Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Executive Councillors (Education) and (Communities & Housing)

This is an update report on the activities regarding road safety near schools. It is a follow up report to the 2016 Road Safety near Schools report presented to the Children & Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee, Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee and all area committees.

The Executive is invited to:-

•        note and comment on the report.

•        approve officers liaising with Manchester City Council to further research the use of the “Smart Camera Car”, especially with regards to enforcement of bus lanes. A consultation charge would be levied for this information.

•        approve the development of a detailed programme of schools to be audited and a prioritised programme of measures for implementation.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson, 0161-474-4351, sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report of the Executive Councillors (Communities & Housing) and (Education) was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider an update on the activities relating to road safety near schools, that had been subject to consultation with area committees and relevant scrutiny committees.

RESOLVED – That in relation to Road Safety near Schools:-

·         the report be noted;

·         approval be given to officers to liaise with Manchester City Council to further research the use of the “Smart Camera Car”, especially with regards to enforcement of bus lanes. A consultation charge would be levied for this information;

·         approval be given to the development of a detailed programme of schools to be audited and a prioritised programme of measures for implementation.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report is a follow up report to the 2016 Road Safety near Schools report presented to the Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee, Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee and all Area Committees.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on Tel: 474 4351or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on activities concerning road safety near schools which included Road Safety Education and Training.

The Executive Councillor (Education) (Councillor Dean Fitzpatrick) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting to be held on 14 March 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Council had no power as the highway authority to write to parents who consistently transgressed traffic measures in the vicinity of a school requesting that they parked more considerately.

·         Support was given to the possibility of using a ‘smart camera car’ and other technological solutions in order to enforce parking restrictions near to schools and there was scope for extending their use, for example with regard to permit parking and bus lane enforcement.

·         Update reports were requested to be submitted to future meetings of the Scrutiny Committee which reviewed the measures in place with an evidence-based approach.

·         All Headteachers at the forty schools with the oldest school travel plans had been contacted with an offer of support to update those plans. Concern was expressed that only five primary schools had currently responded. With regard to School Travel Plans, it was important to find out which measures worked and which did not.

·         A Member felt that those schools in the vicinity of the ‘little Wales’ estate in Cheadle Hulme should be included in the priority list for road safety measures.

·         School crossing patrols were still a very important road safety measure in the vicinity of schools and were valued by parents.

·         Just because the formula for assessing whether a school crossing patrol was not met in a particular location did not mean that a road safety problem did not exist.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to liaise with Manchester City Council to further research the use of the ‘Smart Camera Car’ particularly with regard to the enforcement of bus lanes.

(2) That update reports be submitted to future meetings of the Scrutiny Committee reviewing the road safety measures in place

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report is a follow up report to the 2016 Road Safety near Schools report presented to the Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee, Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee and All Area Committees.

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on Tel: 474 4351or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on activities concerning road safety near schools which included Road Safety Education and Training.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         All primary schools had been contacted concerning road safety/education projects – “Operation Eagle Eye and Bikeability.”

·         All Head Teachers at the 40 schools with the oldest school travel plans had been contacted with an offer of support to update those plans.

·         The Traffic Services’ Road Safety Team was fully booked to deliver courses in schools until October 2017.

·         Road safety initiatives were being promoted by the school health and wellbeing officer. The activities included ‘Child Safety Week’ and the ‘Injury Minimisation Programme for Schools.’

·         Councillors noted that four Speed Indicator Devices were available to be placed at various locations in the borough and were moved every 2 to 3 weeks.

·         Speed Indicator Devices could be purchased and placed on routes near to schools to discourage drivers from speeding. Signs cost approximately £3000 to purchase and approximately £1,500 per year to manage.

·         Officers would liaise further with Manchester City Council to further research the use of the ‘Smart Camera Car’ especially with regards to enforcement of bus lanes.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.