Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions;

(b)          Written Questions: To consider any written questions;

(i)            Victoria Road Parking Scheme- Councillor Wares

(ii)          Bus Shelter- Councillor Wares

(c)          Letters: To consider any letters;

(i)            Marine Gate- Councillor Mears

(d)          Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion.

(b)      Written Questions

(i)            Victoria Road Parking Scheme- Councillor Wares

26.1      The question was withdrawn.

(ii)          Bus Shelter- Councillor Wares

26.2      Councillor Wares put the following question:

“Please could the Chair confirm that the Council ensures that companies who supply and own bus shelters in the City have them fully insured such that if they are damaged beyond economic repair, such as a hit and run driver, they will be replaced quickly by the company and that in the event the company fail to replace the shelter, the Council will utilise funds from the self-insured fund so as not to affect residents who need and rely on bus shelters”.

26.3      The Chair provided the following response:

“The company that currently supplies and owns a majority of the bus shelters in the City is Clear Channel.  They have confirmed that, amongst other insurance policies, they have public liability insurance in the sum of £10m.  In relation to damage to their bus shelters they have stated that they self-insure and pursue claims against third parties where details are known.   Corporate Finance and Resources do not intend to use Council Insurance fund resources for the replacement of bus shelters that are the property of Clear Channel.  Officers are engaged with the current supplier and pressing them to fulfil their obligations and ensure the swift replacement of any bus shelters that are damaged beyond economic repair”.

26.4      Councillor Wares put the following supplementary question:

“Could I have the support of the Chair for the shelter on Mackie Avenue to be replaced as quickly as possible?”

26.5      The Chair provided the following response:

“You have my assurance and I will speak to Officers after the meeting to bring pressure to bear on Clear Channel to replace the shelter”

(c)      Letters

(i)           Marine Gate- Councillor Mears

26.6      The Committee considered a Letter from Councillor Mears that requested that a report be brought before the next committee meeting outlining options for addressing road safety, traffic and noise related issues at Marine Gate.

26.7      The Chair provided the following response:

“Marine Drive was a location assessed for a crossing in 2012. At the time it was considered that the existing pedestrian refuge was adequate. In the 27th November 2012 ETS Committee meeting, it was agreed that we would remove the crossing from the list but that we would continue to monitor the area.  And the monitoring that has been undertaken has now shown there is justification to consider this location for pedestrian improvements. 

As a result this location has been included in the Pedestrian Priority List report with a recommendation to further investigate improvement solutions in that complex area including a formal pedestrian crossing.

Between Marine Gate flats and Roedean Road there have been 11 slight collisions and 2 serious collisions in the past three years, however, these are spread out along its length and are not particularly concentrated at any particular spot except for the collisions that will be addressed by a report into pedestrian priority that is to be considered by this committee later.

Sussex Police are responsible for enforcing speed limits in Brighton & Hove and are currently, as most local services are, experiencing severe cuts to their funding and this is having a direct effect on their ability to actively police speeds limits. For this reason they would not support a reduction in the speed limit in Marine Drive and the low collision history in the area also supports this view with no speed related collisions recorded in this section.

The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership operate speed cameras on behalf of the Police and have to meet strict Home Office criteria when considering their deployment. I am pleased to say that, aside from the pedestrian collisions near Rifle Butt Road that could be addressed by the installation of a light controlled crossing, there have only been two collisions in the section of Marine Drive where you are requesting a camera. This would not meet the criteria for a fixed camera site, however, the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership  do operate a mobile camera site in a lay by above the Marina and this enforces in both directions up to, and including, the pedestrian refuge at Rifle Butt Road.

Any noise complaints can be reported to the Council’s Environmental Protection Team.   They can be contacted on ehl.environmetalprotection@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 01273 294266. If the noise is occurring Friday and Saturday nights 10pm to 3am residents can call the Council’s out of hours Noise Patrol Service on 01273 293541.   In addition the Marina have a security company that operate 24/7 and they can be called on 01273 693636”.

26.8      RESOLVED- That the Letter be noted.