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Cabinet NOTED the comments made
by David Roche, in support of a petition containing 143 signatures
seeking the urgent replacement and repair of the pavements along
Lancelot Road, Crescent and Avenue.  In addressing Cabinet Mr Roche, whilst
welcoming the opportunity to speak on behalf of local residents expressed disappointment that
despite numerous requests there had been a lack of co-ordinated
action to address the urgent issues affecting the damage and
dangerous state of pavements along the roads identified.
 
In highlighting the safety
concerns and impact that the state of the pavements was having on
local residents, particularly those who were disabled or elderly,
Mr Roche also spoke to detail the personal impact on his family
following a fall on the pavement experienced by an elderly family
member which had discouraged them from visiting his home prior to
them having sadly passed away.
 
Referring to recent increases
in Council Tax, Mr Roche advised that the local
residents who had signed the petition felt these were
unjustified given the poor state of the street and the reduction in
local services.  Furthermore, it was
felt that the cost incurred in repaving the nearby Wembley High
Road had been unjustified given its ongoing poor state of
cleanliness and the worsening condition of other nearby residential
streets.  In
highlighting the works to repave and enhance other residential
streets elsewhere across the borough Mr Roche reiterated the
neglect felt by the residents of Lancelot Road and outlined the
safety, financial and social benefits associated with the works
being requested.  This was particularly in relation to the
impact which it was felt clean and well
maintained streets provided in terms of reducing anti-social
behaviour and fly-tipping and in terms of reducing the financial
costs and environmental impact associated with a more reactive
programme of repairs.
 
Given the close proximity of
Lancelot Road to Wembley High Road and Wembley Stadium, Mr Roche
also emphasised what he felt to be the associated financial benefit
use of the road provided in terms of parking and access to local
businesses on the High Road and in assisting to reduce congestion
as an alternative route around Wembley Central and Wembley Park on
event days. In contrasting the treatment of Lancelot Road to nearby
Harrowdene Road, Mr Roche stated that residents and visitors had
commented on the difference between the state of the footways in
both streets and across the area as a
whole.
 
In addition to the poor state
of the pavement on Lancelot Road, Mr Roche highlighted the safety
issues that the double yellow lines at the junction with the High
Road were also causing.  In referring to a fatal accident that had
occurred at the junction, Mr Roche called for the double yellow
lines to be replaced with red
lines.
 
In concluding, Mr Roche advised
that the petition was calling on the Council to commit to repaving
Lancelot Road during the 2023-2026 Highways Programme and if not
possible to approve at this stage, for an urgent site visit to be
arranged to review the state of the pavement and consider how best
residents concerns and feelings of neglect could be
addressed.
 
In responding,
Councillor Krupa Sheth (as Cabinet Member for Environment,
Infrastructure & Climate Action) began by thanking Mr Roche for
attending the meeting in order to
present the petition.  In highlighting
the ongoing challenge in being able to balance the number of
footways and carriageways around the borough that would benefit
from maintenance to improve their condition and visual appearance
against the limited level of resources available, Councillor Sheth
felt it was important to recognise how this impacted on the need to
ensure works were prioritised through both a planned and reactive
maintenance programme.
 
In terms of planned
maintenance, this process was based around an asset management
approach using annual condition surveys, inspection programmes and
other data to produce the annual Highway and Footway Maintenance
Programmes with it noted that the current footway reconstruction
programme was currently in the process of being finalised to take
account of local ward priorities.  Local residents in support of the petition
were therefore urged to contact their local ward councillor(s) in
order to ensure Lancelot Road, Avenue and Crescent were included
for consideration as part of the ongoing prioritisation
process.  In terms of more reactive
maintenance, these works were initiated via scheduled highways
safety inspections or as a result of a reports of a particular
problem assessed against specific criteria, with work undertaken
(over the previous 12 months) to repair 24 investigation level
defects identified or reported along Lancelot Road and the other
streets which were the subject of the petition.  The programme of reactive maintenance would
continue as issues were identified.  In the meantime, local
residents were encouraged to continue engaging with their
local ward councillor(s) with Councillor Sheth advising she would
also be willing to arrange a site visit, should that be required by
local residents to discuss their ongoing concerns.
 
In addressing the issue
of red line waiting restrictions Councillor Sheth ended her
response by highlighting that these restrictions were the
responsibility of Transport for London and not therefore a matter
the Council would be able to address.
 
Eligible for Call-In:
No