Agenda item

The Vice-Chairman will provide an update on the progress of the Spalding Public Access Working Group.

The Vice-Chairman to provide an update on the progress of the Spalding Public Access Working Group.

The Chairman noted that the Spalding Town Centre TRO (Traffic Restriction Order) is additional to the wider piece of work the that the Vice-Chairman is undertaking for the Public Access Working group.

The Chairman explained to the forum his concern regarding the gentleman that was struck by a vehicle in the town centre, whilst two Police Officers were present to witness the occurrence as it happened.

• It was not understood if the Police Officers were PCSO, or fully warranted Police Officers.
• Information had been received by a forum member that one of the Police Officers was in training.

The Chairman explained that one of the officers would have been a fully warranted Police Officer. Upon witnessing the incident, the officer had a duty to respond.

• The Chairman voiced his concern that a member of the public had been harmed, and the Police Officer’s response was to do nothing in the situation.
• The Chairman’s understanding was that the response to do nothing was based on the verbal/written directive from the chain of command.
• The Chairman would like clarification from that particular chain of command as to why the instruction had been given.
• Had the traffic regulation sign at the entrance to the pedestrian area been adhered to, the incident would not have occurred. In turn this was giving our residents a false sense of security when walking through a pedestrian area.
• Presently the road only had a barrier restricting traffic flow on Tuesday and Saturday for the Spalding Market.

Although the Chairman was in full support of the police and the difficult position they were in, the Chairman asked for the full endorsement from the Forum to write to the local inspector, to enquire who authorised this approach.

• When the question was raised why the police patrolling the town centre were not ticketing cars parked in the pedestrianised area, the Police responded that they had received verbal abuse from members of the public so ceased to give out tickets.

• Actions were needed as the public had lost confidence in the restriction of deterring cars from entering the pedestrian area during the prohibited times.

• It was suggested that the Police Commissioner should be called upon to advise why these restrictions are not maintained. The MP had been informed of the continuing occurrence.

• Councillor Timewell had personally experienced abuse from drivers, driving through the restricted area, with no respect for the time conditions. A solution to this recurring problem needed to be found quickly before a more serious accident occurred. Any incident would revert back to the council, hence why the TRO should be enforced.

It was proposed to invite an officer from the local Police force to answer the forums questions on this important issue. It was noted that other towns are experiencing similar problems enforcing their Traffic Restriction Orders, can something be applied at County level to fix these issues.

• It was noted that support would be required to enforce the TRO that was currently in place.
• Suggestions to secure the backing of local businesses as it was often their customers who were breaking the TRO to frequent the shops. On market days a barrier was erected early to prevent traffic passing through.
• On market days it was noted that traffic and lorries making deliveries could enter the marketplace if the barrier has not been erected early enough in the morning.

The Chairman made 2 specific points:

• That he would write to the inspector to gain clarity that allegedly officers are instructed not to enforce the TRO in its current format.

The incident where a member of the public was struck by a moving vehicle in the town centre, where two Police Officers were present and no report on the incident was taken was  not acceptable. It was alleged that as the driver verbally apologised no further action would be taken.

• Secondly, the Spalding Town Forum had authorised a wider piece of work, titled the Spalding Public Access Working Group which Officers had kindly written a report to go to Cabinet. Members of the various groups could come together to examine public access to the town centre, not just the TRO but all aspects of it. Do we need something different from a TRO? Do we need to retain the pedestrianisation of the town centre?  It had been suggested that some groups would like to see buses travelling through the town, some would like a different version of the TRO.

• Lots of different views and opinions to be collected.

The Vice-Chairman was collecting all this information for the Town Forum as all views needed to be heard, considered, and given weight, before any conclusions are reached.

• The Chairman reiterated that the issue needs dealing with as a priority, the public perception was that the town centre was pedestrianised.
• Any vehicle that had been authorised to enter the pedestrianised area should be moving at walking pace, as depicted by the highway code.
• The current problem is that LCC put in the TRO, and at present the police enforce it.

Question was asked if it was expensive to have a camera installed.

• The Chairman responded that in previous enquiries, many issues existed with installing a camera, although presently in the north of Lincolnshire, and other areas, cameras had been adopted as routine outside schools.

A question was asked whether a camera could be instated to detect number plates and the speed of vehicles; this would then alleviate the need for policing the traffic in the town centre.

• The Vice-Chairman acknowledged this was something that could be considered as an alternative, noting that in Sainsburys car park number plates entering and leaving are registered, potentially this could be an option for the town centre.
• The Vice-Chairman of the forum announced that the Public Access Working Group would survey market traders, businesses, cyclists, and individuals to gain an insight as to what the public would welcome in the town centre.
• The Vice Chairman wishes to proceed at speed to conclude what was the best way forward. The draft report had been prepared.

The question was raised if this would be a tick box style survey.

• The Vice-Chairman explained that the working group would be engaging with numerous people to get as much perspective as possible, giving the Public Access Working Group an indication of what the public, businesses and market traders wanted, therefore finding a solution to the challenge presented.
• The report would be presented back to Cabinet to find a way forward.
• The Forum concluded that the group are harmonious that the TRO in place was not fit for purpose.

.

The question was raised that as SHDC licence the taxis would they act against the licensed taxis if they break the TRO by entering the town centre.

·        The Chairman responded that adhering to the TRO was not part of the Licence.

AGREED;

That the Chairman contact the Police Inspector to acquire clarification that the directive of not applying the TRO had been given to the warranted Police and PCSO officers, who operated within the town centre.