Issue - decisions

The Committee received a report from John Richards, the Project Leader, Environment, Streets and Open Spaces.

 

The report asked the Committee to consider local public responses to a proposed Traffic Order that would prohibit parking on highway verges within Ramsden Square and the south-eastern extent of Kings Hedges Road, and determine whether it wishes to move forward with the scheme in whole, or in part, or not.

 

The recommendations were as follows:

 

     i.        Consider local consultation responses to a proposal to prohibit verge parking in Ramsden Square and part of Kings Hedges Road.

    ii.        Determine whether to proceed with the proposal to formal statutory draft Traffic Order stage on both, or either, of these two roads.

 

Comments from the Committee:

 

     i.        This is the result of residents asking their Ward Councillors what could be done due to the state of the verges in these areas.

    ii.        Noted that the consultation responses had produced a clear response in favour of a traffic order on Kings Hedges Road and a fifty / fifty response for Ramsden Square.

   iii.        Acknowledged that both schemes would bring an environment improvement to the area.

  iv.        Queried if this procedure could set a precedent in other areas

   v.        Advised caution and should avoid a one size fixes all.

  vi.        Suggested that a city wide approach should be considered by the Cambridge City Joint Area Committee.

 vii.        Questioned if more data was required before a decision could be made on Ramsden Square.

viii.        Remarked that Kings Hedges Road was more affected by this issue which was possibly why the return had more favourable.

  ix.        Suggested a holistic approach should be taken to look at the impact that this could have on the surrounding areas. If parking was not permitted in Kings Hedges Road this could cause people to park on Ramsden Square. A TRO would alleviate this problem.

   x.        The verges offered a safety aspect to the pedestrian with a TRO in place this would protect the verges.

  xi.        Recovery of the verges was not satisfactory and money needed to be sourced to fix the verges properly which would assist people’s perception that they are not to be parked on. 

 xii.        Surprised to note the response to the consultation was low.

xiii.        Could the scheme for Ramsden Square be modified and delegated to Cambridge City Joint Area Committee with limited parking available.

xiv.        Reiterated that if the TRO was implemented on Kings Hedges Road this would cause displaced parking on Ramsden Square.

xv.        Questioned where vehicles would park if the TRO’s were permitted and the over flow would become the next issue.

 

Officer response.

 

     i.        This could set a precedent particularly for Council Housing estates and housing on the ring road.

    ii.        Needs a consistent approach city wide but the solution may not always be the same.

   iii.        The number of returns was low but this equated to a 18% return which was not a “bad return”.

  iv.        The consultation had taken place at the end of the summer holidays when people return to work to try to maximise the number of returns. 

   v.        There are more cars than spaces so parking was displaced.

  vi.        Accepted that the situation needed to be controlled by either relocating parking or strengthening the verges to accommodate that parking although this could be seen as encouraging parking.

 vii.        Acknowledged that there were parts of the City where the verges had been strengthened to accommodate the need for parking but on this occasion the Committee should consider if there was a need protect the verges?

 

Councillor Pitt proposed that a TRO should be permitted for Kings Hedges Road and to defer the decision for Ramsden Square to the Cambridge City Joint Area Committee for further consideration.

 

2 votes in favour for this proposal.

 

Councillor Price proposed to proceed with the proposal to formal statutory draft Traffic Order stage on both of these two roads.

 

Resolved 8 votes in favour of this proposal.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved unanimously to

 

     i.        Consider local consultation responses to a proposal to prohibit verge parking in Ramsden Square and part of Kings Hedges Road.

    ii.        Determine whether To proceed with the proposal to formal statutory draft Traffic Order stage on both, or either, of these two roads.