To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 8 March 2017, as a correct record

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2017, be agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillor London declared for minute 6 – Sevenoaks Residents’ Parking Review that he had a personal interest as he lived in Granville Road and was a zone A permit holder and remained in the meeting for discussion of the item.

The Schemes Programme Manager of KCC informed the Board that a letter drop had recently been carried out in Hopgarden Lane to inform residents of an alternative proposal for the parking scheme. The feedback was currently being reviewed.

The response from Cabinet which met on 20 April 2017 was discussed in relation to contributing towards the cost of the feasibility study for Cycling Strategy Route 1: East/ West Cycle Route. The Chairman of the Cycling Strategy Working Group advised that a meeting still needed to be arranged with KCC to discuss the feasibility to move on with the study. He advised that he was in discussions with KCC to arrange a date for this meeting.

Cllr. Hogg spoke on behalf of the lead petitioner for Salisbury Avenue, Swanley. The petition was for traffic calming measures in the road. He advised that it was commonly used as a shortcut for road users and travelled at excessive speeds and was only a matter of time before an accident. He advised that residents were anxious about the situation and suggested a number of options that could be explored.

The Sevenoaks District Manager (KCC) advised that the lead petitioner had been written to stating that KCC had concerns regarding any changes, such as speed humps causing delays to emergency vehicles. He also stated that a solution such as speed humps would also create more noise pollution.

The Chairman exercised his discretion and allowed a resident of Sevenoaks to address the Board. He advised that the residents in Gordon and Argyle Road were experiencing problems with parking outside their homes due to people parking in the road to go to the shops. Safety concerns from another resident was also expressed due to the speed cars travel down the road looking for a place to park.

An email was read out from Councillor Clack who was unable to attend, which asked for the holistic review of parking in Sevenoaks to be postponed until December 2017, with the view that carrying out a holistic review before a final decision was made with the Buckhurst 2 development would be a misuse of resources.

The Parking Manager advised that the resolution agreed at the previous meeting was for a consultation on further restrictive measures in Gordon and Argyle Road. However this had been put on hold until more details were known for the Buckhurst 2 car park. The Chief Officer Environmental and Operational Officer added that the planning application for Buckhurst 2 would be submitted at the end of June 2017, and if consent was granted then the building of the car park would commence January 2018, although there was no certainty that permission would be granted. A holistic review could take 6 months and therefore the results of the consultation would not be until 2019.

Members discussed the time scale for the consultation and were of the view that it was too long for residents to wait and believed that within 3 months was more appropriate.  It was discussed that a holistic study would be required for the whole of Sevenoaks Town to minimise any displacement issues. 

The Chairman moved that Officers begin the process for consulting on further restrictive parking measures in Gordon and Argyle Road, Sevenoaks, including consulting on 2 hour and 1 hour visitor parking and a holistic parking report be presented to the Board in 2019.

          Resolved: That

a)   the process for consulting on further restrictive parking measures including 2 hour and 1 hour visit parking in Gordon and Argyle Road, Sevenoaks be undertaken by Officers; and

b)   a holistic parking report be presented to the Board in 2019

The Chairman exercised his discretion and allowed a resident of the Rise to address the Board. He stated that when restrictions were implemented in Sevenoaks it had a knock on effect to The Rise. Residents were concerned that commuters were increasingly using the road to park on both side of the road as a result of displacement. Concerns were also raised for safety of children. The District Manager advised that a holistic review across Sevenoaks needed to be undertaken to ensure that all roads in the vicinity of the town centre take a share of the parking so that it is not concentrated in one particular road.

Resolved: That

a)   with funding from a local Member, a safety study be carried out in Shendon Way, Weald Road, Ashgrove Road and The Rise, in consultation with the local KCC; and

b)   the results of the study be presented at a future meeting of the Board.

The Parking Engineer reported on the outcome of the statutory consultation held in April and May. He advised that one objection was raised to the proposed parking restrictions in Grange Close, Edenbridge, the details of which were considered by the Board.

Members were advised that the two parking bays, with a limited waiting time, in Station Road, Swanley would be removed from the parking consolidation order as the land was now in private ownership, and that the proposal was for double yellow lines to be installed on the public highway in front of the parking bay.

          Resolved: That

a)   the results of the statutory consultation regarding minor on-street parking proposals within The Kent County Council (Various Roads in the District of Sevenoaks) (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Unloading and On-Street Parking Places)(Amendment 23) Order 2017 (known as “TRO 2013 Amendment 23”) be noted;

b)   the relevant objection received to the parking proposals for Edenbridge – Grange Close be set aside;

c)    TRO 2013 Amendment 23 be made and the parking proposals therein be implemented as drawn; and

d)   the objector be notified of the Board’s decision.

Members considered a report that set out the applications received for disabled persons’ (blue badge) parking bays at different locations within the District which did not meet KCC’s assessment criteria.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members considered a report which gave an update on the identified schemes approved for construction in 2017/18

Resolved: That the report be noted.

The Chairman of the cycling strategy working group introduced the action notes from the meeting of the working group held on 11 May 2017. Members were advised that a meeting was due to take place with KCC Officers regarding cycle lanes on the bridge that crosses the M26 at Otford. It was discussed that the cycle lane needed to be positioned on the footpath and not the road due to the fast moving traffic on that part of the road. It was suggested that the barrier on the bridge would need to be made higher if the cycle lane were positioned on the footpath, there were parapets around the bridge, but low cost solutions to resolve this issue would be looked at. A Member raised the issue that there is only a footpath on one side of the bridge, so the cycle lane would only be suitable on one side.

Members were advised that the A25 Westerham Road junction with the A21 slip on Chipstead and Homedean Road, Sevenoaks, Kent had the highest casualty statistics and as a result the layout was being reconsidered, this would include the M25 roundabout.