Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment detailing a proposal to mitigate the noise disturbance in Cloth Fair.

The Committee was advised that in July 2016 the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee had considered six options to mitigate the late night noise disturbance issues in Cloth Fair and the recommended option was to proceed with an overnight road closure. However the Sub-Committee considered that the option of installing double yellow lines to prohibit parking required further exploration and consultation.

The Committee was advised that in November 2016, local occupiers were consulted on the proposal to introduce double yellow lines in Cloth Fair. A total of 10 responses were received of which 7 were from Cloth Fair. The proposal received overall support but the sample size was very small and the results could therefore fluctuate easily. Ward Members were also briefed on these responses and the considerations and agreed that the double yellow line should be trialled.

The Committee was further advised that officers therefore recommended that the proposal for double yellow lines should be implemented on an experimental basis so that the effectiveness of the proposals could be monitored or, if necessary modified, but also be made permanent if it was successful. Additionally, to encourage better compliance of the double yellow lines from the start, a dedicated team of Civil Enforcement Officers would be deployed to Cloth Fair to carry out enhanced enforcement for the first few weeks.

Members raised a number of questions in relation to the impact of the proposed double yellow lines, in particular that the double yellow lining option might cause difficulties for disabled  visitors including those to the church who would need to find alternative parking in nearby streets. Members expressed concern that the CoL Access team had not been consulted and the fact that residents didn’t require disabled parking did not address the issue.

The Director of the Built Environment advised that local consultation including with the church and surveys had been carried out and this did not identify a need for disabled parking for visitors.

Arising from the discussion an amendment to the recommendation to agree Option 2 – Double Yellow Lines and Disabled Persons Parking Bay on the South Side was MOVED and SECONDED

The amendment was put to the vote, the result of which was as follows:-

Votes in favour of the amendment - Unanimous

RESOLVED – To:

a)        Approve the introduction of double yellow lines in Cloth Fair and a Disabled Persons Parking Bay on the south side, on an experimental basis; and

b)        Approve the making of permanent traffic orders if the experiment is successful and no objections are received. If objections are received, that officers consider these and report them back to the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee with their recommendations.

At the conclusion of this item, and in respect of Standing Order No. 40, the Chairman sought the Committee’s consent to extend the meeting to allow for the remaining business to be considered. This was put to the meeting and AGREED.