Redlands Liberal Democrats

Northumberland Avenue: speeding still a problem

A constituent has written to me to highlight the issue of speeding on Northumberland Avenue. He reports that cars are racing up and down the road doing speeds of up to 60mph and he fears for the safety of his young daughter and other families. This is of grave concern as this is a highly residential area with a park, a nursery and several schools along its length.

I have been concerned about road safety at this location for quite a while and raised the scandal of the speed camera with no film in it , and road safety in general with RBC back in January. Y

ou may remember Cllr RIcky Duveen and I pressed RBC to do more to hold members of the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership to account in relation to cameras etc in the Borough.

Anyway, I have written to RBC officers and asked them for an urgent update on what measures are being considered to tackle speeding on this road and I will post the response here when I have it.

Parking on Hexham Road estate

You may have seen the article in the Post last week about our successful campaign to get  RBC to reduce parking problems for residents living around Hexham Road. The Council's initiative will focus on parking problems that occur around the Community Centre at weekends.

For several months Labour councillors and officers denied there was a shortage of parking for residents. This isn't what my constituents have been telling me - I've had a number of emails and phone calls about the issue. Parking on grass verges and pavements is a symptom of a wider problem with lack of road space in an area which now has more cars than it was built to accomodate.

I am in the process of a setting up a meeting with Council officers from Transport and Housing departments to look at the wider problems of lack of parking for residents where land belongs to RBC i.e. housing estates. It sounds technical but basically it means that some bits of land are not 'public highway' and so normal parking restrictions such as yellow lines (and residents parking) cannot be introduced or enforced by RBC: not great if you are a resident and you want to park vaguely near your home.

Anyway, hopefully we've started the ball rolling and this issue will now get the attention it deserves.

Response from James Freeman on bus proposals

Following my post last week about the proposed changes to the buses that serve Redlands, James Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of Reading Buses has responded to my questions as follows:

"As far as the present service 18 is concerned, there is no plan to delete the service to Erleigh Road/Addington Road currently provided by service 18 – quite the contrary, in fact!

The present 18/19 services are suffering at present from very low use. They are part of the residual network (i.e. not part of the Premier Routes network) and with hourly frequencies and differing termini are at best confusing for customers. In addition, the 19 is duplicated along Craven Road and Addington Road by service 62.

Our scheme for 1st September is designed to make the service more attractive to users by adopting a single route through the area and numbering the service 38. Thus buses traversing the section Erleigh Road – Addington Road – Alexandra Road – Upper Redlands Road will, from 1st September, will operate every half hour during the day, Monday to Saturday. So, please reassure your correspondent that it is not our intention to damage the service from this area to and from Central Reading.

The position with regard to operating journeys later in the day and on Sundays is that we do not believe that there would be enough business, commercially, to justify any extension of the times that this service is provided.

Under the 1985 Transport Act, it is open to the local transport authority, in this case Reading Borough Council, to consider whether it is socially desirable and economically value-for-money to provide such additional journeys as might be required. The question of additional journeys is therefore one for Reading Borough Council to consider.

This same process is applicable to the present service 19 journeys between Central Reading and Kings Meadow (Tesco). These journeys currently carry not more than 6/7 passengers per journey, which indicates that whereas those people who do used it value the facility, the fares that are collected go nowhere near covering costs of operation. We have indicated that we need to stop operating over this section commercially (i.e. without subsidy) but it is for Reading Borough Council to consider whether it is appropriate to subsidise the operation after 1st September.

Mr Freeman sent me a further email today:

"The changes to 18/19 in the Erleigh Road/Alexandra Road area are actually extremely modest. All we have proposed is to merge the two present routes 18 and 19 which go slightly different ways into one common route which covers almost every stop currently served by both. Only Addington Road loses the 19 and does not gain the 38, but the 62 operates along this road, so there is still an accessible service.

We have proposed this change because the 18/19 does badly for passengers and part of the problem is that it is seen as two separate routes running every hour, whereas it is actually one route running every half-hour! The new number draws attention to the change and allows us to market the service more comprehensively – which we intend to do.

