Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cavanagh, Dodd and Porter.

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Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director – Highways and Public Protection which sought  approval to changes to the highway to deliver improvements for the Southport Eastern Access Scheme which defined an area of key routes to and from Southport town centre, including Scarisbrick New Road, Southport Road, Kew Roundabout, Foul Lane, Meols Cop Road, Norwood Road and Haig Avenue. This improvement would be delivered on a phased approach, with Phase 1 to be completed during 2025/ 2026 and Phase 2 being delivered from 2026 to meet funding requirements. This report specifically related to Phase 1 and 2 which had been allocated £18.815m of funding from the City Region  Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for delivery by March 2027.

Part of the funding would be directed towards mitigation measures in the wider Norwood area to avoid any rat running of traffic as a result of the junction improvements and to improve the public realm. These mitigation measures had been developed using a collaborative approach with Ward Members and the community and were subject to a separate report.

The Committee discussed the following:

·       The speed limit on roads connected to Kew Roundabout

·       Crossing points

·       Consultations

·       Stopping distances

·       Accessibility

·       Charging hubs in cycle lanes

·       Engagement with young people, people with disabilities and local businesses

·       The effect of the trees/shrubs on visibility around Kew Roundabout

·       The no-left turn from Norwood Road onto Tithebarn Road

·       Accident rates

·       Parking on Bispham Road

RESOLVED: That

The Assistant Director – Highways and Public Protection:

(A) be authorised to implement the following modification to the Highway; subject to acceptance of funding by Council;

(B) be requested to submit an update report to the next meeting of the Committee concerning the Norwood Road / Tithebarn Road junction.

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director – Highways and Public Protection which sought  approval to the highway to deliver proposed improvements for the Norwood area which was designed to address changes in traffic flows as a result of Foul Lane opening which was part of the Southport Eastern Access Improvement Scheme (SEA). The scheme would also make it easier for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users to travel around the area, by slowing the speed of traffic and encouraging drivers to remain on Norwood Road, Norwood Avenue and Roe Lane rather than Bispham Road and Old Park Lane as a through route. The areas of the proposed highway changes were Norwood Avenue, Bispham Road, Old Park Lane, Canning Road, Cobden Road and Wennington Road.

The delivery of these improvements were to be aligned with the SEA scheme, most importantly before Foul Lane opened which was planned to be delivered before 2026 as part of Phase 2, so that rat-running interventions were introduced in the residential area. The Norwood Mitigation Improvement Scheme would be funded by the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS 1) SEA allocation of £18.815million.

RESOLVED: That

The Assistant Director - Highways and Public Protection be authorised to implement the following modifications to the Highway; subject to approval by Council of funding and subject to the necessary TRO’s being made: