Agenda item

To consider a Joint Report of Director of City Development and Head of Democratic Services setting out concerns specifically relating to replacing the Lawnswood roundabout with a multi-lane light-controlled intersection; alongside the associated Director’s response.

The Director of City Development and the Head of Democratic Services submitted a joint report setting out concerns specifically relating to replacing the Lawnswood roundabout with a multi-lane light-controlled intersection; alongside the associated Director’s response.

The following was appended to the report:

-  Request for scrutiny from Councillor Jonathan Bentley

-  Local residents’ report on proposed changes to the Lawnswood Roundabout

-  Concerns raised by the residents’ group re the proposals for Lawnswood Roundabout

-  Article Written by George Monbiot - appeared in “The Guardian” dated 22 August 2018

-  Maps showing proposed changes

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Executive Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainable Development

-  Gary Bartlett, Chief Officer, Highways and Transportation, City Development

-  Andrew Hall, Head of Transport Planning (Highways and Transportation), City Development

-  John White, Civil Engineering Manager, City Development

-  Councillor Jonathan Bentley

-  Mr Graham Sugden

-  Mr Gareth Jones

Mr Jones addressed the Board of behalf of a local residents group and raised a number of concerns with previous plans for the Lawnswood roundabout, along with suggestions for management of the scheme moving forward, including:

·  Local residents felt that public engagement during formulation of previous plans had felt like a ‘box ticking exercise’, and that a more timely and more robust consultation process was needed for future proposals for Lawnswood roundabout;

·  Members were advised that queueing north of the roundabout between 8 and 9am, Monday to Friday, is due to bottlenecks further downstream, at West Park where the bus lane starts, and further down in Headingley. Therefore, local residents felt that prospective changes to Lawnswood roundabout would be ineffective at reducing congestion;

·  Some concerns were expressed around the decision making process for the original plans, and local residents requested that a general review of the framework, processes and principles that govern projects be undertaken.

Councillor Mulherin, Executive Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainable Development, informed Members that the revised project brief was predominantly focused on road safety, and particularly pedestrian and cyclist. Councillor Mulherin and officers present noted the concerns raised and lessons learned moving forward in the early stages of the revised scheme, particularly in regards to consultation.

Mr Sugden queried whether environmental impact assessments had been carried out for the options set out within the report, particularly for the pupils of Lawnswood School, and was informed that monitoring was taking place and that air quality issues for the school had been identified as modest.

Members provided further examples of areas surrounding the Lawnswood roundabout that were adversely affected by queueing traffic and contribute to the congestion along the A660. Members were advised that although congestion may not be a current pressure, consultants had advised that the roundabout will come under significant pressure in the future. Additionally, Members were informed that LPTIP schemes needed to evidence benefits to public transport in order to be eligible for Department of Transport funding.  The revised brief (i.e. the focus on safety) meant that the funding of a revised scheme would also need to be a key consideration of any future proposals. 

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and all the information presented and discussed at the meeting, in particular the revised brief for the scheme and associated funding issues, be noted.

b)  That, in considering the future options detailed in the report and to ensure meaningful community engagement as part of the decision making process, the Director of City Development submit a further report detailing the planned consultation activity to the Scrutiny Board in due course.