Agenda item

Proposed Pedestrian Facilities Crookes Road/Nile Street/Fulwood Road/Whitham Road, Broomhill

Report of the Executive Director, Place

Decision:

12.1

The Executive Director, Place submitted a report seeking approval to a design option for completion of detailed design and preparation for the construction for the Crookes Road/Nile Street/Fulwood Road/Whitham Road pedestrian facilities.

 

 

12.2

RESOLVED: That the Committee :-

 

 

 

(a)

acknowledge the outcome of the 2011 consultation and the reasons for the delay in progress since then;

 

 

 

 

(b)

approves Option 2 (slip road) for the Crookes Road/Nile Street/Fulwood Road/Whitham Road junction; and

 

 

 

 

(c)

approves the preliminary design of the Option 2 scheme and completion of the detailed design and construction in conjunction with the Streets Ahead programme.

 

 

 

12.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

12.3.1

The scheme consultation clearly indicated that local people wanted to see improved pedestrian facilities at the Crookes Road/Fulwood Road crossroads. However, people did not wish to see any existing turning movements banned, but did accept a degree of additional delay to traffic created by these improvements. Option 2 was also predicted to have the least impact on existing traffic flows. This was generally why Option 2 was preferred. This option was therefore (and still is) considered to provide the best compromise.

 

 

12.3.2

The consultation captured a number of views and thoughts on what should happen with the car park and shopping parade along Fulwood Road. Although not part of the pedestrian improvement scheme, these would be retained for future use.

 

 

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

12.4.1

Officers developed two other options at the initial design stage. These were as follows:-

 

  • An all red pedestrian phase, providing new controlled crossings on all four arms of the junction. This would be the most effective method of providing improved pedestrian crossing facilities. All traffic would need to be stopped as part of an ‘all red’ phase in the traffic signals to allow pedestrians to cross. This would result in significant additional delays to traffic, with queues extending over a wide area and affecting the main highway network. Pedestrians wishing to cross more than one arm of the junction would also be subject to delays, as they would have to wait a full cycle of the traffic lights to be able to cross the next road. For these reasons, the Community Assembly did not wish to progress this option.

 

  • A two-stage controlled pedestrian crossing on Crookes Road. This would involve a widened central pedestrian island, resulting in the Crookes Road approach being reduced to one lane. Pedestrians would cross in two stages. However, modelling suggested the delays to traffic would be significant and on balance this option was rejected.

 

 

12.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

12.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

12.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

Simon Green, Executive Director, Place

 

 

12.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Economic and Environmental Wellbeing

 

Minutes:

12.1

The Executive Director, Place submitted a report seeking approval to a design option for completion of detailed design and preparation for the construction for the Crookes Road/Nile Street/Fulwood Road/Whitham Road pedestrian facilities.

 

 

12.2

Matt Turner attended the meeting to make representations to the Committee. He commented that Broomhill was already a heavily congested and polluted area which exceeded government targets on air pollution. He therefore asked if the proposals would reduce levels of pollution in the area? Mr Turner further asked whether the needs of cyclists had been taken into account when the scheme had been devised?

 

 

12.3

In response, Dick Proctor, Transport Vision and Strategy Manager, acknowledged that Broomhill was a heavily congested area. This was why local residents had been seeking an improvement to pedestrian facilities. The proposals would not result in traffic gridlock and a queue modelling exercise had demonstrated this. The Community Assembly supported the scheme. Officers were now confident that the scheme was affordable and, should approval be given by the Committee, detailed design of the scheme would be undertaken and the needs of cyclists would be a key part of this.

 

 

12.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee :-

 

 

 

(a)

acknowledge the outcome of the 2011 consultation and the reasons for the delay in progress since then;

 

 

 

 

(b)

approves Option 2 (slip road) for the Crookes Road/Nile Street/Fulwood Road/Whitham Road junction; and

 

 

 

 

(c)

approves the preliminary design of the Option 2 scheme and completion of the detailed design and construction in conjunction with the Streets Ahead programme.

 

 

 

12.5

Reasons for Decision

 

 

12.5.1

The scheme consultation clearly indicated that local people wanted to see improved pedestrian facilities at the Crookes Road/Fulwood Road crossroads. However, people did not wish to see any existing turning movements banned, but did accept a degree of additional delay to traffic created by these improvements. Option 2 was also predicted to have the least impact on existing traffic flows. This was generally why Option 2 was preferred. This option was therefore (and still is) considered to provide the best compromise.

 

 

12.5.2

The consultation captured a number of views and thoughts on what should happen with the car park and shopping parade along Fulwood Road. Although not part of the pedestrian improvement scheme, these would be retained for future use.

 

 

12.6

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

12.6.1

Officers developed two other options at the initial design stage. These were as follows:-

 

  • An all red pedestrian phase, providing new controlled crossings on all four arms of the junction. This would be the most effective method of providing improved pedestrian crossing facilities. All traffic would need to be stopped as part of an ‘all red’ phase in the traffic signals to allow pedestrians to cross. This would result in significant additional delays to traffic, with queues extending over a wide area and affecting the main highway network. Pedestrians wishing to cross more than one arm of the junction would also be subject to delays, as they would have to wait a full cycle of the traffic lights to be able to cross the next road. For these reasons, the Community Assembly did not wish to progress this option.

 

  • A two-stage controlled pedestrian crossing on Crookes Road. This would involve a widened central pedestrian island, resulting in the Crookes Road approach being reduced to one lane. Pedestrians would cross in two stages. However, modelling suggested the delays to traffic would be significant and on balance this option was rejected.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: