To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor J.G.S. Guthrie, Councillor J.C. Mayson (Cabinet Member – Rural Regeneration and Strategy), Councillor R.V. Stockton (Cabinet Member – Community Services), G. Jones and Ms. C. Jones. 

Apologies were received from Councillor Mrs. S.P.A. Daniels for the reconvened meeting on 13th January 2006.

To receive any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Ms B. Heavens substituted for G. Jones and G. Woodman substituted for Ms. C. Jones.

Councillor Mrs. M.D. Lloyd-Hayes substituted for Councillor Mrs. S.P.A. Daniels at the reconvened meeting on 13th January 2006.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2005.

RESOLVED: That, subject to the inclusion of apologies for Councillor Mrs. S.P.A. Daniels, the minutes for the meeting held on 14 December 2005, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

No suggestions from Members of the public on issues for future scrutiny were received.

To review the experiment to partially close Widemarsh Street, Hereford to traffic from May 2005 to January 2006.

The Chairman welcomed members of the public and the invited witnesses to the meeting and introduced Councillor K.G. Grumbley who was representing the Environment Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman explained that the purpose of the evenings meeting was to hear all the evidence from the invited witnesses and that once all the evidence had been heard then the meeting would adjourn.  He stated that the meeting was scheduled to reconvene on 13 January 2006 and this was when the Committee would review the evidence which it had heard from the invited witnesses and then consider if it wished to make any recommendations to the Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation).

He announced that he had been handed a petition before the start of the meeting signed by 108 people who supported the idea for the scheme to pedestrianise Widemarsh Street subject to a review of access.  This was in addition to a number of written submissions received in advance of the meeting which had been circulated to Members before the meeting.

The Committee had received a number of written submissions in advance of the meeting, these included:

o        Letter from Cllr Alan Taylor, Hereford City Council, suggesting that new disabled parking spaces could be provided in Norgate Street during the hours Widemarsh Street was closed to traffic.

o        Letter from Mr and Mrs Jones, Hereford Residents, who were against pedestrianisation.  Also outlined was the additional problems with finding disabled parking spaces since pedestrianisation and a suggestion that if pedestrianisation was to remain in place then access should be allowed to buses, taxis and disabled badge holders.

o        Letter from Nick Romans, Manager, Marks and Spencer, discussing taxi access to the store from East Street and a reduction in elderly customers now that taxis could not collect them from High Street.

o        Letter from Georgia Smith, Association of Town Centre Management, on issues to consider when considering a pedestrianisation scheme and the retail climate.

o        Letter from Steve Zanker, Commercial Director, First Buses, calling for a quality city centre bus stopping area and priority road measures for buses.  The letter proposed that Widemarsh Street could be the site of a new bus terminal for Hereford.

o        Letter from Paul Keetch MP stating that “pedestrianisation could be advantageous as long as access for the disabled, vehicular and other modes of transport inclusive,  taxis and bus/coach access can be included in the final scheme.” He also wished to see “swifter access incorporated to allow ambulance and fire services in particular immediate entry through the gates and not losing valuable, potential lifesaving moments waiting for gates to be unlocked.”

The Chairman called the first witness.

West Mercia Police – Sergeant Dave Evans and PC Colin Mears

·         Sgt Evans informed the Committee that there had been no significant additional problems with traffic in Hereford at any time during the experiment to pedestrianise Widemarsh Street.   However, he did state that there had been some problems with vehicles exiting from Bewell Street and then driving through the pedestrianised area.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.