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Agenda item

Objections to the introduction of "No Entry" traffic restrictions with short one way working and pedal cycle bypass in Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road

This report details the responses received following the advertisement of the public notice on the proposed ‘No entry’ with short one-way working and pedal cycle bypass in Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road.

Minutes:

The Traffic Management Advisory Committee considered the report the responses received following the advertisement of the public notice on the proposed ‘No entry’ with short one-way working and pedal cycle bypass in Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road.

 

The Chair informed the meeting that he would use his discretion to vary the speaking protocol to allow more than one person to speak in support or objection and more than one resident association in light of the level of interest in the item.

 

Mr Morgan spoke in objection to the proposals stating that they would cause more problems than they would solve and that it was a pity that the Lebanon Road decision had not been reviewed. Mr Morgan also noted that the residents of Canning Road did not support the recommendations.

 

It was further stated that there was no data from the consultation that changing Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road to be one-way would cause traffic issues on the main roads and residents having to drive an extra half mile to reach their homes, however were was no suggestion in the report of what the consequences of the proposals would be. Mr Morgan concluded by requesting the Committee consider introducing one-way working in Addiscombe Court Road only and to survey the residents of Lebanon Road regarding the possibility of reversing the previous decision.

 

Mr Porter addressed the Committee in objection to the proposals suggesting that Canning Road should be kept as two-way working but that Addiscombe Court Road could go ahead and the impact on Canning Road assessed. Mr Porter further highlighted that a wider project on the whole area should be undertaken by the Council with Transport for London (TfL) which would resolve issues experienced in area east of East Croydon train station. It also suggested that Clyde Road should be reversed to enable traffic to travel northbound which it was considered would improve traffic flow at the junction.

 

Mr Duce informed the Committee that there was now more traffic in the area. Elgin Road had a nursery and there were people pulling out and creating traffic issues, and as such proposals that enable traffic dispersal were required. Mr Duce suggested the need to change the traffic lights and to make the light stay green for a longer time. Mr Duce was of the view to remove the current restrictions rather than imposing further restrictions.

 

Mr Niklaus thanked the Committee for the opportunity to address the meeting and supported the proposals to make Addiscombe Court Road one-way as it was necessary for normality to be restored. The Committee were informed that Mr Niklaus and his wife were profoundly deaf but that they had experienced an increased volume of vibrations around their home.

 

It was stated that residents frequently witnessed traffic overtaking stationary trams which was extremely dangerous and was an accident waiting to happen especially as there were a number of disabled residents in the area. Mr Niklaus stressed that it was not reasonable for residents to feel vulnerable around their home, especially as he and his wife were unable to hear people warning them of the dangers.

 

Mr Niklaus urged the Committee to proceed with the proposals and to assess the impact on the wider area as additional changes to surrounding roads may need to be required.

 

Ms McNulty stated that after having read through all the responses to the consultation, both in objection and support, that she felt that the facts had remained unchanged and that there was a big safety issue on Addiscombe Court Road that needed to be addressed. It was stressed that it was felt that the arguments in favour outweighed those against, in particular in regards to safety.

 

At the north end of Addiscombe Court Road it was noted that the volume of traffic and speed of traffic had increased and as such immediate action was necessary. Ms McNulty concluded that while she was not a person with protected characteristics she did feel vulnerable on her road and desired a change.

 

Mr Hinton stated that the reason the proposals were being discussed was as a result of a previous decision to make Lebanon Road one-way, a scheme it was felt was flawed as assumptions of where traffic would go were incorrect. Public safety risks were raised, in particular vehicles overtaking the tram on a blind corner. The impact of high traffic and noise experienced by residents was also raised as a matter that needed to be resolved.

 

Ms Rabe noted the constant noise experienced by residents of Addiscombe Court Road which started from 7am and was similar to having the bass of the sound system on very loud. Trams were frequently overtaken by vehicles and it had been witnessed on several occasions vehicles travelled down roads in the wrong direction. While Ms Rabe was in favour of the proposals she did not want the unpleasant experience moved to another road in the area and requested the Council investigate carefully with TfL a scheme for the wider area.

 

Ms Soale stated that there had been a huge increase in traffic following the changes to Lebanon Road which had created an unpleasant environment. The Committee were informed that if residents opened their windows in the summer a black film of dirt would appear on their windowsills from the pollution.

