Weybridge Transport Issues
The Transport Panel of the Society has been active recently in following up issues with the Elmbridge Local Committee of Surrey County Council. It is County and Borough Councillors on this committee who make decisions together on our highways and transportation issues.
Weybridge Society poses questions at the Elmbridge Local Committee
The Weybridge Society Transport Panel co-ordinated the submission of a number of questions at the last meeting of Elmbridge Local Committee held on November 28th. The details of the questions asked are summarised below together with the responses obtained.
Over the years the Transport Panel has submitted a number of questions to the Local Committee. It is a useful forum to solicit the policy of Surrey County Council (SCC) and on occasions to submit petitions. If you have any questions that you feel could be raised via this route then please send details to transport@weybridgesociety.org.uk and we will get back to you.
Petitions & Questions
1. Petition: St. Georges Avenue, Weybridge Road and Egerton Road - Request for waiting restrictions.
This petition was raised by 323 residents requesting that time based parking restrictions were made to improve traffic flow and visibility from adjoining roads. The petition was supported by the Transport Panel. The request had been reviewed by the SCC Parking Team; its need had been agreed and solutions offered. These were included in a Borough Wide Parking review which was also considered at the meeting (see section on the Parking Review below).
2. Surface Water DrainsThe Transport Panel raised the question as what action will be taken to resolve the dangerous and unsatisfactory state of the surface water drains in highways in Weybridge. Specific examples are Old Heath Rd and Hanger Hill near to the station and Queens Rd and Heath Rd near the cricket green and on the Memorial roundabout.
The council reported that all the maintenance actions were nearly exhausted and that these had not provided a permanent solution. When pressed for high priority to undertake repair/renewal the council did not respond.
The Transport Panel feels that this situation is totally unacceptable as the roads affected are part of the Olympic Cycle route and if significant rain fell during the events there would be real danger for the cyclists participating. The Transport Panel is continuing to apply pressure to the Council to ensure that an appropriate solution is found.
Can the Local Committee confirm that the chicanes removed from Oatlands Drive will not be replaced after the Olympics?
The council confirmed that it was not the intention to replace the chicanes removed from Oatlands Drive after the Olympic cycling events. However it was planned to have some form of new street furniture at either end of Oatlands Drive.
It is not clear what form these new works will be; more information is being sought. The Transport Panel is preparing a proposal to improve the cycling lanes in Oatlands Drive.
4. Does the committee recognise the studies which indicate that the more 20mph residential area limits there are the easier their compliance and enforcement is and has the committee any plans to introduce area wide residential speed limits in the borough - If so what is the timescale?
The council stated that they were awaiting further advice from the Department of Transport before deciding what actions, if any, to take on the introduction of 20 mph limits in residential areas.
Can the Elmbridge Local Committee advise the process and timetable [1] for consulting with the public and [2] deciding on any ‘on street parking’ proposals, including when such proposals for Elmbridge will be published?The Local Committee meeting voted unanimously that the proposals for on street parking for Elmbridge announced at the beginning of 2011 should be abandoned.Elmbridge 2011 Parking Review
The report of the SCC Parking Team was published on Friday November 25th just three days before the Local Committee Meeting. Despite the short time available to review the report it was accepted at the meeting by those present.A review of the documentation showed that this report contained drawings for all the proposals – a big weakness identified by the Society with previous reviews. However it became clear that a number of local councillors and their respective residents had not been involved in the process of making recommendations for parking restriction changes. The Transport Panel is very concerned that the SCC timescale for the publication for this review had not been met resulting in a lack of the essential involvement of local councillors and residents on a number of the proposed schemes. This concern is being brought to the attention of local councillors to seek their views on the process and to determine what should be done to ensure that the 2012 Parking Review does follow the SCC published timescale. We will keep you informed on this issue.If you wish to see the details of the 2011 Review then please click on http://bit.ly/u5ACq0 ; please note that this document is very large and may take a few moments to download depending on your internet connection.
16th Dec 2011
