Report re Firth Park Child Safety Zone

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

 

REPORT TO WEST AND NORTH PLANNING AND HIGHWAYS AREA BOARD

13 NOVEMBER 2007

                                   

RESULTS OF THE CONSULATION ON THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR FIRTH PARK SOUTH CHILD SAFETY ZONE

1.0             PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1      To inform Members about the results of the public consultation on the preliminary design for the Firth Park South Child Safety Zone (CSZ) and to seek approval to proceed with the construction of the scheme.

 

1.2      To ask members to over-rule one objection to the scheme.

 

2.0       BACKGROUND

 

2.1      A review of the Child Safety Zone priority order was carried out earlier this year and Cabinet gave approval on the 13 June 2007 for a revised method of prioritising the Zones.  Firth Park South is number one in the revised priority order due to its child accident rate. Over a five year period 13 people have been injured in the area defined as Firth Park South, 4 of these were children and 2 suffered serious injuries. Although it is acknowledged that the accident numbers are relatively low for a child safety zone, this is a small area and the accident rate per square kilometre is comparatively high. The area covered by the Firth Park South is indicated in Appendix A. 

 

2.2     In January 2007 the first round of consultation about the concept of a self enforcing 20mph zone was held in Firth Park South.  We received overwhelming support from those residents who responded, with 87% in favour.

 

2.3     On the 12 June 2007 the Area Board gave approval to proceed with the design of the Firth Park South CSZ and, subject to no objections being received, to construct the traffic calming measures on site.

 

2.4     Previous CSZs have taken about 18 months to deliver; in this case we have a 12 month timescale.  It follows that any delay could risk its delivery within the current financial year and would have a knock-on effect on the whole programme.

 

2.5     The Department for Transport has demonstrated that self-enforcing 20mph zones achieve an average reduction of 60% of all accidents and 67% of child accidents. The experience of traffic calming schemes in Sheffield is that they reduce traffic speeds and casualties by even more than this.

 

3.0     PUBLIC CONSULTATION

 

3.1     On previous Child Safety Zones consultation has been undertaken by a single leaflet drop to all residents in the area.  However, for the Firth Park South CSZ, we have effectively held four rounds of consultation with residents. In the first round a letter listing three options with a response form was sent to local residents. The second event was to present these options at a regular Burngreave Area Panel meeting. This resulted in the third round at a special Area Panel meeting and the fourth round was a further letter asking residents for responses on eleven options.

           

3.2     The First Round.  Generally, consultation is held with residents on a single preliminary design for a Child Safety Zone. However, our initial consultation identified that some residents were concerned about the high volume of traffic on Idsworth Road and Bolsover Road.  It was decided to develop two additional options addressing these concerns for consultation.

 

          The three options were:

 

Option 1          Introduction of road humps and/or speed cushions on all the    roads within the Child Safety Zone.

 

Option 2          As option 1, but with the addition of one-way traffic on Idsworth Road (eastbound) between Barnsley Road and Horndean Road and one-way traffic on Bolsover Road (eastbound) between Barnsley Road and Vickers Road.

 

Option 3          As option 1, but with the addition of a road closure on Idsworth Road near its junction with Barnsley Road, One-way traffic on Horndean Road (northbound) and one-way traffic on Bolsover Road between Barnsley Road and Ellerton Road.

 

3.3      On the 19 June 2007 an explanatory letter and plans showing the options were delivered to every household and business within the boundary of the proposed Child Safety Zone, (approximately 1,300 properties).  The letter explained the outcome of the earlier consultation and asked residents to complete a pre-paid response form indicating their preferred option.  A copy of the letter and response form are in Appendix B.

 

3.4      We received 235 replies to the consultation letter including one objection.  In total 91% of the replies were in favour of the 20mph speed limit and traffic calming. The results were are follows:

 

·        117 (50%) were in favour of option 1

·        40 (17%) were in favour of option 2

·        42 (18%) were in favour of option 3

·        14 (6%) were in favour of any scheme

·        22 (9%) were against any scheme

 

3.5      The Second Round.  The Area Panel had concerns that residents were confused by the options and invited officers to attend the Burngreave Area Panel meeting on 19 July 2007 to explain each proposal.  The consultation period was extended to give residents who attended the meeting an opportunity to have their views included with those returned by post.  There was general agreement that area wide traffic calming was needed.  However, some residents expressed very strong concerns about the options and put forward other proposals to address them.  The debate continued for some time and the Chair decided to arrange a special meeting to explore these ideas in more detail.

 

3.6      The Third Round.  The special Area Panel Meeting that focused solely on the Firth Park South Child Safety Zone was held on the 31 July 2007.  Residents sat in groups around tables with an officer acting as a facilitator for each group.  All the comments were recorded for each group and collated afterwards, the result was that a further eight options were developed.

