The Traffic Safety Plan Group met on 5th January and discussed a range of actions and initiatives including trygve, yellow lines, parking opportunities, school travel arrangements, VAS on Lexden Rd and an upcoming workshop event on 25th February.
West Bergholt Traffic Safety Plan Group
Notes of meeting held on Thursday 5th January 2017
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 12th January and discussed a range of issues including Village Ponds, Handymen, Storage & benches.
Environment & Highways Report
Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 12th January 2017 in Orpen Hall
Sub-committee members present
John Gili Ross, Philip Spencer, Harry Stone, Jenny Church, Murray Harlow, Janet Crichton, David Short.
Apologies
None
1
Work of village Handymen
Work in the storage units is completed, signs are up of the children’s 20mph posters, element on car fixed, Mower is being charged, refurbishment of benches needs completing, ride-on mower has been cleaned, hedge trimmer has been serviced, gazebo has been repaired, work in the Orpen Hall completed, roof of duck house on Queen’s Road pond needs repair, litter picking continues. Request Premises Committee if they can store litter picking equipment.
JGR
It was suggested that we purchase waders for future use in the ponds. Janet agreed to check on website for cost and suitability.
Jan C
We all appreciate the range of work carried out by our Handymen, David and Matt. An item of this appreciation to be written for the next Bulletin. Harry agreed to do this.
HS
2
Village ponds
a)
The 3 ponds are currently being cleared by “The Conservation Volunteers”.
Hall Road Pond. Proposed to leave excess vegetation to rot on mound beside pond. Also, agreed to ask for an Extra day of clearance from TCV as the pond is very overgrown.
Jen C
b)
Queens Road Pond. Cleared and tidied. Excess vegetation to be removed by Norhurst – Jenny to organise.
Jen C
c)
Lexden Road Pond. Excess vegetation removed from pond. This will need removing by Norhurst. There are 3/4 tree stumps along the front edge near the grass verge. These could be a hazard and will need cutting down to ground level. Ask Norhurst to do.
A tree has fallen by the back edge of the pond which came down in the strong wind yesterday. The householder/owner will arrange to remove excess leafage and branches.
Jen C
A tree beside the pond has roots that could be undermining a neighbour’s garage. Phil will investigate this.
PS
d)
Need to investigate situation regarding ownership of ponds.
JGR
3
Storage facilities
Situation re use of a container as storage to be further investigated. Chris to arrange a meeting with the Planning Dept. at CBC
JGR
4
New benches for LD field and for Poor’s Land.
Propose to purchase 2 benches to be site by MUGA on LD field and one to be purchased for Poor’s Land. Janet and Murray to investigate cost and suitability.
Jan C & MH
Date of next meeting – Thursday 9th February 2017 at 5pm in Orpen Hall.
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 10th November and discussed a range of issues including Poors Land, Budget for next year, Storage, Benches, Ponds, Handymen & ongoing actions. Continue reading “Environment & Highways – 10th November 2016”
The Environment Agency has issued a 24/7 Hotline to try and gain intelligence to combat the illegal dumping of rubbish also known as fly-tipping. If you witness or find fly-tipping or have any information about it you can now report it to the Environment Agency 0800 807060.
Just as all the firework debris litters our streets the timing of the West Bergholt Litter Warriors plan to hit the streets on Sunday 6th November couldn’t be better.
As ever, all equipment will be provided and the Warriors will be leaving from outside the Orpen Hall at 10am and spend an hour picking. Why not join them & help to keep West Bergholt beautiful?
Grot Spot Alert?
Seen a Grot Spot that needs tidying? Let the Litter Warriors know either by calling the Grot Spot Hotline 07726 424419 or by email to [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Responding to concerns about traffic related safety issues in the village, the Parish Council has helped to form a group whose brief is to explore ways of addressing these concerns. This group consists of Parish Councillors, Borough Councillors and residents who want to help bring about improvements; since September it has met three times.
As a starting point, the Village Safety Plan of 2012, which led to changes in New Church Road, has been revisited. As then, no single measure will solve all our problems, and so an approach, which is termed the 5 Es, is being followed.
