Agenda item

The Transport Policy Planner with 2 representatives from Derbyshire County Council (DCC) presented the report to seek a decision from Members on whether to support the DCC Safer Roads Scheme on the A57 Snake Pass.  This would include the introduction of speed cameras and additional infrastructure, markings on the highway, signage, and crash barriers.  The proposed elements of the scheme would have a significant visual impact on the landscape.

There were no updates since the report was circulated.

The Traffic and Road Safety Commissioner from DCC gave a presentation setting out the justification for the scheme, and what measures would be undertaken to reduce the impact of the scheme.  The Department of Transport had given approval for the scheme, which was the first of its kind in England, where data indicated that a combination of measures would be needed to reduce the number of accidents on the A57.

The following areas were discussed:

•          There was a particular issue with left hand loss of control on bends for motorcyclists, but there was a multi-user collision history that needed to be addressed.

•         Other road schemes could put more pressure on the A57, although there was no information available to advise this would be the case.

•         The average speed cameras along the road management scheme of the A57 would be procured and managed by Derbyshire County Council whilst the works are taking place.  Management and enforcement of the route once the infrastructure was in place going westbound would be done by the Sheffield Road Safety Partnership, and anything going eastbound would be done by the Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership.

•         To reduce the visibility impact the signs would be masked.  Signs would be sited within a 100m of the camera locations to make drivers aware they are in a monitored speed zone.

•         Collison data on costs of dealing with accidents came from the Road Safety Foundation.  Information had been gathered from networks across the county as well as nationally and internationally.  This had provided information on cost savings from installing cameras, signs and road markings.

•         A blended solution of measures was proposed to be the most effective way of reducing accidents and injuries.

•         Signage would be masked by natural landscape features, with visibility from drivers on the road, but blended into the wider landscape.  Average speed would be monitored along the whole route.

•         The signage and markings would be kept to a minimum, but could achieve significant improvements to road safety.

•         Would the measures displace traffic onto other roads where there is an alternative route from Sheffield to Ladybower via the Hope Valley.  This could put traffic through residential areas where traffic problems already existed.  The DCC Road Safety representatives could report to a future committee with displacement information from other schemes in Derbyshire.

•         Cameras were sited at regular intervals along the route so that drivers are aware their speed is being monitored, with fewer needed than is typical, as there were only one or two roads joining the A57 where further cameras would be needed on joining the main road.

•         Speed reduction would reduce noise and pollution.

•         DCC had a large highway network to maintain and were looking at a framework to manage the network in regards to managing sites with a programme of road marking replacement, sign cleaning and vegetation clearance.

The recommendation as set out in the report, with an amendment to the second Recommendation to replace ‘Authority’ with ‘Peak District National Park’, was moved, seconded, put to the vote and carried.

Resolved that:

1.      That Members agree to support the delivery of the Scheme by Derbyshire County Council .

2.      That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Conservation to agree minor amendments to the Scheme resulting from operational requirements in the best interests of the Peak District National Park.

Meeting adjourned at 11:45 and recommenced at 11:55am