We will do everything we can to let people along the route know what is happening, recognising that many of these people will not have internet access. The printed timetables will be available about a week beforehand."

I am most grateful to Mr Freeman for responding to my questions in detail in relation to the proposed changes to bus services in Redlands.I am very glad that he recognises the need to advertise changes to the various routes to bus users who do not have web access. I think it is very important that student views are considered so I put Mr Freeman in touch with Rhiannon Horsley, RUSU President and I am pleased to say they are meeting shortly to discuss the route changes.

Redlands roads overlooked for resurfacing...again!

A few days ago the Council published it's carriageway resurfacing programme 2008/9 and we were shocked to find that NO streets in Redlands would be resurfaced over the next 12 months. This is the second year running that the Council has overlooked streets in desperate need of repair in the ward.

As part of our regular surveys and walkabouts of the ward we have identified and reported a large number of roads needing urgent repairs to the Council including Donnington Gardens, Blenheim Road, De Beauvoir Road, Hexham Road, Malvern Court and Hatherley Road. The road surface on these roads are pitted and full of potholes: this does damage to bicycle and car tyres. Residents have highlighted these problems to us and we have pressed the Council to act.

I wrote to the Highways department to find out why, once again, these problems are not being dealt with by the Council and got the following reponse:

"Regrettably there is insufficient funds to treat all roads identified. Those locations that are not included in this years major resurfacing programme will therefore role into future programmes. In the meantime reactive maintenance, as required, will continue in the usual manner,"

Continuing in 'the usual manner' will no doubt mean patching up the potholes that continually appear and failing to renew the disintegrating road surfaces. Is this policy offering value for money for Council tax payers in Redlands? Unsurprisingly this sticking-plaster approach was presented as a good news story today by the Labour-run adminstration.   

I have tabled a formal question to Council asking precisely when these roads will be repaired. We have also launched a petition which will allow local residents to register their anger at this decision and help us press for action. Please sign it here. What's the road surface like on streets in your neighbourhood? Please contact me if there are problems and I will make sure the Council hears about them.

The future of local bus services in Redlands

I received a letter today from an elderly constituent living in one of the streets off Erleigh Road, worried among other things that "now I hear that they (Reading Buses) are going to take away our 19 Bus".

After the closure of Erleigh Road Post Office earlier this year, it's not surprising there is a heightened level of concern about local services in the area.

My correspondent is right - bus services around Reading, including Route 19, are under review. Reading Buses is currently consulting on proposed changes to it's bus services. The bit that affects Redlands is as follows (from the Reading Buses website):

"Routes 18/19

The Problem

These are long and complicated routes and there is confusion between the two different routes to Lower Earley provided by Routes 18 and 19. As a result, levels of patronage are unsustainably low and we need to attract more riders.

In addition, the section of Route 19 to Napier Road Tesco store cannot be justified by the level of demand. It would be discontinued as a commercial operation now that a similar store is available on the Oxford Road, which is served by many services.

Reading Borough Council, in its role as transport authority for the town, will need to consider what should be done in the light of this commercial withdrawal. It has the powers to provide alternative provision of service under the Transport Act 1985.

Our Proposals

A single route would be created, Route 38, to replace current Routes 18 and 19. The level of service would be broadly as now, but to the east of Reading town centre (past Royal Berks Hospital to Lower Earley), buses would all follow a common route as Service 38 via the Royal Berkshire Hospital area, Erleigh Road, Addington Road and Alexandra Road to Upper Redlands Road on journeys towards Lower Earley and Alexandra Road, Addington Road, Erleigh Road, Alexandra Road, Addington Road and Craven Road on journeys towards Central Reading, providing a 30 minute frequency over this section between Central Reading and Lower Earley.

All journeys would go via Silverdale Road and Toseland Way and would terminate at ASDA, including those that at present only go as far as Toseland Way
.

Route 19 would be discontinued and the section between Central Reading and Napier Road, Tesco Store, would no longer be served."

