change in board membership

Following the changes to committee membership, as agreed by Council on 24th February 2010, membership of this Board has changed from Councillor Elvina Lowe to Councillor Simon Clark.

minutes

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14th December 2009 (Minute Nos. 567 - 589) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

declarations of interest

Kent County Councillor Gates declared a Personal Interest on Minute No. 814 (Additional Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) representative to sit on the Swale Joint Transportation Board) as he was a member of the KALC.

public session

Mr Macdonald, Minster Parish Council, asked what support KCC would offer in the forthcoming appeal on the proposed grain store at New Hook Farm, Lower Road, Eastchurch. He suggested that data provided by the applicant to KCC had been inaccurate.

Mr Macdonald also reported that he had not received all the data he had requested relating to the junction of Barton Hill Drive.

The Partnership Officer confirmed that she would look into these two requests.

Partnership Officer

part a minutes for confirmation by executive

additional kent association of local councils (kalc) representative to sit on the swale joint transportation board

The Chairman advised that the KALC considered it could be beneficial to have greater representation of the KALC on the Swale Joint Transportation Board, especially with regard to the discussion of highway issues.

Members spoke both in favour and against the proposal.

faversham parking review update

The Engineer introduced his report which provided an update on the progress of recent consultation with residents in Faversham on the Parking Review. He advised that further consultation would be carried out.

A County Member suggested that parking restrictions in Abbey Street and Court Street be extended to the evenings and Sundays to take into account the additional demand on car parking caused by local businesses.

The Engineer confirmed that the comments made would be included in the final report.

various waiting restrictions

The Engineer introduced the report which considered firstly, the results of a recent consultation exercise carried out in The Street/Bull Lane, Boughton in relation to proposed waiting restrictions, and secondly, to note the response to a letter submitted by Councillor Lowe and Kent County Councillor Mike Whiting at the JTB meeting in December 2009.

Kent County Councillor Whiting thanked the Engineer for his report.

bayview bus stop, leysdown

The Partnership Officer introduced the report, which was a response to a request by Leysdown Parish Council for a review of the bus stop on the B2231 at Bay View, Leysdown. She advised that options to relocate either the bus stop or the pedestrian refuge, in order to address the problem of cars overtaking buses at the bus stop, were feasible, but would be subject to a bid process. However, she explained that analysis of crashes at the location had shown that the location would not achieve a significant score in the priority system.

The Ward Member raised concern that nothing was going to be progressed with the bus stop. She suggested the traffic island was in the wrong location and queried the costs that were involved.

a2 interactive sign, faversham

The Partnership Officer introduced the report which provided an update on investigation to install an Interactive Sign on the A2, Preston, Faversham. She reported that since the report was written, the bid had been successful and the sign would be installed in the next financial year. In response to a question, the Partnership Officer explained that there were set criteria for locating interactive signs and the position for this sign had been identified as a suitable location.

A County Member welcomed the interactive sign's installation but raised concern with the distance of the sign from Preston Village.

works progress report 2009/2010

Members considered the report, page by page.

Appendix C1

The Partnership Officer confirmed that those items indicated as 'deferred to 2010/11' would be transferred to the top of the 2010/11 list, to be funded in 2010/11.

Appendix C3

Members raised the following comments with regard to the speed humps on Swanstree Avenue: there were too many; pleased with the traffic calming; the humps easy for some vehicles to drive over; the road was not being used to its full capacity because of the amount of speed humps; the humps were too high; other roads were being use as 'cut throughs' because of the frequency of the humps; and the humps should be positioned right across the road.

A Member reported that KHS Officers were looking into the height of the humps to see if they could be made shallower.

The Community Delivery Manager confirmed that she would get an update on the junction improvements at Eastchurch Road/Lower Road, Sheppey.

Appendix D2

The Head of Service Delivery reported that, with regard to Traffic Management Works on Court Street/West Street/Preston Street, Faversham, Member contributions had been received for survey work and that the Section 106 funding would be used for implementing the scheme.

Discussion ensued on the contributions that Members had made to various schemes in the Borough and that it could be useful to have a full list of all the schemes that had been funded, and by whom. The Partnership Officer confirmed that she would bring a comprehensive report on the Members' Highway Fund in Swale to the next meeting.

Partnership Officer

swale transport strategy update

The Project Manager introduced the report which provided an update to the delivery of the Swale Transport Strategy.

Members discussed the report and made the following comments: lack of confidence that the schemes were going to be implemented; the Northern Relief Road was not fit for purpose; KCC's Policy Overview Committee should look at the proposal for Junction 5/5a, the proposals were not fit for purpose; Junction 5/5a needed to be considered as a much wider scheme of traffic plans to provide traffic relief; greater regeneration aspect view point needed to be taken and the project should be given a higher score.

The Project Manager confirmed that he was meeting with the Highways Agency to look into how progress could be made with the 5/5a Junction. He advised that SBC was working with North Kent Multi Area Agreement to achieve an outcome that was useful to Kent, not just Swale.

Discussion ensued on the High Speed rail service to London, Members considered the service was too slow and passenger numbers were low.

RECOMMENDED:
(1) That the report be noted.
(2) That a letter be written from the Swale JTB to South Eastern Trains, to provide feedback on the High Speed Train Service.

Chairman/Democratic Services Officer

progress update

Members considered the report which gave an update on the progress made regarding various schemes in the Borough and Officers answered Members' questions.

536/12/08 - Sittingbourne Residents' Parking Scheme

The Head of Service Delivery confirmed that this item had been updated at the JTB meeting in December 2009 (Minute No. 574/12/09 refers). A Member raised concern with the confusion on the recommendation agreed, but the Chairman explained that the matter had been made clear at the meeting.

764/03/09 - A Member congratulated Officers on the work that had commenced on the removal and replacement of trees on Abbey Street, Faversham.

urgent item - right turn at park road/high street, sittingbourne

The Chairman introduced this item which was a recommendation from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles Committee and Sittingbourne Local Engagement Forum that Kent Highways be requested to consider amending the traffic order so that Taxis as well as Buses would be allowed to make the right turn at the junction of Park Road into the High Street, Sittingbourne.

Members raised the following points: KHS should carry out a feasibility report on this request; a full safety study should be carried out as the proposal could pose a threat to pedestrian safety; the scheme was unjustified; and other vehicle drivers, not just taxis, may try to turn right at the junction, which could cause confusion.

tabled item - winter maintenance

The Community Delivery Manager brought Members' attention to the tabled paper which included a report on highways and transport issues in Kent including winter service. She explained that there was a consultation being carried out with all the JTBs in Kent and suggestions and comments would be collated and reported to an Environment, Highways and Waste meeting in July 2010.

Members made the following comments: some gritting lorries travelled too fast; routes to be gritted needed to be updated; footpaths needed to be gritted; salt bins needed to be replaced; and improved co-ordination was needed

exclusion of the press and public

part a minutes for confirmation by executive

disabled persons' parking bay scheme - bay installations

disabled persons' parking bay scheme - bay deletions