Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive.

The report details a proposal for the placement of a pedestrian guard rail (including preliminary works) on Buxton Road at an entrance to Torkington Park following concerns that a child could run (unhindered) out of the park via the entrance and straight into the road which is a very busy arterial route.

The Area Committee is recommended to determine whether to give approval to proposal for the placement of a pedestrian guard rail on Buxton Road at the entrance to Torkington Park at a cost of £3,970.57 to be funded from the Area Committee’s Delegated Budget (Hazel Grove ward allocation).

Officer contact: Max Townsend on 0161 474 4861 or email: max.townsend@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the placement of a pedestrian guard rail (including preliminary works) on Buxton Road at an entrance to Torkington Park following concerns that a child could run (unhindered) out of the park via the entrance and straight into the road which is a very busy arterial route.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Members sought clarity over whether the plan would be solely for the installation of bollards and not a guardrail. In response, it was commented that the plan was for two new bollards to be installed.

·         Members expressed their strong concerns that the bollards would only create an illusion of a barrier and would not physically prevent unhindered access to the road in practice. 

·         Concern was expressed that the proposals contained within the report may represent too high a cost for the level of safety that they would provide. It was suggested that further work could be done to provide a better solution for road safety in this instance.

RESOLVED – That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director (place) in consultation with the ward highway spokespersons to determine the appropriate solution to be implemented at this location subject to further discussions in relation to the proposed solution and the associated costings.