argue that this potential situation is more grievous in terms of obstruction than the current situation, and so, I do not see a justification for these works when the end result is more problematic than the current situation. Furthermore, from a point of road safety, drivers approaching the close from the north -western direction cannot see any potential hazards approaching from the north-eastern direction; the turn is too sharp and narrow, so visibility is very low for both pedestrians and drivers. This should be a source of greater concern in my opinion, as it has resulted in quite a few near misses. If there have been serious obstructive parking incidents at this location, there are better remedies for this than a double yellow line. For instance, could it not be proposed to formalise two parking bays? They could both be limited/restrictive time bays if the concern is obstruction, enabling delivery vans and other such vehicles access to the road (i.e., 15 minutes only parking or residents only). If this isn't possible, can you kindly propose plans to provide an alternative parking area? The root cause of the problem which has resulted in people parking their cars in that 9-metre space and on the pavement near Rickard Close is the lack of parking for those visiting or accessing the Closes and the Green. There is a lot of unutilised space in the fenced area full of shrubbery and dead plants adjacent to the Southlands Art Centre (circled red below) Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public which could be converted into a few car parking spaces which would be free for verified residents and payable by others. Should this project be undertaken, it would remove the motivation to park one's car in the proposed site as there would be a better and safer alternative, whilst simultaneously removing the obstruction and congestion in the Closes area. In view of the current work from home situation, I do consider the parking situation in the Close a temporary issue that should resolve itself when things return to normal and definitely do not merit permanent double lines in that specific area.” 9. It is not feasible to convert the fenced area full of shrubbery and dead plants adjacent to the Southlands Art Centre into a parking area. The Council do not advocate the removal of grass or vegetation for parking areas. 10. The local Ward Councillors have been consulted and have expressed no concerns on the current proposals. 11. After careful consideration of comments received from the statutory consultation; it is recommended that the Cabinet Member agrees to undertake the formal consultation on the revised proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions in Avenue Close in Appendix C to this report. Financial Implications There are no direct costs associated with the recommendations to this report. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities? There will be no changes to the parking arrangement on Avenue Close at the present time. Consultation carried out or required Consultation has been carried out on this proposal through a notice on site and in the local press. Local Ward Councillors have also been consulted. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate Finance has reviewed the recommendations to this report and concurs with the financial implications as set out above. Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public Legal The Borough Solicitor confirms that there are no legal impediments to the Cabinet Member agreeing the recommendations set out in the report which are in accordance with the outcome of the statutory consultation. Infrastructure / Asset Management There are no property implications resulting from the recommendations set out in this report. Comments from other relevant service areas None at this stage. BACKGROUND PAPERS • Traffic order • O bjection emails TITLE OF ANY APPENDICES Appendix A - location plan Appendix B - plan of proposal Appendix C - plan of revised proposal Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public APPENDIX A – LOCATION PLAN Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public APPENDIX B – PLAN OF PROPOSAL Cabinet Member Report – 24 May 2022 Page 1 Part 1 - Public APPENDIX C - PLAN OF REVISED PROPOSAL