Note of Neighbourhood Meeting & Priorities Neighbourhood Manadon with Widey Date 08/03/2012 Time (start & finish) 6pm-7.15 Venue Crownhill Library Councillors/Officials (name & title) in attendance; Chair Number of members of the public attending Apologies received Note taken by Councillor Ian Bowyer, Councillor Lynda Bowyer, PCSO Sally Montgomery, Nicola Blackwell (PCH), Jill Currie (Neighbourhood Liaison Officer) 32 Jill Currie Previously agreed priorities Item 1: Lane priorities on slip road from A386 onto Manadon roundabout (heading south) Item 2: Item 3: Update An Officer from Highways attended this session. See below for discussion Parking in Trewithy Road and area around Widey School Traffic Lights Sequencing at Fort Austin Ave junction with Widey Lane Status: Resolved, Concluded, Being followed up, or No action since last meeting? Being followed up Being Followed up Resolved. Other Matters Discussed Slip road onto Manadon Roundabout. Response/Proposed Action Clive Perkins from Highways assured the meeting that his team are continually monitoring the roundabout to ensure it is operating as effectively as possible. The objectives are to keep the traffic moving through the junction and prevent queues forming that would slow down all the traffic on A386 and to keep the junctions as safe as possible. Changes are difficult to make and Highways have limited scope in the physical environment. The problem is that people cannot get out of Southwell Road. The officer recognised that it is difficult but not impossible to cross the inside lane. It is not possible to put a yellow box there as they can only be placed in signalised control areas. 1 of 5
Floor: If you can t put a yellow box on the exit from Southwell Road onto the slip road, is it not possible to put in traffic lights to generate the right conditions for a yellow box? Response: It is a complex situation and the Highways team do a lot of modelling of different scenarios to make the best decisions. The Officer was happy to consider the diagram the member of the public presented but remarked that there are issues of proximity to traffic lights for buses but that Highways liaise closely with bus operators. Floor: Is it possible to install cameras on the roundabout to monitor traffic? Response: if the inside lane was just a dedicated bus lane then yes they could but as the inside lane is for Exeter bound traffic it would be difficult to monitor and enforce. Highways will consider cameras and alternatives. Floor: As you approach the roundabout there is a 40mph speed limit. Where does the 40mph limit start? Response: Not quite sure. Highways will check it out. Floor: Are there any plans to prevent cars parking in cycle lanes? Response: We are pushing for better cycling infrastructure. Highways are monitoring the situation: the priority is to remove parked cars in order to keep traffic flowing. Floor: What proportion of traffic is going down the left lane and going straight on to Mutley rather than turning left for Exeter? Response: A full count has not been done recently. Floor: it seems like 1 in 5 cars go on to Mutley. They do this because at peak times the tailback goes halfway to Tavistock. Response: traffic flow is better but still a problem at peak times. Councillor Bowyer: Fewer people are abusing the system. The Council will continue to monitor the situation and will consider the suggestions made tonight. Other questions for Highways Team Floor:It is difficult to get out of Morshead Road onto the A386 because Morshead Road is not controlled by traffic lights. Please could a delay be put on the sequencing so that traffic can get out of Morshead Road safely? Response: Traffic Control Centre is constantly monitoring the flow of traffic across the city. Highways will look at this problem Floor: What s the law about parking on the pavement? Response: This is not a straightforward issue. Outside London, it is not illegal to park on the pavement unless you are causing an obstruction for pedestrian traffic. The Police can do certain interventions such as asking people to move if they are blocking access or preventing people using the pavement. Highways are pushing to make it illegal to park on pavements but at the moment it is a complex process to stop this habit: traffic orders are needed for each street; signage needs to be considered etc. Parking on pavements causes lots of issues: damage to pavement, increased insurance claims, danger for disabled and visually impaired people. PCSO: in the past I have spent a week booking people but I can t 2 of 5