Engage the community
Encourage good driving and parking
Educate all sections of the community
Enforce the regulations
Engineer revised road layouts
All need careful thought and cooperation to achieve, with 4E and 5E being most difficult and needing most time; however we have made a start.
On 25th February in the Orpen Hall a safety promotional event is being planned and will be advertised fully in the New Year, so please look out for details and make every effort to attend.
Reporting bad & illegal practices on Trygve
Trygve
Following increased activity on Facebook about 30 residents have already downloaded an App called Trygve. This gives you the chance to report incidents, with photographs if appropriate, and will:
give the authorities the means to identify persistent safety abusers, and
enable the group to collect evidence to support action at the most dangerous hotspots.
That being so, if you feel able, please sign up to join those already giving their support using this link.
Communications
The team are also establishing good communications with the School, hence parents, and there are plans to engage other key players such as the Coop.
If you have ideas to help, or would like more information, please contact the group through the Parish Clerk, Laura Walkinshaw, on 240772 or [email protected].
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 13th October welcomed a new member and discussed a range of issues including overgrown hedges, brambles etc… 20mph signs, football club storage, benches, handymen & ponds.
Environment & Highways Report
Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 13th October 2016 in JL Hall
Sub-committee members present
John Gili Ross, Jenny Church, Murray Harlow, Harry Stone, Philip Spencer, Janet Crichton.
Apologies
David Short
Janet Crichton was welcomed as a new councillor on this sub-committee
1
Clerks Report
(see attached)
a) Hedge at Colchester road/Chapel. This is a low priority according to Essex Highways. This hedge will need trimming but should not be flailed. A letter should be sent to the owners in Garthwood Close.
JGR & LW
b) Parking on greensward – this should be passed to Traffic Safety Group.
LW
c) VAS sign in Lexden Road – this needs to be followed up by ECC.
d) Bollards to Poors Field need checking – Harry will do this.
HS
e) Overhanging vegetation on pathway at 72 Chapel Road. This has been tied back by the owners and is now dying of at the end of the season.
f) Problem by 30 Chapel Road obscuring light to neighbouring property – clerk has written to householder and there is nothing more the PC can do at the moment.
g) Overgrown brambles on corner of Albany Road by no.60. This has been noted by CBC. This item now concluded.
h) Footway along Bures Road from Hall Road to White Hart area. Problem noted by CBC. Our Handy man has trimmed back overgrown vegetation and footway is somewhat clearer now. ECC will need to monitor to assess state of pavement.
i) Tree enquiry from Erle Havard – roots of tree are causing damage to property. Inspection due by CBC who will report on results.
j) Broken manhole cover at end of Hall Road where it joins Bures Road. A safety barrier is in place. Need to monitor situation.
PS
k) Request from resident for an extra dog bin in Chapel Lane area. Need to assess if this is necessary.
l) At junction of New Church Road and Lexden road – the named road sign (NCR) is collapsing – refer to ECC rangers.
LW
m) The 20mph signs in New Church Road and School Road and leaning over and need re-setting. Refer to Essex Rangers.
LW
2
Environment budget for next year
Invite Andrew to our next meeting.
JC
3
Storage Facilities
The planning application for a container behind the football clubhouse has been called in by Cllr Dennis Willetts so this will take more time now.
4
Benches for Lorkin Daniell Field
Murray agreed to investigate prices and where to purchase
MH
5
Handymen work
Dave and Matt continue with their good work according to schedule.
The hedging by Lexden Road pond has been trimmed – Matt will cut the remnants up to allow to rot down in the winter.
David will be checking all the seats around the village and repairing where necessary. The WI bench at the old Church has been repaired.
Door in JL Hall and door to Orpen Hall needs attention.
Bluebell’s notice board needs moving to lobby area in half term.
Hole in Storage unit needs filling.
HS
Harry will monitor the handyman schedules whilst John is away.
6
Village Ponds
All 3 ponds have been assessed by Nicola Downs of TCV. Proposed to cut back vegetation in the ponds by a third. She will send us a quote.
Hall road pond is very overgrown with irises and other plants. Suggest to ask Paul Downer his advice.
JC
Date of next meeting – Thursday 10th November 2016 at 5pm in JL Hall
Draft Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Starts
Make Sure You Have Your Say!
