Agenda and minutes

Tina Randall, Scrutiny and Support Manager

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and the Working Group Members introduced themselves.

Councillor David Loades – Chair of Review Panel

Tina Randall – Scrutiny and Support Manager

Councillor Tittley referred to the report that he had commissioned via the Highways Service from Amey which provided an Option Review on an A515 Weight Restriction, Wood End Lane to the B5017. He made the following points;

• That the report had not mentioned the impact of Heavy Goods/Commercial Vehicles (HG/CVs) on local people or dwellings.
• There was an issue with how connectivity should work. A compromise was required where HG/CVs travelled on major roads.
• The A38 was suffering as it needed to be widened and improved.
• There were lots of options and it was hoped that the inquiry session would be an opportunity to find out what it was like to have HG/CVs travelling through villages day and night, seven days a week.
• By 2020 Councils would be funded by Non Domestic Rates so needed distribution warehouses.
• Staffordshire benefited from the employment opportunities that the distribution industry could bring.
• There was a shortage of HG/CV drivers.
• There were not enough lorry parks with the required facilities for drivers in the county.

It was clarified by the Community Infrastructure Manager that the report had been prioritised through the Divisional Highways programme and that it was a technical report. More details would be presented in the second inquiry session.

Evidence from Parish Councils and Schools

Yoxall Parish Council/Action Group and Kings Bromley Parish Council’s Presentation (20 minutes)

The Chairman welcomed representatives from Kings Bromley, Yoxall and Draycott in the Clay Parish Councils and Yoxall Action Group.

Steve Browne, Kings Bromley Parish Council, explained that;

·         Since 2011, vehicles travelling through Kings Bromley had increased in size, volume and weight.

·         In 2014 Parishioners asked the Parish Council to do something about this and an action group was formed with Yoxall and Draycott in the Clay Parish Councils.

·         The T-Junction with the A515 and A513 was at the centre of Kings Bromley.

·         In 1985 the A515 was straightened out and widened which enabled lorries to travel through quicker and faster.

·         In 2001 Build Outs were added to slow the traffic down, however at night vehicles went between them.

·         In 2009 a pedestrian crossing was installed so that children on the west of the village could cross over safely but this had been knocked down twice in two years by HG/CVs.

·         Over nine hundred signatures were received on a petition demanding a seven and half tonne weight restriction on the A515 and auxiliary roads between Wood End Lane, Kings Bromley and Stubby Lane, Draycott in the Clay. Kings Bromley consisted of approximately five hundred residences. Everyone supported the petition because, property and health was suffering and people’s safety was in danger.

·         Grade 2 listed buildings were not designed to cope with the current lorry loads, lengths, vibration and noise. Properties were suffering cracked walls and ceilings.

·         People had to sleep with their windows shut due to the noise, vibration and fumes of passing HG/CVs.

·         The T-Junction had been in place since 1922. It was designed when the current lorry was not anticipated. Lorries had to cross and mount the footpath and swing into the other half of the road to negotiate the bend.

·         In a twenty four hour period sixteen fully blocked out junctions, where lorries met one another and no one could move, were recorded.

·         There is a school in the village with one hundred and thirty pupils. Parents were concerned about the safety of children.

·         The Pedestrian Crossing had been knocked down and people had had to risk their lives to get across the road. It was knocked down at 4pm in the afternoon and at 5pm the school had reported this to Highways. At 6am the following morning the situation was reported to the Police via 101 and it was requested that a Police Officer attend to support people to cross the road, this had not however happened. Highways fixed the crossing within a forty eight hour period.

·         Kings Bromley was an old village with narrow footpaths. Lorries coming past at 30mph caused back draft which sucked people towards the lorry. A case was referred to where by a lorry had been travelling so close to a pedestrian it had caught her handbag.

·         Lorries passed through the village at speed and some drivers did not take note of the red lights.

·         Pedestrians on the east side of the village had to walk down the road and cross the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Verbal contributions from County Councillors and school representatives.

Councillor Tagg referred to the agenda and his submission describing the situation in the Newcastle Under Lyme area. There were gravel extraction companies in the area and lorries were not taking the designated routes. Signs stating that roads were unsuitable for HGVs were ignored and there was for example a convoy of vehicles regularly taking a short cut to the A500. The situation was frustrating for residents and Councillors. The difficulties in enforcing designated routes were referred to in the Amey report. It was suggested that local MPs needed to take up the issue in Parliament. The only way companies would make drivers take designated routes was if they were to get fined if they did not and if drivers who flouted the route got points on their license. Adding three minutes to journeys by staying on the major arteries was the way forward. Better legislation and enforcing this through the technology available was suggested.

Councillor Greatorex, explained that he was shocked that the Amey report did not mention people and the affects that HG/CVs were having on them. Local government was being asked to be innovative and tackle issues. This was a prime example of an issue that needed be tackled. Difficulties in enforcement were queried when it was possible to track number plates. There was an emphasis on growth but this had to be considered against how people could live and one matter could not be put before the other. It was hoped that the inquiry would enable a balance of views to be shared, bringing Highways considerations and Parish Councils views to the fore.

