BOROUGH OF POOLE

CANFORD HEATH EAST AND WEST, CREEKMOOR AND OAKDALE AREA COMMITTEE

12 MARCH 2008

The Meeting commenced at 7pm and concluded at 8pm.

Present:

Councillor Matthews (Chairman)

Councillors Burden, Curtis, Gillard, Mrs Moore and Rampton.

Also present:

Steve Dean, Transportation Services

Pam Papani, Legal and Democratic Services

Members of the public present:14

CHE34.08APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Allen, Mrs Butt and Mrs Walton.

CHE35.08DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

CHE36.08MINUTES

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 January 2008 be approved as a correct and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Mrs Moore updated the Committee by indicating that she and Councillor Gillard were involved with ongoing discussions regarding the “Three Bears” Play Group (Minute CHE27.08 refers).

CHE37.08TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMME 2008/09

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, presented the Report of the Head of Transportation Services and indicated that the Committee had a budget of £7,500 available for the coming Financial Year. There was a slight over-commitment of £400 but it was hoped that the programme could be achieved within the available budget.

RESOLVED that the Transportation Services Budget for 2008/09 be approved as follows:

Palmer Road,Connell Road / £1,000 / Approved
Vicarage Road Timber Posts / £800 / Approved
Harwell Road – waiting restrictions / £1,000 / Approved
Footpath Barriers Tower Park Footbridge / £700 / Member Request
Fernside Road/St Marys Road/Hunt Road – Yellow Box / £600 / Member Request
School Sign – Dorset Way, Adastral Road Slip Road / £600 / Member Request
Streetlights Furzebrook-Pilsdon Drive Path (2 LCs) / £3,200 / Member Request

TOTAL

/ £7,900

CHE38.08STINSFORD ROAD – TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEME

Councillor Matthews introduced this item stating that Stinsford Road had a long history regarding traffic problems and Ward Councillors were very aware of residents’ concerns.

He indicated that:-

  • There were around 500 houses located off Stinsford Road which co-exist with an entrance to the Nuffield Industrial Estate.
  • The designated HGV route was Hatch Pond Road, however the drivers ignored this and used Stinsford Road to gain access to the Canford Heath Road.
  • One of the main culprits were the Royal Mail lorries. Most of these were actually 7.49 ton and therefore escaped the 7.5 ton lorry ban.
  • Where Stinsford Road joined the Canford Heath Road, there was an existing 7.5 ton lorry ban imposed to protect the residential area from the industrial site. However, this lorry ban was largely ignored.
  • In order to protect the residential roads, two chicanes had been installed during 2001 to help prevent HGV misuse. This had worked reasonably well until recently when they were made wider to enable the new MORE bus to get through. Unfortunately, this also made them wide enough for lorries.
  • The Wilts and Dorset Bus Company took off the MORE bus.
  • Residents were now left with HGV misuse, ineffective chicanes and considerable inconvenience.
  • A survey had been conducted to find out what residents wanted.

The options for consideration had been:-

1)Further modify the chicanes to help prevent use by HGV lorries.
Yes/No

2)Road narrowing scheme (like Cabot Lane) to prevent all large vehicles using the road.
Yes/No

3)Road closure between residential roads and industrial estate.
Yes/No

4)Do nothing at all.
Yes/No

The results showed that:

Modify Existing Chicanes / Width Restriction / Closure / Do
Nothing
No / 23 / 13 / 29 / 48
Yes / 31 / 58 / 37 / 2

Photos taken by a resident illustrating the problems were circulated at the Meeting.

Councillor Matthews suggested that as a result of the survey the following action be taken:-

  1. Install improved signage on the Canford Heath Road and Stinsford Road to help HGV drivers become aware that a 7.5 ton lorry ban existed and that there were chicanes in Stinsford Road.
  1. Impose a width restriction for Stinsford Road (like Cabot Lane) to replace the chicanes and Transportation Officers be requested to work up appropriate designs and identify funding.

During discussion residents raised the following concerns:-

  • Lorries used the road despite the weight restriction.
  • The Post Office used a large number of vehicles under 7.5 tons and these were allowed to use the road.
  • Speeding.
  • Road rage at the chicanes.

Steve Dean, Transportation Services, explained that any design for a Width Restriction would need to address the issue of Emergency Access and minimise manoeuvring if drivers ignored signs and had to turn in the road. Initial designs had been drawn up and would cost over £50,000 to implement and this was beyond the scope of the Area Committee. The Residents’ views would be borne in mind as there were clearly concerns that would need to be considered if there were new developments in the area that would increase traffic flows.

RESOLVED that the Head of Transportation Services, be requested to report on an appropriate scheme to a future Meeting.

CHE39.08OPEN FORUM

  • Mr Corby stated that he was a Member of the Dorset Access Forum and asked why there was no Poole representative. He felt that Poole needed open access to the Countryside. Members agreed to investigate.
  • Mr Gotobed expressed concern about the condition of the footpath from Stinsford Road to the Neighbourhood Centre, Longfleet Drive.
  • Councillor Burden raised the issue of Police attendance. He said that Safer Neighbourhood Meetings were now held every two months but there was a lack of Police presence at Area Committees. Councillor Rampton said the Police were now working more at Ward level and were being asked to attend Ward Meetings. The Committee were reminded that the Police would only come to an area Committee when invited to attend. Councillor Burden felt that the Police should be invited to the next Meeting. It was noted that this would be in the Oakdale Ward.
  • Mr Trimmer referred to a Meeting that had been held the previous evening with Councillor Rampton and the Police regarding the Creekmoor Link Magazine. He expressed disappointment that local residents had not attended. Councillor Rampton added that the Police needed to be worked with at Ward level.

CHE40.08NEXT MEETING

This would be held at 7pm on 11 June 2008 at Oakdale Community Centre, Wimborne Road, Poole.

CHAIRMAN

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