Key points from the quarterly meeting are included below. These provide an update on reactive maintenance, parking enforcement measures and planned maintenance of roads in Heald Green ward.
Outwood Road
The section from Cross Road to Wilmslow Road, this was last surfaced in 2012, it is also impacted by foundation issues. Funding for it to be resurfaced has been agreed as part of the capital programme by the council, it is the programme for this new financial year. Councillors asked if the section of Wilton Road between numbers 1 – 11 (the first 200 yards from Cross Road could be resurfaced as well, the other side of Wilton has been resurfaced more recently).
Officers will look at this and seek a price to assess if this is feasible. The works to Outwood Road will take a lot of planning and will cause significant disruption. Councillors asked to be updated on these plans when more information was available.
Parking at Regency Gardens
The officer has liaised with the Greenspace Team about the parking issues and is also looking to see if any A34 MRN improvement funding could be used to help in this location, linked to the works that are already happening in this area. The problems with the nearby car dealership operating from a property were discussed.
Finney Lane
The slowly draining drains near the bus stop and opposite the Coop on Finney Lane will be cleaned next Wednesday, also a drain on Westwood Road that has a lot of detritus.
A resident has requested bollards on Finney Lane to prevent pavement parking, however:
- the bollards must be installed 45 cms back from the edge of the road
- because of haunching for the kerb line and to allow the overhang of handle bar width room, for cyclists
So there is not enough width to do this.
Finney Lane service road work by the shops had been completed and had improved things.
The bike loop and additional bollards outside Finney Lane shops to prevent anti-social parking. This will go before Cheadle Area Committee for approval and if approved will be implemented soon after.
Etchells Road and Turves Road
Pot holes had been raised, it is inspected every quarter. This has been resurfaced recently, so officers need to know the precise location so they can look at this.
Gateway column, the first set had been well received by residents. The installation of the second set have been on hold awaiting approval from Network Rail. This has now been received and the council will now proceed with getting these installed in the next few weeks.
TROs (Traffic Regulation Orders)
Outwood Drive
The plans to replace the existing TROs (double yellow lines) are being prepared and will be published after the Pre-Election/Election period.
Mona Avenue
The plan for TROs is being prepared and will be published after the Pre-Election/Election period
Outwood Road
The plan for TROs is being prepared and will be published after the Pre-Election/Election period
Crantock Drive
Issues with a car transporter parking there, the officer had not observed this when she had been out. Councillors agreed to pass on any further complaints. The only action possible would likely be TROs.
Freshfields and Formby Drive
The TROs are ready to be put in place but getting the road to be clear of vehicles is a problem preventing work. The council will be putting cones out to secure the area to get the road markings in – councillors asked to be advised when this is scheduled so we can share on social media channels to help with this.
Stalmine Avenue
Residents have suggested that the TROs are on the wrong side. However, this has now passed via consultation it won’t be looked at again.
Finney Lane
The TRO work is completed; councillors thanked officers for their work on this. It is improving things. However, councillors advised that they feel the fines do not offer enough of a disincentive to some drivers. Cllr McCann has raised this in the Corporate Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee.
Fines are £70 (reduced to £35 for prompt payment) for parking on a TRO. They are £50 (reduced to £25 for prompt payment) for parking without a ticket in a car park. The council is looking at this through a Scrutiny Review, the council can increase these fines, it has local powers to do this within national guidelines. The fines probably haven’t changed in the last 20 years. There is new legislation on pavement parking, which is being passed by parliament. There will also be work to decide how this is implemented locally, which will feed into the Scrutiny Review.
Officers agreed to ask the Enforcement Team to increase frequency of visits to the new TROs on Finney Lane.
Finger post
Outwood Road junction, officers are asking to move this further away from the road to prevent damage to the post again.
Capital programme
There are proposals for the avenues and groves off Styal Road to instigate 20mph speed limits (this does not include Styal Road that will remain unaltered). This will be subject to consultation and will take approximately 18 months to put in place. It will be a sign and line only scheme. No speed bumps, just road markings.