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							                                               Report for:
                                               ACTION

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Contains Private and            YES
Confidential Information        (PART
                                APPENDIX 3)

                                Closure of vehicular crossover to 51 Park Royal
Title
                                Road, Park Royal
Responsible Officer(s)          Noel Rutherford, Director, Built Environment
                                KK Senthilgiri & Geneve Christie, Transport and
Author(s)                       Planning Policy
                                Tel: 020 8825 7017 / 6802
Portfolio(s)                    Environment and Transport
For Consideration By            Portfolio Holder
Date to be Considered           19th September 2006
Affected Wards                  East Acton
Area Committees                 Acton

Keywords/Index                  Asda Development, Road Safety, Signal Junction,
                                Closure of crossover

Purpose of Report:
The report considers the proposal to close the vehicular crossover outside the
property of No 51 Park Royal Road at junction of Minerva Road with Park Royal Road
in Park Royal on the grounds of improving safety at the proposed signal controlled
junction.


l.
1. Recommended Actions

        (1) To note that officers are in negotiations with the owner of no 51, Park Royal
            Road regarding closure of the vehicle crossover to this property.

        (2) To note that officers are exploring funding options to meet the cost of
            compensation and works associated with the closure of the vehicular
            crossover to No 51 Park Royal Road; and
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       (3) To agree in principle that the Director of Built Environment be authorised to
           take steps to secure the closure of the vehicular crossover either by
           agreement or to stop up access to the property.

2. Reason for Decision and Options Considered
   To enable officers to pursue the closure of the vehicular crossover to No. 51 Park
   Royal Road. The closure of the crossover is requested by Transport for London
   as a proviso for proceeding with the signal installation work. If the crossover is not
   closed Transport for London will not install traffic signal scheme at this junction.

3    Key Implications
    The signal scheme was agreed as a part of the highway works associated with
    ASDA Development under Section 278 Highways Act, 1980. The vehicular crossover
    to No. 51 Park Royal Road has to be closed in order to implement the traffic signal
    scheme.

    Failure to progress the signal scheme which incorporates pedestrian facilities will
    adversely affect pedestrian safety at the junction of Park Royal Road / Minerva Road
    /Access Road to ASDA Supermarket.

4    Financial
    Currently, there is no funding available for the closure of the vehicular crossover
    to No. 51 Park Royal Road. Discussions are being held with representatives of
    ASDA Store and Park Royal Partnership to explore funding options. Both parties
    have indicated that they would consider making a contribution towards or funding
    the full cost of the proposal. The total cost of the scheme will consist of a figure
    for compensation and construction and any legal and administrative costs
    associated with advertising the closure.

    The Council Estate Valuation Department (Dunlop Haywards) has carried out a
    valuation of the loss of vehicle crossover to the owner of No. 51 Park Royal
    Road. They have indicated that there is a level of compensation to the owner of
    No. 51 Park Royal Road, which cannot be disclosed in this report for
    confidentiality reasons (see Appendix 3 – Committee Members only).


    Apart from the compensation cost there are other administrative costs as follows:

    (1)Cost of legal work - £7,500
    (2)Cost of advertising access closures - £2,000
    (3)Consequential costs - £8,000

    Total cost: £17,500

    Please note: The work would only be carried out if funded by ASDA Store / Park
    Royal Partnership or external source.


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5   Legal

    The Council has power under s124 of the Highways Act 1980 to stop up access to a
    property where it is likely to cause danger to or interfere unreasonably with traffic on
    the highway’. The Council first needs to be satisfied either that no access from the
    highway is reasonably required or another access is available. If access is closed off
    under s124 the owner/occupier will be entitled to compensation for any depreciation
    in their interest in the premises or disturbance. The owner/occupier would also have
    a right to object to order by application to the magistrates which if successful would
    be likely to entitle the owner to recover the costs of the application.

    S127 allows the highway authority to enter into an agreement with the owner,
    which may also include provision for compensation.

6   Value For Money
    Closure of the crossover would reduce the probability of an accident occurring at
    this junction. The average cost of closing a crossover in the year 2004 was
    £75,000, calculated in accordance with the Department for Transport. Therefore
    the scheme will give good value for money.

7   Risk Management

    The main risks to the scheme are as follows:

    (a) The delay in implementing signals may lead to increase accidents.
    (b) The owner of No. 51 Park Royal Road could object to the closure and this could
       prompt a public enquiry
    (c) Not securing funding to meet the total cost of the scheme
    (d) Any unforeseen difficulties during the construction of the scheme.

    The measures in place to minimises the risks listed above are:

           Negotiations are on-going with the owner of No. 51 Park Royal Road to
            reach agreement on this.
           Discussions are taking place with Asda Store and Park Royal Partnership
            about funding
           The proposals will be subjected to statutory consultation.

8. Community Safety

    The traffic signal schemes outlined in this report will improve road safety and
    therefore contribute to overall community safety.

9   Links to Strategic Objectives

           Making Ealing the safest place in London
           Making Ealing a better place to live

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    Closing the crossover would enable safe implementation of traffic signals at the
    junction, improve road safety, reduce the probability of accidents, particularly those
    involving pedestrians and cyclists. Overall, this would contribute towards an
    improved environment for residents, workers and the shoppers around the area.

