Agenda item

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment, and Transport and Deputy Leader of the Council.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport (and Deputy Leader of the Council) introduced the report which sought approval to enter into joint arrangements with the London Borough of Enfield to implement a School Street near Devonshire Hill Primary School.

In response to questions from Councillor Emery, the following was noted:

-       There were a number of schools in the original School Streets plan which had moved around in priority due to a number of different issues.  No streets would be ‘demoted’ in terms of the plan, and more schools had now been added into the scheme.

RESOLVED to

1.     Note all feedback provided through the informal and statutory consultations in Appendix I – Consultation response attached to this report.

2.     Approve the making of permanent traffic management orders (TMOs) and the installation of any necessary highway infrastructure and works necessary to give effect to the School Street design set out in Appendix A attached to this report; and note that the TMO shall be made following the completion of the arrangements and agreement referred to in recommendations 3.3 and 3.4.

3.     Approve, with the agreement of the Leader, entering into joint arrangements with the London Borough of Enfield for the purposes of making and enforcing TMOs and carrying out highway works on the northern section of the School Street (in Weir Hall Road between its junction with Barclay Road and a point 33m south of that junction) within the London Borough of Enfield.

4.     Approve, with the agreement of the Leader, the Council entering into an agreement with the London Borough of Enfield to delegate/transfer the London Borough of Enfield’s functions under the Highways Act 1980 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to the Council for the purposes of making and enforcing TMOs and carrying out highway works on the northern section of the School Street (in Weir Hall Road between its junction with Barclay Road and a point 33m south of that junction) within the London Borough of Enfield.

5.     Delegate to the Assistant Director Direct Services authorisation to (a) approve the terms of the agreement referred to in recommendation 3.4 above and (b) (following completion of the agreement with Enfield and not before the date that the joint arrangements are in effect) to take all steps necessary for the making of the TMO(s).

Reasons for decision

A School Street is recommended in part of Weir Hall Road, adjacent to Devonshire Hill Primary School, for the following reasons:

·           To improve the health of children by increasing active travel, reducing road danger and improving air quality near the school gate;

·           The school is supportive of the proposal;

·           The London Borough of Enfield has proposed a scheme in Bull Lane that may reassign traffic into Weir Hall Road at times when children are arriving or departing this school; and

·           The proposals contribute towards the strategic objectives of the Council.

Weir Hall Road straddles the borough boundary and therefore an agreement to exercise the London Borough of Enfield’s highway and traffic functions on the part of that road in their borough is required to ensure delivery of a high quality, effective and enforceable School Street near Devonshire Hill Primary School.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing

This option was rejected as not delivering this School Street would be contrary to the objectives set out in the Corporate Delivery Plan, the Transport Strategy, the Climate Change Action Plan and the Walking and Cycling Action Plan.

It is likely that doing nothing would also result in an increase in motor vehicle traffic outside the school as a consequence of a ‘bus gate’ proposed in Bull Lane by the London Borough of Enfield.

Propose a School Street only to operate within the London Borough Haringey

If the northern entry point into the School Street was positioned at the administrative boundary of the London Borough of Haringey in Weir Hall Road (instead of the junction with Barclay Road, as recommended), this would increase road danger.  Such a layout would result in motorists driving up to the start point of the restriction and having no exit route. Those motorists would either make a potentially dangerous U-turn or drive past the signs and receive a penalty charge notice; this would likely result in accusations of entrapment.  In view of this, this option is not recommended.