Response from Highways to questions posed by Kingsmead Parish Council

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The following issues have been raised with Highways, response from Highways in green:

1. The safety of people using the pedestrian crossing on the spine road by the Kingfisher roundabout. Too many close calls as badly sited warning signs on approach and poor sight lines to the actual lights coming from the clock-tower direction. Too many vehicles cross red lights and narrowly avoid pedestrians especially children at start and end of school day.

This issue was raised a few years ago and was investigated in detail at the time. The pedestrian crossing was originally sited on the pedestrian desire line, to give maximum benefit to pedestrians and vulnerable road users in the Kingsmead area. The crossing is, however, located near to the roundabout, which being heavily planted, could somewhat restrict visibility of the crossing for drivers, and of approaching vehicles for pedestrians.

The last time that this was raised, we arranged for some of the vegetation on the roundabout to be removed and for the installation of additional advance warning signs to be installed, to highlight the crossing to motorists. However, with the crossing sited where it is, there is only so much that we can do to improve the situation.

However, as a few years have passed since we last looked at it, I think it would be good to have another look with a fresh pair of eyes. Therefore, I will ask one of our Engineers to have a look on site, make an assessment and see if we can do to help the situation with regards to highlighting the crossing. 

2. The response from APCC Boycott that CWaC should be playing a much more active role in introducing traffic calming measures on Monarch Drive to help lower the number of vehicles ignoring the 20mph speed limit even though there is a SpeedWatch team that monitors and reports to the Police those vehicles exceeding the limit. The question from residents is why other areas such a London Road Leftwich, Davenham & Winsford can all have traffic calming yet a proven dangerous road like Monarch Drive is ignored.

This issue has also been raised previously. Unfortunately, whilst the 20 mph speed limit is a positive improvement on the previous 30 mph speed limit, it is obviously only a sign, and does therefore rely on the compliance of drivers to adhere to the reduced speed limit. There is also a new interactive sign in place, instigated by Councillor Helen Weltman, which was funded using S106 Planning Obligation monies, which helps to highlight the reduced speed limit to drivers.

Apart from installing physical traffic calming measures, there is little more that we can offer to slow drivers down. There are no budgets available for new environmental traffic calming schemes. Any new schemes would have to be funded from Planning obligation monies, secured via planning approvals in the locality, of which there are currently none available.

It should be pointed out that whilst physical traffic calming measures can be effective in reducing vehicle speeds, they can have a detrimental effect of causing damage to vehicles and noise and vibration to properties. We regularly receive complaints from residents who live on roads with traffic calming measures, such as London Road Davenham, Howey Lane Frodsham and Weaver Street, Winsford.

The Weaver Street/Dingle Lane, Winsford 20mph and traffic calming scheme was funded using S106 monies, which were secured from the Save Petrol Station residential development.