Minutes of Previous Meeting

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

Maidstone Joint Transportation Board

 

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 15 October 2014

 

Present:

Councillor Mrs Stockell (Chairman), and

Councillors Brown, Burton, Chittenden, Cooke, Cuming, Daley, Ells, English, Moriarty, Powell and Mrs Wilson

 

Also Present:

Councillors Mrs Blackmore, Mrs Ring, Round, Sams and Sargeant

 

 

 

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22.        Apologies for Absence

 

It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Ash, Bird, Carter, Clark, Fissenden and Hotson.

 

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23.        Notification of Substitute Members

 

It was noted that Councillor Powell was substituting for Councillor Ells until his arrival. On the arrival of Councillor Ells, Councillor Powell continued to observe the meeting as a visiting member.

 

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24.        Urgent Items

 

The Chairman stated that, in her opinion, the following reports should be taken as urgent items because the reports were not available when the agenda was published, and should be considered due to the length of time until the next meeting of the Board:

 

·         The report of the KCC Head of Transportation on Maidstone Highways Works Programme 2014/15

 

·         The oral update report of the KCC Head of Transportation relating to the Transport Workshop

 

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25.        Notification of Visiting Members

 

Councillor Mrs Blackmore indicated her wish to speak on the oral update report of the KCC Head of Transportation relating to Police Correspondence.

 

Councillor Mrs Ring indicated her wish to speak on the oral report of the KCC Head of Transportation updating the position with regards to petitions submitted to KCC Highways and Transportation.

 

Councillors Round and Sams attended the meeting in order to present petitions.

 

Councillor Sargeant attended the meeting as an observer.

 

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26.        Disclosures by Members and Officers

 

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

 

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27.        Disclosures of lobbying

 

There were no disclosures of lobbying.

 

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28.        Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 September 2014

 

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2014 be agreed as a correct record and signed.

 

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29.        Petitions

 

Councillor Martin Round presented a petition requesting that serious consideration be given to the speeding issues on the A274 and that a reduction in speed to 30 mph be introduced from the north side of Headcorn Business Park (Barradale Farm) through to Millbank, Headcorn. Councillor Round described how the A274 was a main arterial route, the nature of which encouraged speeding and overtaking, and that the number of those killed or seriously injured on the A274 put it on the same level as the M2 and A20.

 

Councillor Janetta Sams presented a petition asking for the speed limit along the A20 through Lenham to be reduced to 40 mph and along the Faversham Road towards Doddington to be reduced to 30 mph, stating that there had been numerous accidents and near misses on these routes.

 

Both petitions were referred to KCC Highways and Transportation with a view to a report back to the Board in January 2015.

 

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30.        Questions/Statements by members of the public

 

See minute 31 below.

 

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31.        Oral Report of the KCC Head of Transportation - Update on Petitions Submitted to Kent Highway Services

 

Richard Emmett, the KCC Highways Manager, introduced the update report on petitions submitted to KCC Highways and Transportation. It was noted that:

 

·                A member addressed the Board regarding a proposed reduction of the current 17.5 tonne weight limit on the B2163 through Leeds Village to 7.5 tones. It was explained that lorry movements detrimentally affected the Leeds, Langley and Willington Street communities, and that a reduced weight limit could have further unwanted impact on these areas. As such it was confirmed that the proposed weight reduction had been cancelled, and that a relief road may be considered beneficial, although this would need to be included within the local plan and transport strategy.

 

  • Mr David Hatcher, a resident of the Willington Street area, noted that the proposed reduction had been cancelled, and further requested that the Board consider the use of signage directed at HGVs to deter passage through the Willington Street area. Mr Hatcher explained that this had already been demonstrated as possible when HGVs were directed elsewhere during the recent closure of Willington Street for resurfacing work.

 

  • Mr Jim Wooton addressed the Board with a written statement from Mr Steven Sheppard of WillAct, which outlined a wish for the communities and the Borough and County Councils to work together on a relief road proposal, and stated that only on the implementation of such a scheme could a weight restriction or ban in Leeds, Langley or Willington Street be supported.

 

  • The MBC Head of Planning and Development advised the Board that a relief road or bypass scheme would take time to develop, as modelling work would need to demonstrate that it was a viable solution for reducing town centre congestion.

 

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

 

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<AI11>

32.        Oral Report of the KCC Head of Transportation - Police Correspondence

 

The KCC Highways Manager updated the Board on developments since the January meeting with regard to the invitation extended to Kent Police which had been declined. The Board heard that attempts to arrange a meeting with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Councillor Mrs Blackmore had been unsuccessful, and that in the most recent correspondence the Police had stated that, should Councillors provide a list of questions, they would endeavour to provide any information or answers, and that this may negate the need for a meeting. They did state however that should a meeting still be required they would provide future dates.

 

During discussion several suggestions were made including:

 

·                Contacting the Chief Constable for further assistance on the matter;

 

·                Holding a Workshop to put together a series of questions as requested to be addressed to the Police; and

 

·                Inviting the Police District Commander for Maidstone, Commander Simon Wilson, to address a future meeting of the Board.

 

RESOLVED:

 

 

1.        That the report on Police Correspondence be noted.

 

2.        That District Commander Simon Wilson be invited to attend a future meeting of the Board

 

 

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<AI12>

33.        Oral Report of the KCC Head of Transportation - Update on Joint Transportation Boards Parish Attendance and Voting Rights

 

The KCC Highways Manager addressed the Board regarding the Joint Transportation Board Parish Attendance and Voting Rights proposal.

 

In response to questions Members were advised that clarification would be requested as to whether the Joint Transportation Boards were required to be unanimous in agreement in order for the proposal to be implemented.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.        That the report be noted.

 

2.        That an update be provided on whether the Joint Transportation Boards would need to be unanimous in agreement in order for the proposal on Parish attendance and voting rights to be implemented.

 

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<AI13>

34.        Report of the KCC Head of Transportation - Highway Works Programme 2014/15

 

The Board considered the report of KCC Highways, Transportation and Waste updating the position with regard to schemes approved for Construction in 2014/15.

 

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

 

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<AI14>

35.        Oral Report of the KCC Head of Transportation - Transport Workshop Update

 

Peter Rosevear, KCC Strategic Transport Planner, updated Members on the Transport Workshop that was held on the 24 September 2014 to discuss the Transport Strategy Options report provided to the previous Board meeting. The purpose of the Workshop was to explore and evolve the Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS) options for managing increases in development, and as such it was explained that the ITS supported the Local Plan. Members were advised that ideas expressed in the Workshop would be taken forward into the modelling stage, and that the first results of this would be available in late November 2014. As such Members were asked to consider whether a second Transport Workshop should take place in early December, with the notes of the first and second Workshops to be taken forward to the next full meeting of the Board in January 2015 for consideration.

 

During discussion reference was made to the potential for a Leeds-Langley relief road or bypass, and it was noted that:

 

·                The Transport modelling base had been updated to cover the period until 2031, the same time period as the Local Plan. The next stages would be to model the ‘do nothing’ and the ‘do something’ positions. The Leeds-Langley bypass would be included within the ‘do something’ modelling.

 

·                The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) specified that opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes should be exploited, and that where practical priority should be given to access to high quality public transport facilities, and pedestrian and cycle movements. Furthermore at examination the Inspector would examine the Local Plan for environmental sustainability. It was explained that a different type of modelling might be required to ascertain finer detail such as bus, walking and cycling movements.

 

·                A Leeds-Langley bypass had been discussed previously but could not be progressed at that time due to a lack of available funding. The ITS had been awarded money from the Local Growth Fund but not in a sufficient amount to build a bypass, and no guarantee could be given for the availability of funding.

 

·                The urgency of the matter was highlighted by Members, with concerns raised regarding delayed implementation of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

 

·                A thorough and detailed consultation with residents of, and people local to, the affected Parishes and neighbourhoods was essential to the exploration of a Leeds-Langley bypass scheme.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.        That the oral update on the Transport Workshop be noted.

 

2.        That potential dates for a second meeting of a Transport Workshop to take place in early December be circulated to Members, with the notes from this and the proceeding Workshop to be considered at the full meeting of the Board in January 2015.

 

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36.        Duration of Meeting

 

5.02 p.m. to 6.22 p.m.

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