20mph, white lines, Sandpit Lane and crash in Bread St

I met with a Highways Officer today re a number of local matters and see if we could clarify where we are at and move forward in a number of areas. Here are some notes from the meeting:

Photo: Site of head-on collision by 2 cars traveling to fast outside my door in Bread Street yesterday. Fortunately neither party appear to be hurt.

Mandatory 20 mph areas: it looks almost certain that the most recent further requests for 20 mph on stretches where traffic is currently doing less than 20 mph (eg Victory Road and part of Ruscombe Road) will be refused. It will not warrant the £10,000 or so expenditure for each road. Indeed other measures at slowing traffic maybe better use of money.

20 is Plenty: this is a voluntary scheme but has had success in other areas and Parishes who had implemented it have apparently been very happy with the scheme. As outlined before if we are to proceed then the Parish need to liaise with Highways over a number of issues like:
1. Survey the current traffic speeds (they will loan/hire us the necessary equipment)
2. Consult with residents about our plans and gain their support (public meeting)
3. Inform Police, Highways, Press.
4. Introduce the features of the campaign - posters, signage, flyers, etc.
5. Re-survey the traffic speeds to confirm effectiveness of campaign.
6. Feedback to residents (via newsletter?)
This scheme will not be possible on some roads but it could reduce some traffic speeds - as noted in the photo caption above there was a head-on crash outside my window yesterday in Bread St - no one hurt but cars are traveling too fast - any measure like this scheme can surely only help? Yet more signs goes against the principles of Shared Spaces - but perhaps this is a step on the road to Shared Spaces which requires more dosh and work before it can be implemented....

SDC temporary flashing speed sign: - no further news - apparently still awaiting delivery of sign. This has been going on a very long time.

Photo: "Gateway" or entrance to the village needs improving!

Implementing a Shared Space approach to traffic: we need to create a picture of what is possible that will contribute to traffic calming. The next step seems to be that we get a designer involved. This could be useful for key sites like Whiteshill Village Green and along Main Road plus possible suggestions re Gateways. Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council already have considered this approach which was put on hold due to a Highways question - however we could now proceed. The Highways Officer would like to be involved with the scheme but at this stage they have no money. However there is a budget re access and the busy Main Road clearly restricts access from one part of the village to the other - this may release some funds? In discussion re Village Green it was noted that grass areas were often v difficult and costly to maintain: other types of surfaces could work better?

Photo: Buses passing at entrance to Whiteshill Village: lethal for pedestrians

Middle of the road white line: The Highways Officer will check with Safety team whether removal of white lines would be a problem: she will also look at whether (if appropriate) they can be removed from the repainting schedule - they must be due soon as they are in a bad state of repair. To burn them off is costly and not always v satisfactory but may still be worthwhile. In Wiltshire average speeds were cut by 5% where lines were removed: the removal also tends to make drivers more alert and looking out for potential risks thus reducing likelihood of accidents. In this case the Highways Safety team would need to look at the matter.

Dropped kerbs in Whiteshill: Highways will look at why consultation with Parish wasn't better on this. These dropped kerbs appeared the day after the Parish received the plans.

Sandpits Lane Westrip/Standish Lane: this is being used by increasingly more cars as a short cut to and from the newly improved M5 junction at Standish - plus coupled with heavy more local usage as a shorter back route to Moreton Hill Care Home. This is a "highways" issue not a "rights of way" issue as Cllr Richard Huxford recently discovered. Katie has not yet seen paperwork sent by Randwick Parish Council. There are issues of speed of the traffic in a very narrow single track and safety concerning the many footpaths and bridleways crossing this Lane (including the Cotswold Way). Although there are "No Through Road" signs at each end and that the surface of the road is very poor in places the traffic is now becoming increasingly dangerous to residents and others.

The Parish have already asked the Care Home to bring to the attention of its employees and visitors the dangers of excessive speeding. The Parish are now "seeking clarification over suggestions such as more prominent and compelling signage, the possible use of 'sleeping policemen', the restoration of the two gates on the original gated and untarmaced section of the road." They have also contacted the police over the issues of speeding and its use as a short cut by drunken drivers and others possibly engaged in criminal activities during the hours of darkness. Residents understandably would not welcome any improvements to the lane that would encourage further vehicle use - only in reducing the increasing problems they are currently experiencing.

Highways will look into this issue: one way forward maybe to look at how the "No Through" can be best restored, possibly by means other than signage.