The Chair to lead a discussion regarding any issues raised, including current and proposed highways schemes.
Decision:
(1) The Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager gave the Committee a verbal update on the Parking Review;
(2) The Transport Officer gave the Committee a verbal update on transport matters;
(3) County Councillor Fiona Hill gave the Committee a verbal update on highways issues.
RESOLVED: That the Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager be requested to re-circulate details of the Parking Review schemes to Committee Members and County Councillors to remind them of the programme and cost of the project.
REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure the Committee is informed of the work being carried out under the Parking Review.
Minutes:
Audio recording 23 minutes 58 seconds
The Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager gave the Committee a verbal update on the Parking Review.
She advised that:
· WSP had been appointed from a framework with Hertfordshire County Council as consultants to undertake the Royston Parking Review;
· The project had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the consultants were now on site looking at Scheme 1 (York Way Industrial Area/Rock Road Residential Area) and Scheme 2 (Gower Road/Queens Road/Mill Road);
· Options for various schemes would go out for pre-consultation to all residents and businesses in the designated locations;
· It was anticipated that feedback would be able to be provided to the Committee in December;
· Plans for the Briary Lane/Princes Mews area would then follow at the end of the year;
· The last area to be looked at would be Eastfield Road/Newmarket Road;
· The work was being project managed by Marie Pritchett;
· WSP already worked with Hertfordshire County Council which was the Highway Authority in relation to traffic regulation orders, so it was hoped that this would streamline the process;
· There would be some difficulty in knowing what impact Covid-19 would have on commuter behaviour in the future, and this would have to be taken into account in the review;
· Pre-consultation would be followed by formal consultation before schemes were implemented.
The following Members asked questions and took part in debate:
· Councillor Tony Hunter.
· Councillor Ruth Brown;
· Councillor Gerald Morris;
· Councillor Carol Stanier;
· Councillor Gerald Morris.
Members expressed concern that, due to the uncertainty of the future brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic as commuter numbers were currently greatly reduced and this would not result in a meaningful report and asked how much funding had been ringfenced for the project.
The Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager assured Members that any work previously undertaken regarding parking over a number a years would be included.
The Transport Officer gave the Committee a verbal update on transport matters including:
· Bike racks – new cycle stands had been installed in locations around the town centre funded by Hertfordshire County Council with funding received from the Department for Transport as part of the Emergency Active Travel Fund to encourage people to avoid public transport during the Covid-19 pandemic;
· The last set of cycle stands would be going in adjacent to the North Hertfordshire District Council car park on Fish Hill;
· The amount of S106 funding currently held for sustainable transport schemes in Royston was £119,082.30 (cycle stands and bus shelter to be funded from this total);
· The Transport Officer was liaising with the public transport team at Hertfordshire County Council to clarify S106 amounts from new housing developments for public transport improvements, likely to be the No. 16 Royston Town bus service;
· An application had been submitted by the Town Council for Royston to become a sustainable travel town – Hertfordshire County Council were delaying the decision regarding this until December 2020;
· The project looking at amalgamating the 915 and 127 bus services has been re-started, which was looking to improve the bus service between Royston and Letchworth – there would be no reduction in the new service which was hoped to commence in April 2021.
The following Members took part in the debate:
· Councillor Hunter.
County Councillor Fiona Hill gave the Committee a verbal update on highways issues including:
· Hertfordshire County and District Councillors had been invited to join the Strategic Steering Group looking at the A505 corridor from Royston to Granta Park in Cambridgeshire. This work linked in with the study Hertfordshire County Council has been carrying out from Royston to Luton covering the whole A505 corridor;
· A safer crossing over the A505 is being developed – further funding is needed;
· Localised flooding has been a problem, including in Barley – work is being done to clear ditches and drains and in Burns Road (bus turning point);
· Highways Locality Budget Schemes – a full list will be sent for the minutes. The HLB scheme for Brampton Road Footpath is scheduled for the 14 – 16 October;
· Yellow lines have been installed on the Ridings (Valley Rise and Studlands Rise), Green Street and roads off Barkway Road;
· DriveSafe has taken place in Newmarket Road and Melbourn Road, with other locations planned;
· Some of the speed indicator devices will be turned around and new ones installed on the A10 at Reed and in Nuthampstead;
· Speed and volume surveys are scheduled for Melbourn Road, Newmarket Road and in the villages.
Councillor Ruth Brown thanked County Councillor Hill for the work done on the yellow lines which had much improved the area around Green Street for cycling.
RESOLVED: That the Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager be requested to re-circulate details of the Parking Review schemes to Committee Members and County Councillors to remind them of the programme and cost of the project.
REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure the Committee is informed of the work being carried out under the Parking Review.