The Constituency Manager indicated that in 2015-16, £25,000 was allocated to road safety problems in Birkenhead. The Road Safety task group met on 11th December and considered 9 road safety proposals. Funds were allocated to the following:

Circular Road – One Way Traffic Regulation Order

Local Councillors reported that there were a number of issues in the area. The most pressing being that Circular Road would be safer as a one-way street.  It is comparatively narrow with limited parking spaces for residents’ cars.  This leaves a narrow roadway for vehicles to pass.  There are elderly residents and young children in the immediate area and residents have complained that there are times when ambulances have real difficulty reaching people in need due to parking. Additionally there is no footway on sections of this road and pedestrians coming out of residences walk straight onto the road.

Officers have assessed the feasibility of providing a one-way restriction along Circular Road and consider there may be scope to impose such a restriction between property boundary no.1&11, Circular Road to property no. 12 Lowwood Road.

Decision

Concerns were raised about poor visibility, coupled with a lack of pavement for pedestrians and problems with vehicles reversing in the area. The project will address these issues and is estimated to cost £7000. It was agreed by the group that this project should be funded.

Hinderton Road - Two Vehicle Activated Signs

Local Councillors reported that Hinderton Road has a very dangerous junction with Holt Hill and there was serious collision there within the last year. Councillors felt that there is a strong case for additional measures at this junction to try and prevent further incidents of this nature.

Decision

After some discussion based on evidence of injury crashes, it was agreed by the Road Safety task group that a project to introduce two vehicle activated signs at £9K should be funded and that it also be encouraged that the community engage with the Council/Police Community Speedwatch initiative.

Bidston Village - Two Vehicle Activated Signs

There are traffic problems around cars speeding through Bidston Village.

Decision

After some discussion based on evidence of injury crashes, it was agreed by the group that a project to introduce two vehicle activated signs at £9K should be funded and that it also be encouraged that the community engage with the Council/Police Community Speedwatch initiative. The road was in a Conservation area so further engagement with residents and the conservation group would be needed.

Details of the full nine proposals submitted to the Road Safety task group can be found in Appendix 5. The remaining proposals will be reviewed if the Constituency Committee receives further funding for Road Safety measures next financial year.

A Member suggested that further details be given to the Committee explaining how the criteria worked in relation to the Highways Maintenance contract with a breakdown for Birkenhead.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the recommendations of the Road Safety Task Group, detailed with the Constituency Managers report in relation to Circular Road, Hinderton Road and Bidston Village be approved; and

(2)  the Constituency Manager be requested to liaise with the  Head of Environment and Regulation to ask for further details explaining how the criteria worked in relation to the Highways Maintenance contract and also provide a breakdown for Birkenhead, to be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.