I have asked James Freeman what Reading Buses is doing to ensure students are consulted - given that I have asked James Freeman how students have been consulted on these changes, given we are now in the University vacation period.

Reading Buses' are also consulting on proposed changes to Routes 20/21:

"The Problem

Since the change of times on 25 February there have been a number of issues with journey times and delayed buses in the morning peak heading for Central Reading. We will be seeking customer feedback as to what is needed to put this right. Some modest changes were made from 26 May, but we need to add an extra bus to the frequency in the morning peak to make it work.

Our Proposals

A revised morning peak timetable for Premier Routes 20 and 21, incorporating an extra bus to improve reliability, is proposed. In addition we are working with The University of Reading and Reading Borough Council to implement the diversion of Premier Route 21 through the University campus at all times, to reduce the confusion as to which buses do and which do not serve the University and to improve peak journey times for Premier Route 21 both to and from Central Reading.

Please let us know what is wrong with the current timetable for Premier Routes 20 and 21. A proposed timetable will be published here shortly – does this address your issues?"

Are you affected by these proposed changes? If so, please use the comments function and let me know your thoughts on the proposed changes to the 19 and 20/21 Bus Route.

The consultation closes on 17 July: find all the details about the routes affected here. I hope to meet Mr Freeman before then to discuss so do please get in touch.

Given the number of elderly people who use this route I have also asked him what local consultation has been undertaken, beyond the website (after all plenty of people do not have web access).

Lack of Sunday bus services for Erleigh Road has also been a longstanding gripe so I asked him about that too.

Not that long ago a young woman contacted me about the fact that the last bus (Route 19) from Town to Erleigh Road finishes at 6.45pm - hardly ideal if you're commuting or working late.

I have written to James Freeman, CEO of Reading Buses, asking him for more information about these proposed changes, in particular about any changes in frequency or start/end times of the timetable.

Keep them clean, keep them clear!

Many of the pathways in Redlands are becoming difficult to navigate.

People are still leaving their bins on the footpath. In some roads cars are routinely parked on the footpath (either half-on, half-off...or squarely in the middle of it). In a number of cases, vegetation has been allowed to grow out of gardens or parks, blocking the way. Daisy, Glenn and myself have reported multiple problems of this kind.

Add to this the increasing problem of people cycling without lights at speed down our pavements, and the rubbish left on our paths as a result of skips and flytipping, then it becomes a real task just to walk into town safely. It is especially hard for people with sight problems or movement difficulties. I have had several cases of actually quite serious injuries reported to me.

Here's what I think. People should be able to walk down our paths safely. They are for pedestrians. They are not for cycling on, storing things on, growing things on or parking on. They are for walking on.

It's a bit of a revolutionary concept perhaps, but there we are. If you have a problem with your paths being blocked, do contact us. We will also be doing street inspections, to identify key locations where this problem is occurring, making sure that everyone has a safe route to local facilities.

Reviewing parking on Alexandra Road

Regular readers of this Blog will know we have been grappling with the issue of problem parking, or to quote a local resident "inconsiderate parking", for some time.

The Council's decision to make it illegal to park on junctions around Alexandra Road was a good first step, but more clearly needs to be done in what is a very busy area for cars.The priority has got to be making the road safe for pedestrians and other road users, and pleasant for local residents.

If you need it, there's more background on our campaign to reduce dangerous parking in this area here.

I am pleased to say that after months of discussions with officers, parking on Alexandra Road is set to be comprehensively reviewed as part of the Council's traffic management process.

Officers are now preparing a report to go to the June 10 meeting of the Traffic Management Advisory Panel.

Once officers have reviewed current parking restrictions and issuses on Alexandra Road they will then put forward a proposal which will go out to public consultation. In the meantime, officers have also agreed to my request of a review of the frequency of traffic warden patrols.

I would like to thank local residents who have contacted us about this issue as it has helped me to keep the pressure on RBC for improvements to the parking situation in this area.

Labour backs Lib Dem Streetlighting Campaign

I read in the Evening Post that Labour candidate for Redlands, Peter Kayes, has publicly backed our campaign for improved street lighting.

