Agenda item

To consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development attaching the draft Statement and recommendations following the Boards meeting on 13^th January 2009 when the request for Scrutiny from the North West (Inner) Area committee concerning the A660 Corridor Transport Issues was considered.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report attaching the draft Statement and recommendations resulting from a request for scrutiny by the North West (Inner) Area Committee on A660 Corridor Transport Issues, which the Board considered at its meeting on 13^th January 2009.

The Principal Scrutiny Adviser presented the report and advised that the statement had been cleared by the City Development Department and no comments had been received from the Director of City Development or the appropriate Executive Board Member.  However there were two minor amendments to be made on page 44 of the statement with regard to the witnesses heard by the Board:

·  The spelling of the Chief Highways Officer’s name, and

·  The member of the public was a Mr Tony Green, who was representing himself, not any particular organisation.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Gary Bartlett, Chief Highways Officer, and Andrew Hall, Transport Strategy Manager both from City Development.

In summary, Officers advised the Board that:

·  All options regarding the Clarendon Road/Woodhouse Lane junction were still being reviewed and considered. 

·  Recommendations three and four of the Scrutiny Board statement were already being carried out. 

·  The Transport Sub-Committee of the North West (Inner) Area Committee would be meeting on 25^th March 2009 and it was hoped to have some proposals ready to discuss at that meeting.  In the meantime Ward Members were being briefed.

·  Additional funding had been allocated by the Regional Transport Board to fund a new NGT project and further understanding of the implications of this for the A660 corridor would be required prior to Officers being in a position to report back fully to Members.  It was hoped to be able to report back in March 2009.

Concern was expressed by the Ward Member for Headingley regarding the delay in the installation of the pedestrian crossing at the Clarendon Road/Woodhouse Lane junction and how the Department were communicating this to members of the public.

The Transport Strategy Manager advised that traffic modelling at this junction was being carried out again and would include a model just to include pedestrian signals.  The Chief Highways Officer would be notified of the outcome of this remodelling in March.  As regards communications to the public, Members were informed that a script had been prepared so that all officers were quite clear on what advice should be given to the public and to make sure that it was consistent with the information already provided to Ward Members.

RESOLVED – That the Board’s statement and recommendations be agreed.

Gritting Policy

At this point in the meeting the Chair praised the way Highways officers had communicated with Members over the recent severe weather conditions and in the way the highways had been dealt with generally as regards gritting.  He requested that the Board’s thanks be conveyed to staff and management for their efforts.

The Chief Highways Officer agreed to pass on these compliments to his staff.

(Note: Councillor Taggart joined the meeting at 11.20am and Councillor R Procter left the meeting at 11.25am during the consideration of this item.)