 

Ms Soale informed the Committee that taxi drivers had been seen speeding down the road, and 50 seater coaches and building lorries were using it as a short-cut. Furthermore, it was noted that Addiscombe Court Road did not have off-street parking so there were only small gaps between cars to enable cars to pass and often cars came head to head. Ms Soale concluded by suggesting that cars should go southbound on Lebanon Road.

 

Ms Mackrell stated that the dynamics of the road had completely changed in the ten years she had lived on Addiscombe Court Road, from being a residential road to feeling like a main road. Members were informed that residents had been verbally abused by motorists when assisting their children into cars, furthermore it was no longer felt safe to the cross the road at the top of Addiscombe Court Road as it was likened to a game of chicken. Ms Mackrell concluded that a ‘main road mentality’ was required as vulnerable people needed to be monitored carefully to maintain their safety.

 

Mr Moore provided the Committee with his personal experiences, stating that traffic started between 4am and 5am which made it difficult to sleep through the night. By 7am, it was stated, there was a high volume of traffic on Addiscombe Court Road and the exhaust fumes could be smelt. The impact of the pollution on the health of young people was noted as being serious and requiring consideration. Mr Moore concluded that he did not want the issue passed onto neighbours in the surrounding roads and would support mitigation measures if they requested them in future, but stressed the need for immediate action in Addiscombe Court Road.

 

Ms Chadda provided the Committee with a personal experience of crossing the top of Addiscombe Court Road. She stated that she had looked carefully before attempting to cross the road and noted no oncoming traffic, however when she was midway crossing a car came round the corner very quickly and the driver was upset at having to stop. It was stressed that it was not a pleasant experience and that she feared for the safety of her own child and others who needed to cross the road.

 

Ms Karelis addressed the Committee in objection to the proposals noting that there were nursery schools and nursing homes in the area and parking needed to be accommodated as there were safety concerns for the children travelling on the roads around the area. Ms Karelis raised concerns that restricting access to road would make it difficult to access the main roads and that the issues experienced were due to the decision made in regards to Lebanon Road.

 

Mr Thompson represented Canning and Clyde Residents Association noting that the residents of Canning Road were divided as they did not want the increased traffic but did not want to lose access to their properties. There was a strong feeling, it was stated, that the proposals were misguided and there would be a similar fallout as had been seen from the one-way implementation on Lebanon Road with Elgin Road becoming a rat run. As such it was felt that the proposals were dividing the community as none of the roads wanted to become a rat run. It was suggested that a one-way system of roads may need to be considered to alleviate the issue of one road taking all of the traffic.

 

Mr Davis of the East Croydon Community Organisation suggested that if the aim was to address safety concerns then enforcement of no overtaking would be required, in particular on Addiscombe Road. Mr Davis stated that if the proposals were implemented then the effect would be to displace the traffic onto Elgin Road and further eastwards which was not felt to be a solution to the problem. It was further noted that if the Council wanted to improve pedestrian safety then it would implement safety measures, rather it was felt that the proposals would only divide the community and was not the way forward to solving the issue.

 

Ms de Souza of HOME Residents Association addressed the Committee in objection to the proposals and noted that there had been 84 written objections which needed to be considered. While there was a need to stem the traffic problems it was necessary to find an equitable solution that would not negatively impact upon the residents of the surrounding area.

 

It was stated by Ms de Souza that if the scheme were to proceed then residents would be required to go south crossing the tram at Park Hill and many would be required to go down the residential road of Elgin Road. It was stressed that the proposals would impact thousands of residents and that any traffic restrictions should be in response to criminal behaviour.

 

Concerns were raised that there was no clarity of whose responsibility it was to implement changes to Addiscombe Court Road as TfL suggested that as it was not a red route it was the responsibility of the Council to implement measures such as road bollards. Ms de Souza conclude that the proposals would only cause displacement of traffic and would have a negative impact on residents in the wider community.

 

Ms Dodgson spoke to the Committee representing TACRA stating that there was a significant risk to public safety and as such 129 residents had signed a petition to request a change. While it had been recognised that there was a safety risk at the tram stop the Police would not enforce road safety as it had been deemed too dangerous.

