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Road Safety (Hertfordshire)

The Petition of those concerned about the safety of Lower Road Bridge in Nash Mills, Declares that a safety crossing and traffic calming system is urgently needed for the Lower Road bridge in Nash Mills; that the Victorian bridge has no footpath or alternative safe route being designed for horse and carriages rather than 40 tonne lorries; that a local traffic survey found that on 24th October 2007 between 2pm and 5pm there were 2217 movements through the bridge including HGV lorries, buses, vans, cars, motorbikes and pedestrians; that a large proportion of the pedestrians crossing the bridge are children; that 50 children live in the 150 dwellings in what is known as ““no mans land”” (Lower Rd, Hyde Lane and Woodlands Rd) and have to cross the bridge to access the local park; that further planned developments nearby (residential and business) are likely to exacerbate the problem on this bridge which has three junctions on its south side; and that if the Government is encouraging children to walk to school it should ensure the environment for them to do so is a safe one. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Communities, Local Government and the Regions to instruct the local authority to look into solutions to the problem which should include the introduction of pedestrian lights; reducing the height restriction on the bridge to 11 ft 4; adding a footpath and sensor light; painting the inside of the bridge white and lighting it 24hrs a day; putting a speed camera in the Lower rd on the bend; providing islands to assist pedestrians in crossing the road and to consult further with the local community to ensure everybody's safety. And the Petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by Mike Penning , Official Report, 7 May 2008; Vol. 475, c. 814.] [P000171] Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport: The Secretary of State acknowledges the concerns of the petitioners regarding this location. As the road concerned is a local road which is the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council, it is the County Council's responsibility to assess the problems which are identified at this location and to propose and implement solutions. The Secretary of State has allocated funding to Hertfordshire County Council to allow it to deliver its Local Transport Plan and it is the responsibility of the County Council to identify its programme for spending that funding. The Secretary of State also observes that officers from Hertfordshire County Council have attended meetings and site visits with local residents who have supplied comprehensive information detailing their concerns for this section of road. It is also observed that additionally some funds are available from Section 106 funding from nearby developments which will help to fund any proposed work which emerges from an options report which is being prepared to investigate the matters raised. There is a need to prioritise the work required. As part of the feasibility work the County Council will be collecting data on traffic flow and speeds. The County Council is also discussing with Network Rail issues identified by the petitioners, such as the painting and lighting. While these could be implemented relatively quickly, any other scheme could take two years to design and implement and it will be for the County Council to weigh up the benefits from this scheme against other Local Transport Plan priorities.