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T & T Working Party...Thursday 22nd September 2011 Meeting called to discuss various transport and tourist related issues. Those attending John Ward (JW), Peter Whiteman (PW), Debbie Dixcey (DD) and Assistant Clerk (CH). Apologies from Shirley Smart (SS), who still managed to attend the latter stages of the meeting NOTES AND RECORD OF MATTERS DISCUSSED AND PROPOSED ACTION JW/PW had prepared a list of a number of specific issues they wished to discuss in this forum. Initial general discussion revealed that work at Hunny Cross had already been delayed and was scheduled for three months. Work has now started on the new roundabout off staplers road to serve the Pan meadows development. It was agreed that this work, especially the former will cause significant disruption in terms of traffic congestion. ACTION To be noted. PW raised the issue about the recent planning application by Barretts to effectively put back the construction of the spine road and the St.Georges Way roundabout to serve Pan Meadows and the implications that that may have in terms of the application by ASDA that is expected to be submitted in the next few weeks. The residential development is, at best, a fifteen year scheme and in the present circumstances possibly significantly longer. There are reservations about Barretts short and long-term intentions in respect of the overall site. Members initial view is that careful attention will have to be given to the ASDA application in terms of access and land included in the application site. Members are firmly of the view that the new roundabout (St.Georges) and the spine road must be in place before the new store opens towards end of 2012. This is consistent with the objection lodged with Planning on the Barretts application by the P&L Committee just last week. ACTION To be noted As a corollary of the above attention was given to the present levels of congestion on the south side of the town, principally the approach from Blackwater. The view is that this largely due to the inefficient use of the three lane wide Church Litten as a one-way system and the car parking controls adopted by Morrisons that cause lengthy queues along Church Litten into Medina Avenue and St.Georges Approach. DD suggested a simple cost effective solution that involves the western lane been used for traffic heading towards the town centre and Cowes/Ryde (via Coppins Bridge), breaking into two lanes (left/right) after the turn off to the superstores; the middle lane for traffic going into Morrisons and the eastern lane for traffic for M&S and the filling station. ACTION It was agreed that CH should make representations to Kevin Burton (Traffic) and the Store Manager at Morrisons suggesting that they use a similar ticketing system to their neighbours M&S to reduce queuing on the highway and report back to Working party with any response(s). There was a brief discussion about the response from taxi operators representatives in connection with use of red carpet and it was mentioned that there is a similar problem with not in service buses. ACTION CH to contact Marc Morgan-Huws (Southern Vectis) and ask him to look into the matter and come back to us as soon as possible. There was a general agreement that we (NPC) had pursued the matter of the 20mph limit in the town centre about as far as we could. CH advised that the consultation on transport/traffic as part of the Parish Plan had highlighted the fact that numerous respondents were fearful about the amount of traffic in the town but also the speed of that traffic. This led to a PW suggestion that perhaps we should investigate the possibility of lobbying for some type of information sign surmounted on the (Welcome to Newport)

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signs on the five/six main approaches to the town, politely asking that drivers (local/visitors) observe or adhere to a 20mph max. speed in the town centre. ACTION CH to contact Kevin Burton (Traffic) to further explore the idea with IWC JW raised a similar issue in connection with the increased use of Sylvan Drive/Mountbatten Drive as a rat run and the increased noise, inconvenience and potential hazards as a result. This is despite the road through Carisbrooke Meadows, linking the two, having been designed to discourage its use as a through route by incorporating numerous bends/corners. Consequently the view was taken that it was becoming the lesser of two evils because of the shortcomings of the main traffic system on the northern and western side of the town centre. JW advised that he received representations from local residents despite the extensive traffic calming, particularly along Mountbatten Drive. That said, he, personally, didnt favour further traffic calming but took the view that the problem still needed to be addressed, possibly in a more innovative fashion. ACTION CH to raise as an issue with Kevin Burton (Traffic) and investigate what improvements, if any, can be made to relieve the problem. Members were interested to know how successful the new TIC is in the bus station as compared with the former facility that was closed several months ago. The perception is that visitors to the town are less than impressed by the absence of accessible advice and that the decision by IWC can only have an adverse impact on the town and the whole Island. ACTION. CH to contact John Metcalfe/Ashley Curzon to establish from them the impact of these closures and the success or otherwise of the alternative sites. CH to also contact Southern Vectis to ask them whether they have any information about the success, or otherwise, of the new facility that they are prepared to share with NPC. As a general topic that doesnt appear to have been satisfactorily resolved despite successive representations to Highways and Planning Members focused on the matter of the proliferation of A boards in the town centre. CH explained that the two service areas appeared to be taking differing views on the matter and that Planning took the view that they require Advertisement Consent. Members thought that this is a significant conservation/safety issue and the matter needs to be pursued. ACTION. CH to ask a Senior Officer from Planning (Enforcement) to attend and speak at a future meeting of the Planning & Licensing Committee with an open invitation to all Parish Members.

CH/09/2011