 

The strength of feeling that the current situation was intolerable, it was stated, had been demonstrated. While the proposals it was noted would reduce people from turning sharp left into Addiscombe Court Road it would not stop motorists from overtaking trams which would remain a safety concern. Ms Dodgson concluded that she did not want to see traffic displacement and the impact of it experienced by other roads.

 

The Chair read out a statement on behalf of Councillor Hay-Justice which stated that she appreciated the issue of rat running which needed to be addressed through a wider review of the area. It was noted that the lives of residents had changed and many residents no longer felt that their home was a place of sanctuary.

 

Councillor Hay-Justice had grave concerns for the safety of residents and it was these concerns that had swayed her opinion that the changes were necessary but would request that immediate mitigation measures were put in place for HOME residents.

 

Councillor Watson noted that the issues experienced by Lebanon Road had been ongoing for over 12 years before it was made one-way. The issue of the front of the houses being close to the road was noted as it increased the impact of high traffic levels on residents. It was noted that the residents of Addiscombe Court Road had petitioned the Council for changed, as the residents of Lebanon Road had done previously, and so Councillor Watson stated he supported the changes to Addiscombe Court Road. However, it was important to listen to the residents and those of Canning Road had not requested a change and had not voted in favour when consulted.

 

Councillor Fitzsimons stated that he supported the introduction of the measures and noted that thousands of residents had not objected to the proposals. Further it was noted that less than half of residents in Addiscombe had cars and many who did, did not use them on a daily basis as a means to commute.

 

It was stressed that it was important to stop rat running in the area and to reintroduce calm, and while Councillor Fitzsimons acknowledged that there would be traffic displacement he did not believe it would all go onto Elgin Road. The review work with TfL was supported by Councillor Fitzsimons as it was recognised that the conditions of whole area needed to be improved and as such the Council were urged to review the plans for the area drawn up in the 1990s and implement the full scheme.

 

In response to Member questions officers stating that they were sure exactly where the traffic would go, but would undertake traffic monitoring of the whole area to facilitate understanding if any further measures were required. Officers stated that they were in conversation with TfL about how the road network could be improved further. The Committee were informed that the refuse collectors were supportive of the scheme as they felt it would facilitate accessing the roads.

 

The Committee queried whether it would be possible to implement the scheme in Addiscombe Court Road only and delay implementation of Canning Road until there was a greater understanding the of impact. Officers expressed concern at implementing the proposal in Addiscombe Court Road as it was felt that it would still enable the through movement of traffic down Canning Road and so recommended implementing the two roads at the same time.

 

Officers clarified that Addiscombe Court Road was the responsibility of the Council, however it would not be possible to place bollards on the road as the trams passed very close to each other and there was not sufficient space.

 

The Committee noted the need for a long term solution with the Council needing to work with TfL to enable a network wide solution and sufficient investment. The Chair suggested that part of the long term solution would be to encourage people to use other forms of transport instead of cars.

 

Members stated that the implementation of one-way working in Addiscombe Court Road was required due to the safety concerns that had been raised by residents, in particular the need to have a ‘main road mentality’ on what should be a residential road. The Committee noted that the decision in regards to Canning Road was more difficult as the consultation had shown that residents were slightly against the introduction of one-way working and the local Resident Association were split in their view. Concerns were raised that by delaying implementation in Canning Road by six months would cause displacement.

 

Members noted that there were divided views on the proposal and stated it was amongst one of the most difficult decisions the Committee had had to make. The biggest consideration, however, was the safety of residents and the proposals, it was felt, would improve the situation and so agreed to the proposal. It was noted that there would be a displacement of traffic and that it might be necessary for further schemes to be brought to the Committee in order to mitigate any significant negative impact of the proposals felt by residents in the surrounding area. Members stressed that it was essential for the impact of implementation was monitored to ensure it was working.

 

The Chair noted that he did not see a community that was divided but one that disagreed about what was the right way forward. It was noted that a number of those who had addressed the meeting had stated that they did not want other roads to experience the traffic displacement that had been experienced by residents of Addiscombe Court Road. The Chair thanked all who had attended and had helped the Committee to make a difficult decision to proceed.

 

The Traffic Management Advisory Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment that they:

 

1.    Consider the objections received in response to the public notice for the introduction of No entry with short one way working and pedal cycle bypass in Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road as shown on appended drawings.

 

2.    The officers to inform the objectors of the Cabinet Member's decision. 

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