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Extra Oct 2009

Extraordinary Parish Council Minutes Oct 2009

BRADWELL (with PATTISWICK) PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of an EXTRAORDINARY MEETING held on

Thursday 29^th October 2009 at 19:00Hrs

PRESENT: Mr J Marshall (Chairman), Mrs D Tyrie (Deputy Chairman), Mr M Keepence, Mr B Saville, Mr R Webb, Mr T Speakman

Public representation exceeded fifteen.

APOLOGIES: Mr P Wigg, Mr T Dunn (Clerk)

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: Cllr Speakman declared a personal interest in the planning issues relating to the A120 Puffin Crossing.

Mr Mark Grimsey of Atkins, representatives for the Highways Agency addressed the agenda items, he stated:-

2.1 & 2.2 The high level lights must comply in terms of safety with British Standard BS5489.

2.3 Mr Grimsey confirmed Atkins had reviewed reducing the impact of the lighting columns. He advised three shields have been

ordered for the rear of the lanterns to reduce light spill from the rear. Masking with black tape to reduce light spill to properties will, once correctly adjusted, be painted with black paint.

Two new lanterns have been ordered for the 2 x 5m lamps for the footways. Delivery 2.5 weeks. This will supply a flatter light

source. The light will be directed onto the footpath and it will be less visible to residents.

2.4 After receiving correspondence from the farming community Essex Police and road haulage companies the Highways Agency accepted the central island should be removed.

Public Point of Order: The public require discussion to decide if the island will remain. They do not accept being told of a decision by the Highways Agency.

Mr.Grimsey confirmed we would revert to the Parish Council after further discussion regarding the central island removal.

2.5 The crossing will be in action 24 hours daily. The beeper will be deactivated daily between 22:00Hrs to 07:00Hrs. The lights will still be operational. There is a tactile marker on the bottom of the device for the blind and partially sighted.

Public Point of Order: Width and safety of the pavements had been omitted from the agenda – objection raised by Mrs R Kramer.

2.6 The width and Safety of the Pavements was added to the agenda by the Chairman.

Mr.Grimsey confirmed the normal design for a pavement is 1.2m – 1.5m wide only. No information was to hand regarding the

width of the existing pavements.

The meeting was then opened to questions from the public.

Mr Grimsey confirmed the high level lights were moved to achieve a uniformity of light levels.

Mr Grimsey gave no response to a question regarding the lack of lighting at Marks Tey.

Cllr Abbot queried the column height and questioned why the lighting level is double or triple that needed. Cllr Abbot stated the remainder of the village will be lit in conformity with the crossing.

Mr Grimsey advised that 10m columns made the intensity of light too great on the carriageway and therefore could not be used.

Mr Grimsey denied there is any scheme to add more lighting to Bradwell.

From the Floor Mr.Biggs asked Mr.Grimsey why if the lights at Bradwell are standard for high level lights generally are the lights at Marks Tey entirely different from those at Bradwell. There was no response from Mr.Grimsey.

Cllr Speakman requested a copy of the Environmental Impact Report and the Surveyors Report.

Mr Grimsey confirmed these would be supplied.

Cllr Speakman queried the minimum width of the highway, which he stated should be 3 meters. He confirmed the actual width at the crossing is 2.9 meters.

General discussion, the floor objects to the crossing position.

Cllr Speakman addressed the floor. He stated he could not get his farming vehicles through Bradwell with the existing crossing arrangement.

The floor questioned the health and safety of the A120.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that Atkins has no control of the lighting scheme between Bradwell and Braintree.

The floor confirmed that an Atkins employee had stated the white lines in the crossing area were incorrect, therefore the lights had to be switched off.

Mr Grimsey advised the lights had not been commissioned due to an electrical fault. EDF have a ten day response time and are due to attend to the fault by the 5^th November 2009.

The floor advised that Mr Rick McCoy would send an email to the Highways Agency regarding monitoring the noise level, which has been requested by

Mr Byams.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that the high friction surface should not be noisy.

Point made from the Floor; the residents had endured night after night the resurfacing works in June 2006 which it was claimed would and did make the road surface much quieter for those living alongside the A120. The new high friction surface is extremely noise and in addition the herringbone hatching and keep out signage is raised enough to act as a rumble strip.

The floor stated the original reason for the ghost junction central island was to give protection to motorists turning from the A120. The public believe removing the central island will create a significant danger.

