Report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport
Report submitted by: Executive Director for Environment
Date: 10 October 2013
Part I
Electoral Division affected:
Preston City
Preston City Centre Pedestrian Zone – Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders
(Appendices 'A' and 'B' and Plans 1 and 2 refer)
Contact for further information:
Paul Dunne 01772 530267, Environment Directorate,
Paul.dunne@lancashire.gov.uk
Executive Summary
This report sets out the background to the current parking restrictions in the civic
core of Preston, makes recommendations on how to manage the parking going
forward and deals with issues around the use of an access control bollard in
Cheapside as a method of traffic control.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport is asked to:
i.
Give approval to make permanent the current experimental Traffic
Regulating Order imposing parking restrictions within the City Centre
Pedestrian Zone for which no objections have been received during the
formal consultation period.
ii.
Give approval to make permanent the current experimental Traffic
Regulation Order imposing movement restrictions within the City Centre
Pedestrian Zone but in light of representations made during the formal
consultation period, to consult on making a subsequent amendment to that
Order which would restrict access by vehicular traffic in the pedestrian zone
but which would reinstate access by bicycle on roads where it was not
intended that bicycle access be restricted, and
iii.
Give approval to the removal of the current access control Bollard located at
the entrance to Cheapside.
This decision should be implemented immediately for the purposes of Standing
Order 34(3) as any delay could adversely affect the execution of the County
Council's responsibilities. The reason for this is that the resulting permanent Order
has to be made and sealed before the current ETRO expires, having been in place
for the maximum 18 month period duration.
Background and Advice
On 22 March 2012 the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport considered and
subsequently approved the recommendations in a report titled:"Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders for Access and Parking Controls Preston
City Centre Pedestrianised Zone".
This report detailed the restrictions in force within the Pedestrian Zone at the time
and highlighted various issues that were giving rise to concerns and detracting from
the shopping experience in the civic core.
The report requested authority to make two experimental traffic regulation orders
(ETROs), one to restrict access into the area and one for changes to the parking
restrictions.
In association with the access restrictions, the use of a rising bollard system on
Cheapside at the main entry point into the Pedestrian Area to regulate and physically
control access was considered. Bollards were previously installed as part of the
CIVITAS scheme but were never activated due to concerns raised at a Lancashire
Local - Preston meeting relating to access by blue badge holders.
The new restrictions covered by these ETROs gave an opportunity to trial the
bollards and test the system in operation, whilst also restricting vehicular access and
parking in the zone on Sundays.
Consultations
The two Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders were advertised and information
was placed on the County Council's website. County and District councillors were
informed in addition to all statutory consultees including the emergency services.
The Experimental Orders came into force in April 2012; the movement Order
(restricting access) came into effect on 10 April and the Parking Order on 13 April.
An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order can be made for a maximum period of
eighteen months, during which time it must either be confirmed and made
permanent, adapted in consideration of objections received, abandoned or left to
expire after the eighteen month period. Objections may be submitted during the first
6 months or, 6 months from the date of the last change to the ETRO.
Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) – Parking Restrictions
The experimental parking order contains parking restrictions as shown on Plan 1 and
as set out in the schedules and revocations in Appendix 'A' and comprise various
parking restrictions that previously existed between Monday and Saturday and
extended then to include Sundays.
The changes to the parking arrangements on all days of the week between 9:00am
to 6:30pm have proved effective, reducing obstruction, and freeing up areas for
loading/unloading with disabled spaces left free for designated users.
This proposal received no objections during the formal consultation period and it is
therefore recommended that the ETRO relating to parking in the City Centre
Pedestrian Zone be confirmed.
Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) – Movement/Access
Restrictions
The movement and access restrictions comprising prohibition of driving between
Monday and Saturday 9am – 6:30pm except disabled persons vehicles, taxis and for
loading and Prohibition of Driving between Monday and Saturday 9am - 6:30pm
except permit holders as shown on Plan 2 and Appendix 'B' was revised to include
Sundays. Observations during the experimental period demonstrated that the new
control on parking within the area also reduced the amount of vehicles accessing the
area to find a parking space. This ETRO has been successful, but, as part of the
formal consultation representations have been received from cycling organisations
and individuals relating to restrictions on certain streets to access by bicycle which
they consider to be excessive. Authority is therefore sought to make the movement
order, the majority of which is acceptable and working well and subsequently consult
on a proposal to make a an amendment to the permanent Traffic Regulation Order
which would retain the proposed restrictions on access by vehicular traffic but which
would reinstate access by bicycle on roads where it was not intended that bicycle
access be restricted.
Rising bollards
As stated earlier, the provision of rising bollards was a part of and funded by a much
wider CIVITAS initiative, supported by both Preston City Council and Lancashire
County Council which ran from 2005 to 2009. This encouraged cities to consider
projects supporting an objective of managing and reducing the environmental impact
of vehicles in city centres. This led to the concept of physical access controls at
Cheapside, which it was hoped would deliver improvements to, and support wider
environmental improvements for the civic core area.
As part of the trial for the bollards, advance signs were erected along Church Street
and Fishergate advising drivers that they were approaching a restricted area and
that it was under bollard control and they would have to stop before being allowed to
enter a pedestrian zone.
Several observed tests were carried out and it was identified that despite the
extensive signing and road markings drivers still attempted to enter the area
seemingly unaware of the presence of the bollards.
Rising bollard systems usually operate either for a set period during the day when
access is not permitted for any vehicle or give restricted access only for regular
users/permit holders such as buses and other service vehicles. Cheapside
accommodates a high number of varied users and the system will need to be
activated many times during the working day. The trial demonstrated that there was
confusion for motorists unfamiliar with the area and gave rise to safety concerns.
The trials also showed that despite the numerous signs, road markings and other
measures provided to indicate the presence of the bollards they were conspicuous to
drivers giving significant safety concerns.
The parking restrictions with the inclusion of Sundays has made the area a more
attractive place to shop. With no general parking spaces in the area, there is now
less reason for motorists to enter the zone unless they have legitimate reason for
doing so.
In view of the benefits that the provision of the new access and waiting restrictions
will provide to road safety within the pedestrian zone it is recommended that the
experimental TRO relating to waiting restrictions should be confirmed and made
permanent. A permanent Traffic Regulation Order in respect of proposed access
restrictions in the Pedestrian Zone should be proposed to take account of
representations received by consultees.
That due to road safety concerns and operational issues the bollard control system
be removed from Cheapside.
Alternative options
That the Experimental Traffic Regulation order is not made permanent and that a
Traffic Regulation Order restricting access by vehicles is not made.
This would require that the restrictions are returned to the previous state and the
restrictions would no longer apply on Sundays. This would result in a reversion to
the former greater use of the pedestrian zone by vehicles with consequent safety
and convenience issues for pedestrian users. It would also be necessary to change
all the relevant signs in the area back to as they were prior to the ETROs being
introduced and would incur a cost of approximately £8,000
Implications:
This item has the following implications, as indicated:
Risk management
There are no significant risks associated with the implementation of the measures as
proposed in the report now presented.
Legal
An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order can last for a maximum period of eighteen
months, during which time it must either be confirmed and made permanent,
adapted in consideration of objections received, or abandoned altogether.
Financial
The costs involved for the necessary signs and road markings to implement these
proposals have already been met from the Capital Budget for the Rising Bollards at
Cheapside Scheme.
*Note – The information shown on the plans is largely representational to show the
various restrictions and their locations within the Pedestrian Zone. Only the Loading /
Unloading bays, Disabled Blue Badge Spaces, the Double Yellow lines on Harris
Street and some sections of white lining around the covered Markets are to be
marked, no other road markings are being used within the area.
List of Background Papers
Paper
Date
Contact/Directorate/Tel
Report to Cabinet Member
Titled :- Experimental Traffic
Regulation Orders for Access
and Parking Controls Preston
City Centre Pedestrianised
Zone
22 March 2012
Paul Dunne/Environment/
01772 530267
Reason for inclusion in Part II, if appropriate
N/A.