Agenda item

The Chairman introduced Alyn Jones, Interim Director Economic & Community Infrastructure and Operation Director and Phil Lowndes, Strategic Manager for Traffic and Transport Development for Somerset County Council (SCC) explaining to members the decision to bring this Item to Committee for members to ask questions to these officers regarding the traffic issues relating to the Lyde Road junction improvements and related Eastern Corridor in Yeovil.

Marcus Fysh, MP for Yeovil Constituency then addressed the committee. He raised concern regarding the implementation of the scheme and the general principles of congestion in the town including;

1.    To ensure priority regarding Pedestrians

2.    Level of development in and around the outskirts of the town in particular where Section106 agreements can help and the issues faced should these agreements be rescinded for viability reasons.

3.    Regeneration of the town itself, with guidance from SSDC regarding regeneration of the town can assist SCC to plan for traffic in the town and help the local businesses operate and grow.

He hoped members would take on board these comments as believes this scheme interferes with some of these issues.

Adrian Dening, Margaret O’Neil, David Stone, Nigel Groves, Linda Whitsun-Jones and Clive Seaton all members of the public then addressed the committee.  Various comments were made including:

·         Referred to the temporary traffic lights at the junction over the Christmas period resulting in severe traffic congestion in the area and the relatively free flow of traffic once these traffic lights were removed.

·         Believed a roundabout in this area would be a better option then the proposed traffic light system. 

·         The backup of traffic which could be caused from the traffic wishing to turn right into St Michaels Avenue and any future options to alleviate congestion, for example a filter right hand lane.

·         Can see no justification for the traffic lights at the Lyde Road junction and believes the operation of the downstream signal system at Reckleford are a continued problem and extra traffic lights will result in further chaos.

·         Appreciate the realignment of the large stone wall which allows further scope for a roundabout at the junction.

·         Complete waste of time and money as the current situation although not ideal does allow free flowing traffic and better than the proposed signal system resulting in more traffic stop time.

·         A lot of pain for not a lot of gain, with local businesses being severely affected by these unnecessary roadworks.

·         Yet another unnecessary traffic scheme within Yeovil Town which will result in preventing people coming into the town.

·         Concern was also raised regarding the new layout at the Horsey Lane roundabout and the problems caused by the traffic light system and the stopping and backlog of traffic onto the roundabout wishing to turn left into Hendford.

·         Considers the new layout of the hospital only concentrates the traffic and not disperse it.

Councillor Tony Lock Ward member explained the issues and reason for the attendance of the SCC Officers and believed that there was no one person to blame.  He felt that there were still ongoing issues with the signal system at the bottom of Reckleford/Wyndham Street and that until something was done with this nothing would improve.  He would support these works if they would relieve the queuing of the traffic on the A30 and the traffic at the bottom of the town and Reckleford, however if this proposed system was to exacerbate the traffic problems in the area then he asked that this work be stopped immediately.

Councillor David Recardo, Ward member also voiced his concern regarding the proposed scheme.  He believed that improvements to this junction were long overdue, however now that the high stone wall has been realigned believed a roundabout at the junction was a better option than the proposed traffic signal system. He also referred to the temporary traffic lights at the junction over the Christmas period resulting in severe traffic congestion in the area and the relatively free flow of traffic once these traffic lights were removed.

During discussion, members reiterated many of the comments already made and further comments included:

·         Questioned the timescale of the original traffic surveys undertaken and whether further up to date surveys had been carried out after the Reckleford scheme had been completed.

·         Disappointed that comments had been made by SCC that this scheme would not improve the current traffic flow at this junction.

·         Due to the natural difficulties of the area surrounding this junction with the situated nearby river, railway station and country park this junction was always going to cause a problem. 

·         When the opportunity arose from the Wyndham Park development and the potential increase in traffic a Section 106 agreement was put in the place with the developer to fund improvements to the junction.

·         Although appreciated the detrimental effect the temporary traffic lights had on the area at Christmas you should not compare the use of temporary traffic lights at the junction with the completed full traffic signal system.

·         Have to consider the original decision made was for the good of the town and therefore not anyone person is to blame.

·         Believed the upgrade of the existing Pelican crossing along Sherborne Road would help improve the traffic flow in the area.

·         Appreciate that there is no complete total fix to these problems and therefore should concentrate on the points that can be improved and which will benefit the area.

·         Believed removal of the traffic lights can sometime alleviate the traffic problems in the area and asked that this be trialled in this case at the lights at the Reckleford/Wyndham Street junction.

·         Don’t believe the views of the local peoples have been listened too.

·         Unnecessary traffic scheme within Yeovil Town which will result in preventing people coming into the town centre and have an effect on the future regeneration of Yeovil.

Following a further short debate, Councillor Peter Gubbins, Chairman explained the ongoing issues regarding the method of operation of the downstream signals at Reckleford/Wyndham Street junction as far back as February 2015 where discussions and a tour of the Reckleford scheme took place with Officers from SCC.  It was then agreed to take a look at the remodelling of the Yeovil Town Centre and the possibility of even closing Wyndham Street, however nothing more has been forthcoming.

In response to the questions and comments, Alyn Jones, Interim Director Economic & Community Infrastructure and Operation Director and Phil Lowndes, Strategic Manager for Traffic and Transport Development for Somerset County Council explained that:

·         They appreciated the concerns about the disruption caused by high levels of work taking place around the Yeovil road network which is an accumulation of significant development schemes and highway schemes within the area. 

·         Under planning permission previously granted, Barratt Homes the developer of this scheme are obliged to carry out this work at the junction.

·         Should not compare the use of temporary traffic lights with the final traffic light system which are the well-developed Scoot system.

·         Although the stone wall had been realigned this still does not provide enough space for a roundabout.

·         This scheme is wholly funded by the developer.

·         Consider that there is insufficient space to add an additional filter right turn into St Michaels Avenue.

·         Consider there to be no other viable option than that being implemented, as other options would need additional land take.

·         Unfortunately the existing pelican crossing along Sherborne road is very old and the technology cannot easily be updated. Therefore cannot justify as a reasonable requirement and not anticipated that his will be updated in the foreseeable future.

·         Considers the removal of the traffic lights in the long term does not have the effect of improving the traffic flow and that the provision for pedestrians or cyclists is also compromised.  We can however monitor how the lights perform.

·         Understood that no further traffic survey had been carried out as the expectation of traffic flow would not change in any case.

In conclusion they appreciated the frustrations and concerns raised, however clarified the need to create an improved junction which provides a positive controlled crossing at the junction for more vulnerable users explaining the schemes planning permission and legal agreement with the developer.  They were happy to meet with SSDC officers and members to further discuss problems and monitor issues and also programme in the wider development within Yeovil. 

Following a short discussion, the Chairman clarified the traffic lights at Lyde Road/Sherborne Road junction would go ahead but welcomed further meetings with the SCC officers to continue to monitor and discuss the issues of the ongoing highway works and re modelling within Yeovil, in particular the Reckleford/Wyndham Street junction.   He thanked the SCC officers for attending committee.

NOTED