Cllr. Tyrie asked the floor for their opinion about the use of speed cameras to address the problem of speeding vehicles through Bradwell.

A public vote was taken. The public unanimously voted in favour of some form of “Speed Camera”

Mr Grimsey confirmed that average speed cameras were more effective. He advised that masts would be needed.

Essex County Council made representations for a crossing before The Highways Agency took over responsibility for the A120. The Parish Council voted in favour of a crossing as the A120 was and still is impossible to cross.

Cllr Speakman reported the following comment from Mr Brooks Newmark :-

Sent his apologies for his lateness. He was disappointed in the Parish Council. He believed the island should be removed. He confirmed the lights are too bright. He considers the crossing needs to be moved. He considered the drawings did not show the spread of light.

Mr Grimsey agreed that it is difficult to demonstrate light on drawings.

The floor confirmed from earlier enquiries that Highways would not entertain a crossing being at a bus stop.

Mr Grimsey addressed the point from the floor that the crossing was not fit for purpose. He stated that RSA2 raised no issues regarding the crossing with the exception of a willow tree obscuring the carriageway.

The floor unanimously agreed that Atkins pre-construction advisory letter was not received by any member of the public present at the meeting.

Mr Gimsey confirmed the letter should have been delivered by the support team. He also advised a press release had been issued.

The floor voted unanimously that the central island should not be removed.

Cllr Abbot confirmed that at a recent meeting, neither the Highways Agency nor Atkins raised any objection to the Rivenhall Waste Site development.

Mr Grimsey advised that he would check why Highways and Atkins had raised no objection and revert.

The floor, (Mrs Rita Kramer) requested the Highways Agency check the pollution levels from vehicles on the A120.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that the A120 will not be declassified as a trunk road.

Mr Grimsey stated that the drawing submitted to him at the meeting, which was the drawing used by the Parish Council at the time of consultation, had no relation to the design of the crossing supplied.

Mr Brooks Newmark MP arrived at the meeting at 20:05Hrs.

Several points were put to the floor. The vote results are as follows:-

1. A majority were in favour of the crossing being moved.

2. It was unanimously agreed that the central island should not be removed.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that the island can be made narrower.

3. The floor were asked where they want the crossing to be relocated and a general discussion ensued with no alternatives suggested and no vote taken.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that the crossing could not be at a bus stop.

The Floor Mr.Biggs commented that the crossing at Marks Tey is in close proximity to the bus stop lay-bys each side of the road.

Mr Grimsey advised that the Parish Council would have to make a formal application to the Highways Agency to have the crossing moved.

Mr Grimsey said the only questionable issue was the central island.

The floor raised the issue of the A120 being declassified as a trunk road with Mr Brooks Newmark.

Mr Brooks Newmark stated he believed there is a safety issue due to the location of the crossing. He confirmed the light issue needs reviewing. He stated that the Parish Council should be proactive regarding planning issues.

Mr Brooks Newmark asked the Parish Council to write to him regarding the possible declassification of the A120 as a trunk road.

Mr Grimsey confirmed a survey of those crossing the road had been undertaken and the numbers did not meet the criteria for a crossing.

4. A majority agreed that a crossing is required.

The Floor again discussed a relocation site for the crossing with no proposal.

Mr Grimsey has confirmed he will supply data regarding the crossing criteria.

Cllr Speakman raised the issue of flooding due to the dropped curb, which affects Mr & Mrs Byam’s property.

Mr Grimsey confirmed that Atkins will be addressing the problem caused by the dropped curb.

Cllr Marshall asked Mr Grimsey when the work would commence.

Mr Grimsey said the order time was 2.5 weeks and the work would be carried out after that.

The Floor asked for a traffic count, a noise survey and to reduce the hours when the crossing beeper is operational.

The Floor asked Mr Grimsey if the traffic lights could be removed, leaving the central island. Mr Grimsey is to review this with the safety team at Atkins.

Cllr Keepence requested that the minutes show the Parish Council had not been consulted about the removal of the central island, which is contrary to the statement made by the local media

It was agreed that the minutes would be issued in draft form and circulated for comment by all present at the meeting before being finalized and signed as a correct record of the meeting.

It was agreed that a further meeting will be held as soon as possible after the distribution of the minutes and that time was of the essence.

All minutes are published in the Parish Magazine, on the Parish Website and the village notice boards.