 

3.7     In summary, these options were: -

 

Horndean Road

·        No entry to Horndean Road from Barnsley Road

·        Remain two-way

Idsworth Road

·        One-way from Barnsley Road to Firth Park Road

·        One-way from Firth Park Road to Barnsley Road

·        Remain two-way

·        Closure of Idsworth Road near its junction with Barnsley Road

Bolsover Road

·        One-way from Firth Park Road to Barnsley Road

·        One-way from Barnsley Road to Firth Park Road

·        Remain two-way

Vivian Road

·        One way from Firth Park Road to Granby Road

·        Remain two-way

 

3.8      The Fourth Round.  A second letter and prepaid response form were delivered to every household in the Child Safety Zone on the 20 August 2007. The letter confirmed that there was strong support for the area wide traffic calming and asked residents to indicate their preferred options on the response form.  A copy of the documents sent out forms Appendix C. The final results show that the preferred options of local residents are:

           

·        Horndean Road to remain two-way

·        Idsworth Road to remain two-way

·        Bolsover Road to remain two-way

·        Vivian Road to be made one-way from Firth Park Road to Granby Road.

          

4.0     FORMAL OBJECTION TO THE 20MPH ZONE 

 

4.1      One formal written objection was received to the Firth Park South Child Safety Zone from a resident who lives on Addison Road. The resident raised three different reasons for the objection. These are stated in the paragraphs below with Officer responses.

 

4.2      The resident stated: – “The proposals are to place a 20mph sign at the base of my road. This would block my window and ruin the view I have of Firth Park Wood”

            Officer Response:

            The exact location of road signs is part of the detailed design process, which will not commence until we have received Area Board Approval. The objector has been assured that every effort will be made to locate the 20mph sign as unobtrusively as possible to avoid affecting the view to Firth Park Wood. However, It must also be considered that the positioning of signs is often governed by the presence of existing underground cables and pipes which prevents the optimum positioning of the post and it’s foundation. Additionally the 20mph sign must be located to enable motorists to see it and relate it to the specific restriction it governs.

           

4.3      The second point raised was “The Council are planning to place double yellow lines for 10m around my house, entirely unacceptable”

            Officer Response:

            The proposed double yellow lines will improve safety for vehicles emerging from the junction of Addison Road / Firth Park Road as visibility will be increased.  The preliminary design proposed double yellow lines of 15m around the junction; these have now been reduced on Addison Road in response to feedback. It is now proposed that the waiting restrictions will be 10m.     It should be noted that the proposed double yellow lines can only be introduced following the making of a Traffic Regulation Order, which requires the Council to notify the public of its intention by displaying a notice in the Sheffield Star and notices are also placed on-street. Members of the public are entitled to make representations (objections or support) in writing within a 3 week period of the Notices appearing. All these representations will be reported to the Area Board who will decide whether to uphold or over-rule any objections. Therefore it is recommended that the Child Safety Zone with traffic calming and a 20mph speed should still go ahead as there will be further opportunity for any issues with double yellow lines to be resolved through the correct procedures.

           

4.4      The third point raised was “The Council are also planning speed humps, but they have failed to observe that Addison Road is a very steep hill and in icy weather these humps will become dangerous to drive over”

            Officer Response:

            We have installed humps in similar locations to Addison Road without any problems occurring. It is thought that because driver speeds are low due to the humps, the surface friction of the humps is significantly higher than the surrounding carriageway. Drivers also tend to take more care when the prevailing road conditions are poor.

      

5.0      ENVIRONMENTAL, FINANCIAL AND PROPERTY IMPLICATIONS

 

5.1       There will be a reduction in noise pollution and air quality will improve.

There will be greater opportunities for walking especially for elderly pedestrians and children.

 

5.2       There is an allocation in the Local Transport Plan budget for the scheme design and construction in the current financial year. 

 

5.3       There are no particular property implications.

 

6.0       EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

6.1       The Child Safety Zone will improve the quality of life for vulnerable road users in this area.

 

7.0       CONCLUSION

 

7.1       The consultation carried out has shown that 91% of residents who responded are in favour of a 20mph zone with traffic calming.  After listening to the feedback from the local community, the results show that residents want Horndean Road, Idsworth Road and Bolsover Road to remain two-way. They also want Vivian Road to be made a one-way street.  This will improve safety at the junction of Vivian Road / Firth Park where there have been four accidents in 5 years.

 

7.2       The lengthy consultation period has increased the design process by about eight weeks.  This has increased the pressure on an already tight delivery programme and any further delay would create a risk that the scheme may not be delivered this financial year.

 

7.3       The concerns of the objector have been addressed and there will be further consultation during detailed design as to the exact location of 20mph signs and the location of double yellow lines.

 

8.0       RECOMMENDATIONS

 

8.1       That approval be given to proceed with the detailed design and construction of the Firth Park South Child Safety Zone.

 

8.2       That the formal objection to the Firth Park South Child Safety Zone be over-ruled.

 

8.3       That the objector be informed accordingly.

 

John Bann

Head of Transport and Highways                                                    1 November 2007