Major consultation starts on matters which will affect our village and parish for the next 15 years
Following on from the publication of the preferred option for Colchester’s Local plan, the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is holding its own consultation. This autumn, starting on 5th October and extending until the end of November, a major consultation on the draft Neighbourhood Plan for West Bergholt will take place.
The consultation will take the form of:
A summary leaflet on the main points of interest in the Neighbourhood Plan.
Release of the draft Neighbourhood Plan document.
A questionnaire.
Meetings as required but including the October and November Parish Council meetings
To find out more and to view the consultation material listed above please visit our Neighbourhood Plan pages, so, to get started visit some of the main webpages listed below:
Residents and Businesses are urged to visit the exhibition and read the consultation during the next few weeks to view:
Possible locations for new housing and sports facilities.
A range of community initiatives and projects we may want to see fulfilled.
Policies we may adopt to guide our planning and response to planning applications.
Take time to read the full document, the various consultation summaries, exhibition material and participate in the accompanying survey. This is the last of the informal consultations which will take place. After this our plan has to take its chances in the rarefied atmosphere of statutory planning examinations, including a referendum in due course, before it can declared a “statutory” plan.
As Chris Stevenson, Chairman of the Steering Group says:
It has been my pleasure to lead a group of extremely motivated people, whose concerted effort has been to bring us to this point in the process. Make their day and mine by helping us over the line – by all means challenge us and argue with our findings but do so from the point of making the plan even better than it is. Above all participate!
This is a pivotal point in our history. Never before has national and local government actually asked us to prepare our own plan to cover the next 15 years – let’s make the most of this opportunity!
Chris Stevenson Chairman West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan steering Group Chairman West Bergholt Parish Council
The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 8th September and discussed a range of issues including football club storage, benches & seats, handymen, play equipment, ponds and flood risk on New Church Road.
Environment & Highways Report
Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 8th September 2016 in JL Hall
As a result of concerns about the safety of traffic in the village expressed at a recent Parish Council meeting a group consisting of Parish Councillors, Borough Councillors and village residents has been formed and met to consider what actions we can take to improve safety on our roads in the village. The aim is to produce a plan with a strategy for actions that will be adopted by the Parish Council and lead to residents feeling more safe as they move around the village.
The Parish Council approved a Traffic Safety Plan in September 2012 with the objective of dealing with such issues mainly in the area of the school. After reviewing progress on this plan the new group hopes to have revised proposals to put to the village for consultation.
You can read the 2012 plan here but in brief the vision was:
The Parish Council has a vision for the future travel environment in the village where walking and cycling become the preferred modes of travel, that traffic levels and parking do not dominate our village and that the safety of adult and child pedestrians remains paramount.
The strategy for achieving the Aims and Objectives of this plan included:
Restricting parking.
Providing alternatives for parents.
Slowing traffic.
Improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
Reinforcing the school travel plan.
Update on Measures Proposed
Measure
Progress
1.
A “Build Out” in New Church Road from the footpath to Mumford Close.
Not achieved due to objections from local residents but timed yellow line restriction from pathway instead.
2.
“Built up Tables” at each end of New Church Road and School Lane.
Not achieved due to objections but red patches painted in road.
3.
Yellow zig-zag lines outside school to be extended as far as bend.
Timed yellow line restriction added instead.
4.
Improved signage on approaches to school.
Achieved.
5.
New footpath along the edge of Poors Land.
Achieved.
6.
Car Parks at Orpen Hall, Treble Tile and Church to be made more available for use by parents.
Orpen Hall park improved and journey to school made safer at crossing with New Church Road. Use of Treble Tile agreed and operated for a time but then withdrawn due to misuse by parents.
7.
20 MPH limit in New Church Road.
Achieved with enhanced signage to follow.
8.
Designated space for disabled parking on Lexden Road.
Not achieved.
9.
A “Park and Walk” scheme organised by parents.
No known progress.
10.
Parents who drive to school to be encouraged to operate a voluntary one way system in School Lane.
No known progress.
11.
The school to review its Travel Plan.
Discussions between the school and Parish Council are ongoing.