Questions for PCSO Sally Montgomery Permit Holders Signage in Cross Park Rubbish bins Traffic Lights at Widey spend all my time doing it. People just are not public spirited any more. They will pay their fines and carry on parking. Floor: Can something be done about the paint on road junctions around Crownhill Village? On some there is hardly any paint, which makes it difficult for all road users. Apparently, unless paint coverage is less than 30% no action will be taken. Response: Street inspectors are responsible for assessing road markings and potholes. They inspect on a cyclical basis and in response to requests by the public. Floor: there are two very big potholes on the northbound carriageway of the Tavistock Road. Comment: A camera is needed on the slip roads coming off Manadon Roundabout. People are using it as a race track. Floor: The double yellow lines around Widey School are disappearing, Is it true that they cannot be enforced? Cllr Bowyer: Yes, you cannot enforce double yellow lines if people cannot see them. Again, paint will only be reapplied when they are down to 30%. We will advise the street inspectors. PCSO: As Community Support Officer, I cannot issue tickets but can deal with pavement parking if it is causing an obstruction. I do talk to people and write letters. The Council s Parking Officers are responsible for enforcement. Getting evidence is key for getting action to be taken. The parking issues are a balancing act of expectations and reality. It is a problem that cannot be solved immediately and all primary schools across the city seem to have the same problem. The reality is that parents are not acting responsibly. Floor:Why have most of the signs for Permit Holders Only Parking been removed from the East Side of Cross Park Avenue? Cllr Bowyer: we were unaware of this development and will find out what is happening. Floor: Public rubbish bins are not being emptied.. Particular problems are the bin on the lane between Cross Park and Trewithy Drive and the bin at the junction of Widey Lane and Fort Austin Avenue. Cllr Bowyer: We will sort it out. Come direct to us with these kinds of problems and we will undertake to get the right people to solve them. Floor: Is there any reason why there cannot be bins by bus stops? Cllr Bowyer: Yes: cost. Maintenance and emptying them adds to the ongoing costs for Plymouth City Council. However, there is good news in that the Garden Waste Collection Scheme is being opened to everyone. You can phone the Council for some more bags. Floor: Why do the Council use blowers to disperse the grass when they mow the grass verges: it looks terrible, must block drains and people end up walking grass into their houses. Response: Cllr Bowyer will find out. Good news on this. An officer from Highways has met with PCSO 3 of 5
Lane/Fort Austin Ave junction. Montgomery and talked to users of the crossing. He has changed the timings so that people have longer to cross the road. This is a good outcome to the problem Crownhill Traders petition The owner of the Pet Shop is leading a petition to get the parking limit in the car park raised from 2 hours to 3 hours. People are put off by the Pay and Display machine even though no payment is required. The main issue is that 2 hours is not long enough to access all the shops, especially for hairdresser and dentist appointments. Concern was also raised about the empty shops: the parking limit might be putting off traders coming into the Village. There is also a risk of vandalism and the community does not want to see even more shops closing: we need to keep the shopping area vibrant and viable. Longer parking would help. Cllr Bowyer responded that the Council is keen not to do anything that would impact adversely on Crownhill Village as a commercial centre. There are no plans to charge in the car park: the machine is to prevent people parking free all day and going off to work elsewhere. Cllrs Bowyer will talk to Highways and see if it is feasible to change the parking limit from 2 to 3 hours. Concern risk of yet more takeaways in the empty shops Drains Anyone wanting to change the use of a business needs to put in a request for planning permission. Councillor Lynda Bowyer is on the planning committee. Each case is considered on its own merits but Cllr Lynda Bowyer will represent the views of the community. Any business replacing a previous one on a like for like basis does not need planning permission. Floor: What is the procedure for getting drains cleared? The drains in the underpass are clogged and the 3 sets of drains in the Village keep getting blocked. Response: The Council address this problem citywide on a riskbased basis. If you know the location of a problem area, let Cllr Bowyer know and he will get it addressed. New Priorities Proposed Action Who to take forward Item 1:Parking at Trewithy/Widey Lane area Camera Car; enforcement; PCSO to continue to talk to motorists Cllr Bowyer/PCSO Item 2: Manadon Roundabout Item 3: Timing at exit from Morshead Road onto A386 Continue consultation with Highways to look for better solutions. Ask Highways to put a delay on the traffic lights either on A386 or at Bladder Lane so that traffic can exit Crownhill Village safely Cllr Bowyer Cllr Bowyer Positive feedback at this meeting A grit bin will be provided at the bottom of Cross Park Road. 4 of 5
Next meeting date/time/venue: Thursday 7 th June from 6-7pm at Crownhill Library. See our website www.plymouth.gov.uk/yourneighbourhood Telephone enquiries: Social Inclusion Unit (01752) 304321 For internal inputting purposes only: All information entered onto database? Saved on S drive? Saved on website? Initial and date when completed: 5 of 5