Councillor Tittley suggested that a plan could be put together to support enforcement,  and operations could take place at certain times of the day. London had defined routes and other areas had restrictions. Growth was important but not at the detriment of local people.

Borough and District Council representatives verbal update on Local Plans

Richard King, Strategic Director of Democratic, Development and Legal, Lichfield District Council referred to;

·         The District Council’s adopted Local Plan which provided for an additional nine thousand dwellings up until 2029 and increased employment.

·         Across the West Midlands region there was a shortfall of thirty seven and a half thousand dwellings. There were twelve hundred and fifty dwellings at Fradley and increased employment opportunities.

·         The Brook Acre consortium had submitted a  plan for seven and half thousand additional dwellings between Fradley and Barton Under Needwood and increased employment opportunities including distribution. This had not received approval however the pressures were there and the numbers of HG/CVs along the route was only going to increase.

·         There were eleven Local Plans in process,  and these included concerns regarding HG/CVs in areas.

·         The concerns in the Amey report were understood. If a weight restriction was put on the A515 the problem would potentially moved onto the A38 and elsewhere.

Discussion with Tim Hyde, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and

Inspector Robert Neeson, Staffordshire Police.

Inspector Robert Neeson referred to his regular travel along the A515 and his surprise to hear about the number of HG/CVs using the route. He explained that;

• From a Policing perspective, problem areas had to be considered.
• Issues were at cross roads as a result of driver error.
• Narrow roads were an issue and there was a need to look at this.
• If weight restrictions were put in place twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, enforcement would not be possible all of the time but there would be enforcement via operations.
• Regarding policing statistics the A515 rarely reported accidents. The main area of concern was the Mitre Junction.
• Average speed cameras had been effective from Yoxall to Draycott in the Clay.
• There were other areas such as Barton under Needham and Fradley which had similar problems.
• All schools had issues from 7:30-9am.
• Unfortunately due to budget constraints there were less Police Officers but where there was a need this need would be considered. The Police wanted to keep people safe and reassured and it was important for local Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers to be aware of concerns.
• Lichfield and East Staffordshire Police Officers would be made aware of the issues discussed.

Toby Wilson, Station Manager, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service read a statement on behalf of Tim Hyde Service Delivery Lead. Key points included that;

• Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has “making Staffordshire the safest place to be” as its core objective. Supporting employment and prosperity was one of the cornerstones of this as deprivation was one of the greatest contributory factors to vulnerability.
• The data regarding road traffic accidents along the stretch of the A515 indicated that the use of the roads by LGV’s is not causing a disproportionate level of risk when compared to other similar roads within the County.
• One known hotspot was the Mitre Crossroads. Data suggests that it was the characteristics of the junction rather than the type of vehicle which was the biggest single factor in the incidence of road traffic collisions at that location.
• Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is not in support of the proposed ban on LGV’s from the perspective of community safety. However, there was likely to be a link between the use of the road in support of the industry in the Fradley area and disruption of the communities along the A515, as much of the industry around Fradley is twenty four hours a day seven days a week and some is weighted so as to attract more traffic at night.
• During night time hours the A38/ A50 (the alternative to using the A515) are relatively less busy and so using these as an alternative route for LGV’s at night is less likely to be disrupted by traffic.

·         Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service suggested a part time ban on LGV’s, between 7pm and 7am, would be a reasonable compromise, allowing the communities some peace and fulfilling the needs of industry and transport to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Councillor David Loades, Char of Review Panel

The Chairman, Councillor Loades confirmed that it was obvious from the evidence received there were issues in Yoxall, Kings Bromley and Draycott in the Clay however these were case studies and there were issues across the county.

The working group needed to consider;

• Why vehicles used certain roads.
• If better routing could be recommended and enforced.
• If satellite navigation systems were having an impact.
• If roads should be reclassified.
• The damage to pavements and risks to safety.

The work of the Parish Councils was appreciated and the concerns raised were recognised. The Committee intended to use all of the information gathered to write a report and make recommendations to the Cabinet. It was acknowledged that Staffordshire needed the logistics industry, but there maybe opportunities to consider delivery times. Future changes and developments also needed to be considered. 

It was requested and agreed that Parish Councils would be kept informed of the progress of the inquiry.

Councillor Tagg queried the relationship between the County Council and the haulage industry and it was explained that this would be explored in more detail at the future inquiry session.

It was suggested that risk assessments should be requested from logistics firms and enforced.

It was recommended that all read the Staffordshire Freight Strategy before the next inquiry session. It was confirmed that this would be discussed at the next session and that there had been a review of the Strategy in 2014.

It was agreed that a summary of the session would be shared along with the agenda for day two.