Petition - Request for Traffic Calming Measures for Dorchester Way

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Public report
Report to 20 th September 2007
Cabinet Member (City Services)
Report of
Director of City Services
Title
Dorchester Way – Petition requesting the introduction of traffic calming measures
1 Purpose of the Report
1.1 To respond to a petition which has been received from Pearl Hyde School, Clifford Park
Estate requesting the introduction of traffic calming features on Dorchester Way.
Dorchester Way is in the Wyken Ward.
2 Recommendations
2.1 The Cabinet Member is recommended to note that the traffic counts and speed checks
undertaken on Dorchester Way reveal that the location does not meet the criteria for
inclusion on the perceived safety scheme list and endorse that it is not added to this list
3 Information/Background
3.1 A petition has been received from Pearl Hyde School on Dorchester Way requesting that
traffic-calming features are introduced on the section of road outside the school.
3.2 Dorchester Way is located close to the new University Hospital in Walsgrave and is on a
bus route that serves the hospital.
3.3 A location plan is attached in Appendix A.
3.4 Parents have expressed concerns regarding the speed of vehicles using Dorchester Way.
A perceived safety scheme has already been installed at this location, in response to road
safety concerns, consisting of coloured surfacing and improved signage to raise awareness
of the location of the school.
3.5 An investigation into the three year (20/05/04 to19/05/07) recorded personal injury accident
history of Dorchester Way shows that that there have been no accidents in the vicinity of
the school.
3.6 The City Council has a list of priority sites where there have been six or more personal
recorded injury accidents in a three year period. There are in excess of 130 such sites in
the City. However, the accident history of this road does not justify its inclusion on this list.
3.7 Due to the accident history of this site any safety scheme installed at this location would
have to be considered for funding from the perceived safety scheme budget. Perceived

safety schemes are possible traffic schemes in areas that are not on the priority list,
because they do not have a history of personal injury accidents. Other factors are used to
prioritise schemes in addition to road traffic accidents such as issues raised by residents
associations and schemes which will bring maximum benefits to the community. Due to
funding constraints a limited number of schemes can be completed each year and they are
also prioritised and reported to the Cabinet Member.
3.8 Traffic counts were undertaken on Dorchester Way for a 7 day period from Tuesday 17 July
2007 to Monday 23 July 2007 (24 hours a day). The school holidays commenced on
Monday 23 July. The speed data shows that on the days the school was open (Tuesday –
Friday) the average daily traffic speeds were between 24/25 miles per hour. The average
speed on Saturday, Sunday and Monday were 26mph.
3.9 The perceived safety scheme criteria does not include the implementation of traffic calming
schemes where the mean speed is 28mph or less. The mean speed on Dorchester Way
over the 7 day period was 25.5mph.
3.10 The petitioners have requested the introduction of traffic calming to address their concerns,
however average speeds are already low. It should also be noted that if road humps were
installed there may be some noise disturbance experienced by residents that live directly
opposite the school.
3.11 Pearl Hyde has produced a school travel plan. This involves the school and parents
looking at ways to increase travel to the school by alternative means other than the car.
The City Council's School Travel Plan Coordinators are also actively working with the
school to encourage walking and cycling and to get a ‘walking bus’ established, which
should also improve the children’s road safety skills.
4 Proposal & Other Options Considered
4.1 It is proposed that no further action is undertaken on Dorchester Way, as the speed checks
have revealed that average speeds are low and below the criteria for inclusion on the
perceived safety scheme list.
4.2 Pearl Hyde is located in the Clifford Park area of the Walsgrave Residents Parking
Scheme. A survey has been undertaken with residents regarding the controlled parking
scheme and the possibility of changes in the vicinity of the school. The information is still
being collated, although early indications from residents show that they would welcome
changes to the existing signs and lines in the area.
4.3 No other option could be considered, as the accident history of Dorchester Way does not
justify its inclusion on the local safety scheme list.
5 Other specific implications
Best Value
Children and Young People
Comparable Benchmark Data
Corporate Parenting
Implications
(See below)
No
Implications
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Coventry Community Plan
Crime and Disorder
Equal Opportunities
Finance
Health and Safety
Human Resources
Human Rights Act
Impact on Partner Organisations
Information and Communications Technology
Legal Implications
Neighbourhood Management
Property Implications
Race Equality Scheme
Risk Management
Sustainable Development
Trade Union Consultation
Voluntary Sector – The Coventry Compact
Implications
(See below)
No
Implications
6 Coventry Community Plan
6.1 Road Safety provides a fundamental contribution to making communities safer.
7 Crime & Disorder
7.1 Breaking the speed limits is a major concern for residents within some areas of the city and
contributes to the feeling of insecurity. Measures to combat such anti-social behaviour
contribute to overcoming such concerns by residents.
8 Finance
8.1 The City Development Directorate would provide any funding for the implementation of a
School Travel Plan. Funding for School Travel Plans forms part of the Local Transport
Plan.
8.2 The funding to enable changes to be implemented to the existing traffic regulation Orders
will be from Section 106 money provided by the University Hospital for the residents
parking scheme as part of the ongoing monitoring of the scheme.
9 Timescale and expected outcomes
9.1 The City Council's Traffic & Network Management Team will continue to monitor
Dorchester Way as part of the Citywide annual personal recorded injury accident review.
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10.2 The Traffic and Network Management Team will continue to liase with the School Travel
Plan Co-ordinators.
Key Decision
Scrutiny Consideration
(if yes, which Scrutiny
meeting and date)
Council Consideration
(if yes, date of Council
meeting)
Yes
No
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List of background papers
Proper officer: Director of City Services
Author: Telephone 024 7683 2035
Rachel Goodyer, Engineering Assistant, Traffic & Network Management
(Any enquiries should be directed to the above)
Other contributors:
Martin Dickens, City Services, Telephone 042 76 2322
Caron Archer, City Services, Telephone 024 7683 2062
Peter Chapman, Jacobs Consultants, Telephone 7683 4881
Geoff Smith, Finance & ICT, Telephone 024 7683 1129
Mark Smith, Finance & Legal Services, Telephone 024 7683 3037
Liz Knight, Customer and Workforce Services, Telephone 024 7683 3073
Martin Parrott, City Services, Telephone 024 7683 4228
Sally Dewes, School Travel Plan co-ordinator, Telephone 024 76831372
Martin Wilkinson, School Travel Plan co-ordinator, Telephone 024 7683 1184
Papers open to Public Inspection
Description of paper
Location
Petition From Pearl Hyde Primary School, Legal & Democratic Services
Dorchester Way Room CH 56
received via Councillor Dixon
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