Question 6: Ms Molony
Junction of
Will Surrey County Council take action on urgently needed safety issues at the junction of
There is no pavement at the north side of
Parents at school drop off times seriously worsen the problem by parking all the way along the green at the corner of
The corner urgently needs double yellow lines all along the green and opposite the shop, and strict enforcement of same. Fifty local residents have recently signed up to collect signatures for a petition about this junction and many expressed disappointment that this long standing problem has still note been resolved.
Officer response:
The lack of footway in
The principal obstacle to providing a continuous footway at this location is the existing road width along
The following is an extract form the Highway Code:-
Section 243
DO NOT stop or park
opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
As you will see from the above it is an offence to park either opposite or within 10m of a junction, and this is even in the absence of yellow line waiting restrictions. This applies additionally in front of a pedestrian drop crossing where the kerb has been dropped to assist pedestrians, or indeed on the footway itself.
Advisory white junction protection markings have been introduced previously to deter motorists from parking close to junctions and remind drivers of their responsibility under the Highway Code, and this additionally assists the Police enforcement. Many of the pictures you have kindly submitted clearly show offences being committed, in direct contravention of the above, which the Police have powers to enforce very quickly and effectively, and a sustained regime would deter many persistent offenders.
Surrey County Council’s Elmbridge Community Travel advisor visits schools on a regular basis and assists in the production of their School Travel Plan (STP), for which the school receives a government grant of some £7,000. Both St James and
The School Travel Advisor will be writing to all
The issue of waiting restrictions will then be discussed with the schools and if deemed appropriate, this will be added to the list of sites for the next annual amendment order of waiting restrictions.
Supplementary Question (By Barbara Molony in response to the above)
Thank you very much for your response to my question which was submitted with the support of 69 local residents who have serious concerns regarding the safety of their children at this junction.
You recognised that the pictures which I submitted clearly showed parking offences being committed, however I can not see any information in your response which indicates that you are planning to take any action at all.
Given that double yellow lines are very much more effective as a deterrent to unsafe parking, could I ask whether the council will make a commitment to introducing these as soon as possible given that the children will be exposed to this danger again in September when they return to school?
Officer response: (made by Frank Apicella, SCC Local Highways Manager)
This is a slow process, the earliest yellow lines could be put in place is approximately 12 months".
Some people have expressed concern about how narrow the road would be with an additional footpath, and indeed widening the road will be complicated because there are services there such as a phone box, letter box and most importantly a Telecommunications service point, which apparently can not be easily moved.
