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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2008
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2008 AT 7.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL, GREAT WETERN HOUSE, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT
PRESENT Councillor Mrs D. Watts (Chairman) Presiding
Councillor Mrs G Gaskell (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors Mrs C Bunday
H Cole
D Corney-Walker
C Davieson
Mrs A. Fry
M Hocking
D Howe
K Lewis
K Purchase
K Smith
Co-opted Members
Mr John Hartley of the Newton Area Cycling Club
By Invitation
Peter Grainger, Area Manager, Sustrans
In attendance:
Resident – Dr R Mackridge
Resident – Mr A Morley
418. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Leeper, Mrs S Maddicott and A D Vizor.
419. MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Transportation Committee held on 7th November 2007 were received and signed as a correct record.
420. INTERESTS
None.
421. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Dr Ralph Mackridge, 1 College Road, Newton Abbot attended the Meeting and expressed his concern about the lack of safe and convenient pedestrian and cycle crossing points on the Torquay Road between the Penn Inn Roundabout and the beginning of East Street on one side and the Penn Inn Roundabout and the Railway Station on the other. Dr Mackridge explained that he was extremely disappointed that having made the same request at the Committee’s meeting held on 28th February 2007 nothing has been progressed, especially as the Local Devon County Council Engineers at that time had agreed to investigate the matter.
The Committee was informed that Dr Mackridge had been in touch with County Councillor Gordon Hook regarding the matter. As a result a response had been received from Mr Brian George of DCC that there was nothing in the programme for 2008 and that it was unlikely it would be until Teignbridge District Council decides upon the future of the Brunel Road Industrial Estate.
Dr Mackridge was seeking further support of the Town Council’s Transportation Committee in connection with his request for the pedestrian crossings.
Arising from consideration of the matter, when it was noted that unfortunately the County Council’s budget would follow its programme, it was Agreed that Newton Abbot Town Council would support Dr Mackridge’s request take the matter up with Devon County Council.
422. ROAD SAFETY AND CYCLING MATTERS
(a) Connect 2: Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton
Further to minute 266/11/07 the Committee received an update from Mr Peter Grainger of Sustrans regarding the successful Sustrans Connect 2 bid for Big Lottery Fund Money for the Newton Abbot – Kingsteignton proposals for new cycling/walking links and improved local network.
Mr Grainger tabled a short report setting out details of the successful Big Lottery Fund bid explaining that Newton Abbot was one of 79 schemes in the current list with £500,000 of lottery funding provisionally allocated. It was noted that Devon County Council was the main co-funding partner and much of the network of potential routes identified was its submission, centred around a shared-use path from Kingsteignton to Newton Abbot Town Quay alongside the racecourse and railway line, with a new bridge over the River Teign.
The Committee was informed that another part of the proposals but not on the County Council’s plan at the time of the Lottery bid was for a new path from Milber to Decoy. There were issues with providing such a path in view of its need to cross both the A380 Torquay Road, the adjacent railway line and the Aller Brook. It was stated that for practical and economic reasons only a bridge was suitable. An added issue was the proposals for the Kingskerswell By-pass which did not include a crossing of the A380 road at Milber or Aller.
Mr Grainger concluded by explaining that Sustrans and partners would be negotiating over the next months to agree the core and subsidiary elements of the network to be delivered over the next five years. A representative Steering Group will be reconvened to meet and guide the process and ensure community involvement. In that context the Town Council would be invited in the future to be represented.
Members asked question and made comments on the following points:-
Would the new bridge cross both streams?
Will the proposals be disabled friendly?
He effects on the Town Quay;
Would there be consultation on the design of the bridge?
The possibility of an underground option?
Flooding issues.
Arising from consideration of Mr Grainger’s address it was
RESOLVED that Newton Abbot Town Council supports the provision of a foot and cycle bridge from Milber to Decoy and strongly urges Devon County Council to include the proposal in the Kingskerswell By-pass Scheme.
At the conclusion of discussion on the item, the Chairman stated that the Town Council would very much wish to be invited to be represented on the Steering Group at the appropriate time and thanked Mr Grainger for his attendance, whereupon he left the meeting.
(b) Newton Abbot Cycling Group
Mr John Hartley reported on the following:
Support for the provision of a foot and cycle bridge from Milber to Decoy and strongly urging Devon County Council to include the proposal in the Kingskerswell By-pass Scheme;
The Group was extremely pleased with the Avenue Road Crossing;
The need for better directional signage for cyclists in the Town especially access to the new Scout HQ.
(c) Matters Raised By Members Of The Council
The Mayor, Councillor Keith Smith, raised the issue of problems experienced by cyclists using the A380 Road between Torquay and Newton Abbot, as recently raised in the local press. Members agreed that the condition of the road and the lack of suitable sweeping was hazardous to cyclists. Accordingly it was
RESOLVED that Devon County Council be informed of the Town Council’s concerns with regard to the lack of maintenance, the amount of rubbish in the cycleway and the need for more regular cleaning of the A380 Road between Torquay and Newton Abbot was hazardous to both cyclists and car users.
423. NEWTON ABBOT PEDESTRIANISATION PRIORITY AND ENHANCEMENT WORKS – TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
In the absence of a representative of Devon County Council/Environment Department, the Clerk gave a progress report on the following:-
Works being carried out in Wolborough Street, Lower East Street, Highweek Street and Market Street and Bank Street.
The bus station, works and future provision;
The Avenue – pedestrian crossing;
Bus shelters/Highweek Way
Members raised issues relating to the use of Highweek Way by cars and the obvious conflict with pedestrians and buses; a leaflet produced by Devon County Council entitled ‘Bank Street/Wolborough Street Enhancement Scheme – Traffic Management – a guide to parking and access restrictions’ and the fact the map included was particularly out of date; Disabled parking in the Town; the floodlighting of St Leonard’s Tower; and the positioning of the Christmas tree socket on the Town side of the Tower.
Arising from the above it was
RESOLVED that Devon County Council be informed that the preferred location for the sump pipe for the Christmas tree, with an electrical supply being made available at the same position, would be centrally to the east, Courtenay Street side of the Tower, between the plinth and new Market Cross location.
424. BUS SHELTERS
The Town Clerk reported on the current situation of the provision of new bus shelters in the Town based on the joint Agreement between Adshel, Devon County Council and the Town Council. The Committee was informed that as the Agreement had less than five years to run, Adshell was reluctant to provide any further shelters in Newton Abbot.
The Clerk suggested that the options available to the Council were as follows:-
The Town Council provide and maintain the new shelters itself;
Request the County Council to provide the new shelters. The Town Council would however be required to undertake the maintenance liability;
Negotiate a new 15 year licence between the three parties.
Arising for consideration of the Clerk’s report it was
RESOLVED that the Clerk urgently write to the Devon County Council Solicitor expressing the Town Council’s view that a further 15 year Agreement be negotiated immediately with the Town Council and Adshel for the provision of bus shelters in Newton Abbot.
425. CORRESPONDENCE
(a) South Devon Freight Quality Partnership – The Committee gave consideration to and noted an invitation to join the South Devon Freight Quality Partnership (previously circulated).
(b) Teignbridge District Council Off Street Parking Places Order 2007 (No. 2) – Further to minute 210/9/07 the Clerk reported a letter from Teignbridge District Council that the Order was approved and came into effect on 2nd February 2008. The Committee noted the Order had come into effect and expressed the view that the District Council’s signage needed to be updated and made clear to users.
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Chairman