Agenda item - Deputations from members of the public.

A list of deputations received by the due date of the 1 October 2009 will be circulated separately as part of an addendum at the meeting.

18.1         The Mayor reported that one Deputation had been received and invited Mr Kassab as the spokesperson for the deputation to come forward and address the council.

18.2         Mr Kassab thanked the Mayor and stated that:

“Thank you for allowing me to speak to you today about the traffic problems in Carlyle Street. 

I just want to set the scene of our street.  I have lived in the street for approximately 19 years.  We have got a good sense of community spirit and we help each other.  Our street is in Hanover: it’s one-way with a steep gradient with speed bumps and a 20mph limit.  The distance from the front of my house to the street is no more than 10 feet and our street has now become a well established ‘rat run’ to avoid traffic lights at the junction of Elm Grove and Queen’s Park Road.

The problems we regularly face are causing real distress.  We experience a constant stream of traffic night and day causing pollution, vibration and noise.  This low frequency vibration shakes our houses.  It’s difficult to sleep, it’s difficult to open windows and get fresh air, it’s even difficult to listen to the radio, watch TV or just relax.  Many vehicles regularly exceed the 20mph limit putting us and children walking down the street to Elm Grove School at risk. 

We have lots of commercial vehicles, large lorries and even ‘artics’ straining to get up the street to avoid the junction.  They get stuck, they cause damage to our cars, the result of which has been that residents are now parking on the pavement on both sides which just makes it easier for the traffic to whiz up our street.  We are also faced with the impatience and abuse from the drivers who are trying to cut through when we are just trying to unload or park our vehicles.

We have set up an action group.  I’ve got 43 households who have signed a petition to support us.  We want to work with the council to find an immediate, affordable and lasting solution to this very real problem and for us as residents to regain the benefits of living a normal and quiet life.”

18.3         Councillor Geoffrey Theobald stated “Thank you for raising this issue and I really do appreciate you offering to work with the council to try and find a solution.  We acknowledge your concerns and I note that you have previously corresponded with officers on this matter.  The current traffic calming measures were implemented after careful consideration and are a standard approach to dealing with the problems that existed in Carlyle Street and other similar roads within the city.

As I mentioned at my last Cabinet Member Meeting we will be embarking upon the next phase of the speed limit review shortly, once the Department for Transport has issued new guidance on the setting of speed limits.  However, if you have any specific ideas of what measures could be taken to alleviate the situation in Carlyle Street, the council will consider these in the light of any supporting evidence.

Listening to your deputation both the Director and the Assistant Director for Sustainable Transport are here and I am actually going to invite the Assistant Director to have a word with you afterwards to start a sort of, I won’t say ‘get together’, but you will understand what I mean and he will have a word with you afterwards.”

18.4         The Mayor thanked Mr Kassab for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation.  She explained that the points had been noted and deputation would now be referred to the Environment Cabinet Member Meeting for consideration.  The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.