We launched our campaign to get RBC to upgrade outdated 'orange glow' street lighting last November.

I'm glad Mr Kayes has come on board but I'm disappointed it took him a full 6 months to the see the light. I'm also wondering why he didn't take the opportunity to campaign on the issue when he was a Councillor for Redlands ward.

I remember it was an issue I raised with the Council in 2005 (before I was elected) as it was so clearly a problem to many residents.

Slightly confusingly he suggests that Redlands residents should get in touch with him, despite advice from his colleague, Cllr Tom Crisp (Lead Member for Transport) that residents should write to their local councillors.

We recently wrote to all residents living in around Erleigh Road about our campaign, encouraging them to report any problem lighting to their Lib Dem team, but it was nice of Mr Kayes to promote our efforts.

Perhaps his confusion lies in the fact that Cllr Crisp's comments came in direct response to a question on street lighting in Redlands tabled by my colleague Glenn Goodall .

As far as i can remember Mr Kayes wasn't present at the Council meeting.

You can read Glenn's question to Council and Cllr Crisp's response in full here.

What Mr Kayes failed to mention in his press release was the fact that the Labour Council's budget for streetlighting does not allow for a significant number of streets to benefit lighting upgrades. 

The £500,000 that has been set aside will in actual fact only pay for one lighting improvement scheme in each ward!

The Lib Dems highlighted this funding shortfall back in January.

Throughout the year, we have been working hard to secure funding to improve street lighting via the Safer Reading Campaign budget.

So far we have succeeded in getting lighting upgrades on Lancaster Close, Cintra Avenue and most recently Muirfield Close. Read more about these successes here.

As far as I'm aware, neither Mr Kayes nor his colleague Cllr Riaz Chaudhri, has submitted any bids to the Safer Reading Campaign this year. This is despite the fact that this funding is available to anyone who wishes to apply for it for small community projects.

There is also no mention by Mr Kayes of the poor fault repair record of RBC's chosen contractor, SEC.

We receive numerous reports from residents across the ward complaining about lights not working for long periods.

Cllr Ricky Duveen and I highlighted this issue earlier this year. Ricky asked the specific questionr:

'What steps are the Council taking to ensure that SEC improves its performance to meet the required standard (i.e. the top quartile of 5 days average repair time of 5 days) and to ensure this contract delivers value for money for council tax payers, given that the average time taken by SEC Lighting Services to repair streetlights in the Borough averaged 8.7 days last year?

Thankfully, after Lib Dem pressure the Council and SEC is putting more resource into improving this poor performance.

Anyway, it's always good to find support  (and free publicity) for our campaign from unexpected quarters!

Parking and pavements

Parking is a rising concern in the Ward, and was a big issue raised in the public Redlands and University NAG meeting month.

As well as increasing numbers of residents in the ward, due to higher density living, a greater proportion of those residents have cars.  But it is a little more complicated than that. For one thing, both the University and Royal Berks Hospitals would say they do not have enough car parking capacity: the result is that parking spills over into neighbouring streets. For another, the good public transport enjoyed by many parts of the ward means that, unfortunately, we become a park and ride area for the town centre.

It is also true that there's not only one type of parking. As well as parking illegally on double yellow line, people can park obstructively i.e. block a road or a pavement. Sometimes people come home to find others parked in their drive or even on their lawns, or find that people parking have damaged their property: we have seen all of this in Redlands.

Parking will be an issue covered in future NAG meetings, and Daisy, Glenn and I will be working with parking services and the Police to eliminate key hotspots.

Road safety concerns around Farringdon Court

Residents of Farringdon Court, off Erleigh Road have been in touch with me about road safety concerns. It seems that changes to waiting restrictions introduced in early 2006 have resulted in cars parking close to and opposite the junction of the access road with Erleigh Road. This has reduced visibility for drivers and pedestrians.

These changes were approved by the previous Labour councillors for Redlands. I have requested that this issue is examined by the Traffic Management Advisory Panel at the next available opportunity and that measures to reduce parking on the junction with Erleigh Road are investigated by RBC as a priority.