As we indicated in that article we met late last week with the highways officer responsible for the programme to assess feedback from the consultation.
Unfortunately, and as feared, there was no clear indication of support for the proposals. We were told that while 59% of those responding to the consultation favoured the proposed measures, 41% either did not want the scheme to progress or did not want to see any form of traffic calming at all in the area. We were also told that a number of residents believed that speed cushions, as proposed, were either not effective in preventing speeding traffic or that they produced excessive noise when driven over by vehicles.
The council insists that it is not able to justify proceeding with any traffic calming measures when public opinion is divided to this extent so highways officers have now proposed an alternative measure of using chicanes similar to the one at the western end of the village. We have warned that some years ago residents did favour a chicane in the area but at the time no-one wanted it placed in the vicinity of their property, hence the distant positioning of the chicane away from the centre of the village. For this reason we have advised officers to be cautious in their approach with this option.
However, in an attempt to reach some kind of consensus (and acknowledging that doing something positive is much preferable to doing nothing at all), we have agreed that another consultation should take place as soon as possible. Consequently, letters will be falling on door mats later this week outlining the council's latest proposal as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam
C81 Micklehill Road, High Hesleden
Proposed Introduction of Traffic
Calming Measures
Following the recent resident consultation with regards to
providing speed cushions throughout the village, the response received was
inconclusive, therefore we have taken on board comments made including
alternative measures, noise etc.
Another scheme has been drawn up and your County
Councillors, Lynn Pounder and Rob Crute, have asked that the residents of the
village be consulted on the proposals.
The scheme will involve the installation of a speed reducing
feature at the eastern entrance (in the form of improvements to the signs and
road markings), two chicanes on Micklehill Road, the locations of which are
shown on the attached plan. The aim of the scheme is to maintain lower traffic
speeds, and generally promote road safety.
As the support (or otherwise) of the local residents is an
integral part of the scheme consultation process, I should be grateful if you
would complete and return the enclosed Freepost postcard by 24th
November 2014.
Yours
faithfully
Sarah-Ann
Stoker
Senior
Traffic Technician
We hope in due course to be able to report on a positive outcome, favoured by a clear majority of the residents of High Hesleden.
