Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Environment presented a report on the Merry Fiddlers Junction Improvements and consultation results.

By Minute 38 (28 September 2010), the Cabinet had approved the Local Implementation Plan Delivery Programme for 2011/12 - 2013/14 which included £1.1m, spread over the three years, for improvements to the Merry Fiddlers junction and several adjacent turnings, together with improvements to the local public realm (including the nearby shopping parades on Whalebone Lane and Becontree Avenue).

A total of 340 responses had been received from the public following consultation on a range of options for the improvement of the Merry Fiddlers junction.  This had resulted in the proposed congestion reduction and road safety improvements, including improvements to the quality of the public realm and conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.  Apart from the proposal to ban the right hand turn from Whalebone Lane into Green Lane, all the proposals were supported by the public.  However, it was not proposed to proceed with the option to open up the Broadway to allow traffic from Whalebone Lane to access the Broadway due to its impact on pedestrians and limited benefits to road users.  The junction and associated improvements now formed part of the wider master plan proposals for the area.

It was noted that detailed designs would need to be drawn up for the junction and associated improvements and consultation commenced with a range of statutory undertakers to address any outstanding issues.  It was anticipated that work could begin on site in May 2013 and would be phased to ensure that disruption to residents, car users and businesses was kept to a minimum.

Cabinet agreed:

(i)  To the implementation of the improvements to the Merry Fiddlers Junction and surrounds, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, including:

·  Replace the paving around the junction.

·  Reduce the number of lanes on Wood Lane next to the leisure centre from 5 to 3.

·  Make the dangerous Wood Lane / Homestead Road junction safer.

·  Link the Becontree Leisure Centre and Morrisons car parks together.

·  Ban the dangerous right hand turns into and out of Althorne Way and out of Morrisons onto Wood Lane. Open up Stour Road to allow access from Althorne Way to Rainham Road North.

(ii)  To undertake a consultation on the nature and extent of a localised parking plan for the area, including the Stour Road area and the area outside the Merry Fiddlers shopping parade on Becontree Avenue; and

(iii)  To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Environment and Regeneration and the Valence and Heath Ward Members, to:

(a)  agree and implement specific measures for the Wood Lane / Homestead Road junction, following consideration of the options to improve safety in that area,

(b)  to undertake further investigative work to establish the feasibility of banning the right turn out of the Shell petrol station onto Wood Lane and changing the access into the Merry Fiddlers shopping parade from Wood Lane to Green Lane.