10 Equalities and Community Cohesion
   The schemes detailed in this report have been designed in accordance with current
   equality guidelines. Vulnerable road users are likely to gain the greatest benefits,
   through the introduction of formal pedestrian crossings and tactile paving as
   vulnerable road-users are currently most at risk.

   An Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) was approved for the Local
   Implementation Plan for Transport (July 2006) that covers all of the Council's
   transport policies, and programmes and proposals to 2011. Reference: Chapter
   15 Local Implementation Plan, July 2006. This proposal is considered within the
   approved LIP and therefore assessed under its EQIA.


11. Staffing / Workforce and Accommodation implications:
    None.

12. Property and Assets
    None

13. Any other implications:
    None

14. Consultations
    Council officers have consulted the owner of the No 51 Park Royal Road and
    explored the possibility of providing parking spaces at alternative sites, details of
    which are set out below. However, agreement is yet to be reached about closing
    the crossover.

    The options explored were:

    1) Marking a parking bay on the south–eastern side of their property, in Minerva
    Road.

    2) Accommodating parking spaces inside the Asda car park, subject to
    agreement with ASDA.

    Council officers have also discussed the viability of relocating the proposed
    pedestrian crossing somewhere in the vicinity other than in front of the crossover
    at No. 51 Park Royal Road with Asda’s Transportation and Project Management
    Consultants. However, the options discussed were dismissed on the grounds of
    safety and practical difficulties of the junction. Drawings, showing various
    layouts of the junction are at Appendix 2.



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15     Detailed Section

15.1   Background

       The Asda Store in Park Royal was opened in 1989. Following further expansion,
       the store re-opened in November 2002 with a number of transport and highway
       improvements agreed through the Council’s planning process.

       Asda’s old car park entrance was situated in Western Road but as part of the
       store’s expansion, an access road was proposed leading to Park Royal Road in
       order to cope with the increased traffic flow. Two bus stops were also proposed
       in the access road.

       The highways work associated with the Store’s expansion is the signalisation of
       the junction of Parking Royal Road with Minerva Road and the access road to the
       Asda Store. However, during the initial design stages and in reaching agreement
       on the Section 278 works, the issue the vehicular crossover at No. 51 Park Royal
       Road, situated at the corner of Park Royal Road and Minerva Road was not fully
       resolved. This was because it was considered a detail design issue that could be
       resolved prior to submission of the relevant layout drawings to the Council’s
       Engineer for approval. The final drawings are yet to be approved.

       However, in order to facilitate the opening of the store, arrangements were made
       to install temporary signals while discussions continued with a view to closing the
       crossover on safety grounds at a later date. The closure of the vehicular
       crossover would result in the loss of two parking spaces outside No. 51 Park
       Royal Road as shown on the junction layout drawing at Appendix 1.

       Transport for London’s Directorate of Traffic Operations, who are responsible for
       the signal installation work has indicated that the closure of the crossover is a
       pre-requisite for installation of permanent signals at this junction.

       The temporary signals installed at this junction were suddenly removed during
       July 2006 without prior notification to council. Currently the junction is operated
       as a ‘give way’ junction. Considering traffic and pedestrian flow of the junction,
       this could create delay and safety problems at this junction, especially for
       pedestrians.

       The council is keen to pursue the closure of the crossover in order to complete
       the signals scheme and approval in principle is sought to give officers the formal
       council backing to pursue the closure.

15.2   Traffic flow

       Traffic flow at Park Royal Road and access road to Asda is very heavy.
       Approximate 12 hour traffic flow from 07.00 hours to 19.00 hours at Park Royal
       Road and the access road to Asda were 16,000 and 6,200 vehicles respectively
       during the September 2005. It is most appropriate to control the junction with
       traffic signals because of an unequal flow at the ‘T’ junction and to provide
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       crossing facilities for vulnerable road users.

15.3 Accidents

       There have been 4 reported personal injury accidents during the last three years
       (From 1st of May 2003 to 30th April 2006) within 50 metres around the junction.
       Four of them were slight accidents.


16.    The Proposal

16.1   Agreement has been obtained with the Asda’s Consultants & Transport for
       London’s, Signal Division that the most appropriate way of controlling the
       junction of Park Royal Road with access road to Asda supermarket is by way
       of permanent traffic signals. This would reduce traffic conflicts from the
       various directions and to provide facilities for pedestrians and cyclists crossing
       at this junction.

16.2   However, site surveys show that the crossover to No 51 Park Royal Road is
       located in the pedestrian crossing at the signals. The only way of completing the
       signal layout is to close this cross –over. Officers propose the following course of
       action;

             Obtain Cabinet/ Portofilo holder approval to pursue the closure
             Explore funding options with Asda and Park Royal Partnership
             Advertise the necessary notices for closure



17.    Timetable for Implementation

       Timetable for the closure is dependent on funding availability and objections at
       the statutory consultation stage. It is anticipated that the proposal can be
       implemented within six months of funding being made available if the proposal
       does not go to public enquiry.



18. Appendices

       Appendix 1 – Location plan of the crossover of no 51, Park Royal Road

       Appendix 2 – Plans showing the various options for junction improvements.

       Appendix 3 – Confidential information




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