Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed and introduced the following:
Mike Ginger, Andrew Page-Dove, Annabelle Dexter - Highways Agency.
Cllr Dick Tonge – Cabinet member for Highways & Transport, Wiltshire Council.
Graham Hay - Head of Service, Traffic & Network, Wiltshire Council.
Jon Perrett, read out a statement on behalf of Upton Lovell Parish Council and the residents of Upton Lovell who were unhappy with the new mirror and did not want traffic to be stopped from exiting from Manor Road on to the A36.
Mike Ginger – Highways Agency then advised that in order to manage safety across the Agency’s network, an accident concentration of six or more injury accidents in three years triggers a situation whereby the Agency studies the underlying causes of the problem, develops a proposal to address these causes and seeks resources to fund a solution.
The Highways Agency had commissioned a survey to understand the cause of the accidents and to identify a permanent solution to the safety issues of the junction.
A number of short term options have been proposed:
Mirror – given the current record of the junction over the last three years and the fact that there is limited visibility at the junction of Manor Road and the A36, the mirror on its own would not provide a solution to the safety issues at the junction. The data going back to 1991shows that a further seven accidents had occurred involving traffic emerging from the junction, all of which occurred with the operation of the old mirror.
Improved visibility – this could be improved by cutting back vegetation to the right. This would achieve only an additional approximately ten metres of visibility. Overall visibility would be way below the required ninety metres for a forty mph road.
Experimental Traffic Regulation Order – which would stop the movements out of Manor Road. The Highways Agency had been liaising closely with Wiltshire Council; who are in the best position to introduce the experimental traffic regulation order.
The experiment would run for a maximum period of eighteen months and consultation would take place during that period. The scheme would be monitored. It is intended that a final agreed scheme would follow on from the experiment.
Questions and points raised from the floor included:
· Upton Lovell residents would be locked into the village if the experimental traffic regulation order was implemented and Network Rail closed the level crossing for maintenance work, which had been muted.
· The Highways Agency should have replaced the old mirror with a “like for like” one, the new mirror is inadequate for the purpose it is intended for.
· A very dangerous road junction, that needs a proper solution found.
· There would be a big impact on farm and business vehicles in the village if Manor Road was closed.
· Residents of Upton Lovell do not want Manor road closed.
· Could the Highways Agency not put traffic lights on the junction?
· Could the Highways Agency just accept that the new mirror that they put up is not as good as the one that it replaced.
a.The Highways Agency could maybe consider this.
· Will the findings of the Highways Agency’s report be shared with Wiltshire Council and Upton Lovell Parish Council?
a.Yes.
Points made by the Wiltshire Councillors:
· The Highways Agency’s experimental traffic regulation order is clearly not well received by the residents of Upton Lovell.
· The back roads around Upton Lovell can be dangerous during the winter period.
· The Highways Agency should ask the village of Upton Lovell what it wants as a solution to this issue.
· Leadership is needed to make the right decisions.
· The road closure would cause local businesses financial hardship.
Summing up
The Highways Agency advised that they would take on board the points raised, particularly temporary traffic lights and local issues with temporary routes.
That safety was the motivating force that drove the Highways Agency.
Cllr Dick Tonge - Cabinet member for Highways & Transport, Wiltshire Council advised that discussions with Upton Lovell Parish Council would be taken into account.
That Graham Hay - Head of Service, Traffic & Network, Wiltshire Council was fully engaged in this project.
That Wiltshire Council would work with the Highways Agency on this issue.
Upton Lovell Parish Council advised that they hoped the views and wishes of the residents of Upton Lovell were taken into account.
The Chairman thanked the residents of Upton Lovell, the representatives of the Highways Agency and Wiltshire Council for attending the meeting and hoped a solution could be found to the issue.