Agenda item

Brian Thompson From Lincolnshire County Council Highways Department will attend the meeting to discuss traffic problems in the Brook Street area of Grantham.

The Chairman welcomed Brian Thompson from Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways Department to the meeting and thanked him for his attendance on short notice.

The Vice-Chairman had requested the item because of recent problems caused by the Brook Street/Premier Court gyratory system.

Members of the public and Councillors who were not Members of the DSP were invited to ask questions. Issues considered included the number of simultaneous road works, unnecessary traffic lights controlling the left hand turn onto Brook Street and the lack of advanced warning that the left hand turn would be closed, why the diverted route (via Belton Lane, Great Gonerby), was having work done simultaneously to work affecting Brook Street and consequences of the gyratory system for Barrowby Road.

Theoretically the plans for the gyratory system allowed sufficient room for lorries to manoeuvre, in practice, space was insufficient. Lorries were being forced to cut corners where pedestrians would be waiting to cross the road. Road works for Grantham had been planned until August 2007, mainly as a consequence of development; the magnitude necessitated several sets of works occurring simultaneously. It had been hoped that these works would interact. The County Council have few powers to control work schedules of utility companies. Advanced notice should have been given about the ‘no right turn’ but in the future the County Council would try to ensure the use of the Grantham Journal. There were few short-term solutions for Barrowby Road but Mr. Thompson stated that the County Council would look at signposting and road markings. It was suggested that the County Council should also examine signposting for the gyratory system from the Watergate approach. A Panel Member reported that road markings had not been amended to reflect the new system.

There was concern over the number of sets of traffic lights within Grantham. Mr. Thompson stated that the County Council were embarking on a traffic study of Grantham. Money had been set aside to address anything uncovered by the study over the next three years. A problem was also reported with the Harrowby Road/St. Catherine’s Road/Sandon Road area. The problem was partly caused by inappropriate car parking, particularly outside the police station on St. Catherine’s Road.

Panel Members were interested in County Council powers to regulate utility companies. Notice must be given for non-emergency work; the only regulatory powers they had was suggesting an alternative time frame for works. The Highways Department meet with utilities companies on an eighteen-month basis, consequences are limited because the majority of works are externally contracted. Discussion ensued about the suitability of running works cables along farmland. This is unpopular with companies because it would mean that they would be subject to the landowner; working on the public highway afforded greater freedom. The Traffic Management Act could mean that there would be a charge for working on public highways; Lincolnshire County Council would also be subject to charges.

Some County Council works are done overnight but work undertaken would be more expensive, there would be safety implications for workers and night work would be inappropriate in residential areas. There would be no way to suggest utilities companies should work overnight.

Members considered a planning condition that had been imposed; this requested that the developer would be required to build a bridge from Penine Way to Gonerby Hill Foot when development reached a certain capacity. If the development is under capacity, it was suggested that alternative means be found for the bridge’s construction. Any construction work done, unless by the County Council for highways reasons, could be subject to significant costs from the railways.

Mr. Thompson advised that he would respond individually to any questions he had not been able to answer during the meeting.