Decision details

Penistone Road Pinch Point and Better Buses Scheme

Decision Maker: Highway Cabinet Member Decision Session

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Decision:

5.1

The Executive Director, Place submitted a report presenting the objections received following the advertisement of five Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) in relation to the Penistone Road ‘Pinchpoint’ and Better Buses scheme and the officer response to the objections.

 

 

5.2

RESOLVED: That:-

 

 

 

(a)

with the exception of the TRO to prohibit the left turn into Herries Road South, the objections be overruled to the TRO’s related to the Penistone Road ‘Pinchpoint’ and ‘Better Buses’ scheme and the orders be made in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Orders be introduced;

 

 

 

 

(b)

a decision be deferred regarding the TRO to prohibit the left turn into Herries Road South, pending further investigation;

 

 

 

 

(c)

the decision to increase the speed limit to 40mph between Infirmary Road and Capel Street be approved in principle but further discussions be held as to its operation; and

 

 

 

 

(c)

those who made representations be informed accordingly.

 

 

 

5.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

5.3.1

The TRO to prohibit the right turn out of Hillsborough Barracks would mean that more green signal time could be given to traffic turning in and out of the junction, thereby reducing queuing traffic on Penistone Road and more efficiently releasing the vehicles exiting the Barracks.

 

 

5.3.2

The TRO to prohibit the left turn into Herries Road South would allow a signalised toucan crossing to be implemented across this junction, to aid pedestrian and cycling movements, without adding another stage to the junction’s traffic signals. However, there have been objections, to this particular proposal, that officers had not had time to fully consider before needing to report back to the Cabinet Member.

 

 

5.3.3

The TRO to add further loading restrictions to part of Bradfield Road would maintain the free flow of traffic from Penistone Road.

 

 

5.3.4

The TRO for the designated outbound bus lane would increase the attractiveness of Penistone Road as a public transport corridor. It would also allow the bus lane to be camera enforced should the need arise.

 

 

5.3.5

The TRO to allow the speed limit change would satisfy the recommendation set out in the speed limit assessment of the City’s ‘A’ roads, following the Department for Transport’s national guidelines on setting speed limits. The increase in limit would allow speeds to be consistent and appropriate for the surrounding environment and would provide an opportunity to highlight the change in character of the road where the limit becomes 30mph.

 

 

5.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

5.4.1

Although the ‘Pinchpoint’ and ‘Better Buses’ schemes both look specifically to tackle issues relating to ‘motorised’ forms of transport on the Penistone Road corridor, officers have built on the preliminary Smartroute proposals to achieve much improved access for pedestrians and provide facilities both on street and off for cyclists. These provisions have been at the forefront of the design process.

 

 

5.4.2

An alternative to the scheme put forward would be to further increase provision for one particular user group, i.e providing an additional lane for general traffic/providing further bus lanes or more crossing points etc, however officers consider that this would affect the balance of the proposals and due to private land constraints would be at the expense of another user group.

 

 

5.4.3

Officers could have advertised the 40mph speed limit for a much longer section (Herries Road South to Shalesmoor) as recommended following the speed limit review of all ‘A’ class roads in the City in 2010. However, following a more recent review (breaking the route into two sections) and considering the proposals to be implemented as part of the ‘Pinchpoint’ scheme, officers consider a new limit of 40mph only to be appropriate between Infirmary Road and Capel Street.

 

 

5.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

5.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

5.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

Simon Green, Executive Director, Place

 

 

5.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Economic and Environmental Wellbeing

 

Report author: Andrew Marwood

Publication date: 30/04/2014

Date of decision: 10/04/2014

Decided at meeting: 10/04/2014 - Highway Cabinet Member Decision Session

Effective from: 08/05/2014

Accompanying Documents: