Meeting documents

Maidenhead Town Forum
Tuesday 18 June 2013 6.15 pm


MAIDENHEAD TOWN FORUM

18 JUNE 2013

PRESENT: Councillors Philip Love (Chairman), Charles Hollingsworth, Hari Dev Sharma, Simon Werner and Derek Wilson.

Also Present: Councillor MJ Saunders, Bob Dulson (Civic Society), Roger Panton (Maidenhead Plan), Gary Taylor (Maidenhead Plan) and Jane Wright (Maidenhead Town Partnership).

Officers: Steph James, Gail Kenyon, Tanya Leftwich and Ben Smith.


PART I

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None were received.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None were received.

MINUTES
    RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on 28 February 2013 be approved.
The Maidenhead Town Manager, Steph James, updated Members on the footfall in Maidenhead which was currently tracking at a 0.7% increase on last year which was felt to be very positive indeed.
    Action: The Maidenhead Town Manager to inform Members how the 0.7% increase compared to the national average.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and informed everyone present that he had hoped for a better attendance.

MAIDENHEAD REGENERATION – HIGHWAY STRATEGY

The Chairman informed Members that the presentation would cover four main areas which were the strategic overview, strategic projects, major projects and capital works. The Chairman invited the Highways, Strategy and Traffic Manager, Ben Smith, to address the Forum.

Ben Smith gave Members a short presentation on Maidenhead Regeneration – Highway Strategy.

The presentation covered the following areas:
    • Introduction.
    • Partnership for the Rejuvenation of Maidenhead (Maidenhead Area Action Plan).
    • Strategic Projects.
    • Major Projects – Crossrail.
    • Major Projects – Stafferton Way Link Road.
    • Capital Works (2013/14).
    • Capital Works: Maidenhead Bridge (‘Gateway).
    • Capital Works: Forlease Road / Moorbridge Road.
    • Capital Works: Infrastructure.

In the ensuing discussions the following points were noted:
    Ben Smith informed everyone present that there were at least three Lead Members involved in the Partnership for the Rejuvenation of Maidenhead which were Councillors MJ Saunders, Geoff Hill and Carwyn Cox.
    It was also noted that Councillor Derek Wilson and Philip Love were also actively involved in the Partnership for the Rejuvenation of Maidenhead in their roles as Chairman of the Maidenhead Development Control Panel and Chairman of the Maidenhead Town Forum.
    Members were informed that the strategic projects included:
        • Berkshire Strategic Infrastructure Plan.
        • Strategic Roads Review.
        • Maidenhead Parking Strategy.
        • Local Sustainable Transport Project.
      It was noted that the Strategic Roads Review was about to commence and was a manifesto commitment.
    It was noted that the Maidenhead Parking Strategy covered where the Council was now and what future developments would have on parking in the Royal Borough. Ben Smith informed Members that this strategy needed to be looked at alongside the Strategic Roads Review and an operational review of parking.
    It was noted that £2m grant funding had been received from the Department of Transport for ‘Local Sustainable Transport Projects’ (for example; encouraging cycling, walking, use of public transport) over a three year period and needed to be spent by April 2015.
    The major projects were noted to be Crossrail and the Public Realm. Ben Smith informed Members that Crossrail, in 2019, would bring additional demand / benefits to Maidenhead. Members noted that the Public Realm project, whilst it was not a project being undertaken by the Council, would impact the road networks. The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager, Gail Kenyon, explained that the Public Realm project included buses, taxis, pedestrian access, water features and trees. Members were informed that the Public Realm project was unfunded and that the Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager was in discussions with a number of developers that could help progress the scheme.
    Ben Smith informed everyone present that timescales for the Stafferton Way link road might be brought forward and that consultations with local community groups, such as the Maidenhead Town Forum, would take place. It was noted that the scheme value was £3.7m and that the scheme would help reduce congestion around the train station and the Town Centre.
    Ben Smith informed Members that the Area Action Plan would look at additional parking requirements in the Stafferton Way area.
    Bob Dulson informed Members that he would like to see an additional third floor that exited at the train station be added to the Stafferton Way car park so that it helped alleviate the traffic in the south of the town. It was noted that the planning application for the Stafferton Way multi-story car park was expected to be submitted in September and for it to go before the Maidenhead Development Control Panel in January 2014.
    Ben Smith informed Members that with regard to the suggested HGV weight restrictions on the Stafferton Way Link Road that level of detail had not been reached to date.
    Ben Smith informed everyone present that whilst modeling on Bray itself had not been undertaken with regard to the level of impact the link road might create, modeling had been done on the town. It was noted that the options available would come up in discussions when the consultation period had commenced.
    Members were informed that the Stafferton Way Link Road report would include a full transport assessment, an environmental assessment and would consider the request to restrict the access for HGV’s.
    The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager informed Members that Stafferton Way car park expansion project was currently unfunded and would be reliant on the future development in Maidenhead.
    Councillor Derek Wilson was informed that whilst the right turn at the bottom of Shoppenhangers Road would not be included in the Stafferton Way link road project it could be part of the strategic roads review.
    Members were informed that the Capital Works projects for 2013/14 consisted of:
        • Maidenhead Bridge ‘Gateway’.
        • Forlease Road / Moorbridge Road.
        • Travel Information Signs.
        • Car Park Variable Message Signs.
        • Infrastructure Improvements.
        • High Street paving.
      It was noted that there was £125k in this years capital programme that would be used to fund the work on the Maidenhead Bridge ‘Gateway’ junction. The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager explained that the Maidenhead Bridge ‘Gateway’ was a really good community engagement project.
    Ben Smith informed everyone present that the Forlease Road / Moorbridge Road projects favoured option, was to retain the traffic signals but to significantly improve the junction by possibly enlarging it and by adding advanced stop lines for cyclists. It was noted that it was a manifesto commitment to not add additional traffic signals to the A4.
      Ben Smith informed everyone present that the three travel information signs had been ordered and would be on site in two to three months.
      It was noted that the car park variable message signs would be similar to the system in Windsor.
      Members were informed that the infrastructure improvements consultation would start next week with regard to the trial happening outside Sainsbury’s where there had been a change to the traffic lights.
      It was noted that the works to the High Street paving would commence on the 18 July and would run through to November.
    Members were informed that the area previously known at Skindles would be included in the Maidenhead Rejuvenation Project as part of a broader project as technically it fell under the South Buckinghamshire County Councils responsibility.
    The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager informed Members that the following work was also being untaken:
        • Lighting improvements.
        • Replacement bins.
        • Waymarking.
        • Signage.
        • Refurnishing subways.
        • New public art in the Town Moor subway.
    It was noted that there was £100k available to spend on capital projects as the Town Centre paving project had been cheaper than first thought.
    Jane Wright from the Maidenhead Town Partnership was informed that the Nicholson’s car park would not be invested in in the short-term, but if the long-term plans did not materialize then investment into the Nicholson’s car park would need to be considered.
    Ben Smith informed everyone present that the Waitrose area could be modeled in terms of traffic both now and for future scenarios as some of the work being undertaken could be future proofed.
    Bob Dulson asked whether the shared services as could be seen in Holland had been considered for Maidenhead to which the Highways, Strategy and Traffic Manager explained that this could be looked at when looking at options for the Kings Triangle area.
    Councillor Saunders informed Councillor Werner that the ING development planning application had been refused and that an understanding had been reached with ING UK that that they would not go to appeal and that the Council could buy them out. Councillor Werner was informed that ING UK then contacted the Council to inform them that ING Netherlands had not given their permission for the agreement to go ahead so the Council was now unaware as to whether ING would allow the Council to buy them out. It was noted that the ING development agreement was due to expire in October / November time and if they did appeal before September / October time and the meeting took place by May 2014 then the development agreement would expire.
    The Chairman asked everyone present for their views about how the Forum could encourage residents to attend the meetings in order to gain their views.
    Action: Ben Smith to take back a suggestion that to help bring more businesses into the town centre, a park and ride should be set up further afield in addition to a drop off and collection area in the town centre, and possible free parking after 3pm.

The Chairman thanked the Highways, Strategy and Traffic Manager for addressing the Forum.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Members noted that the date of the next meeting was Tuesday 22 October 2013 at 6.15pm and would be held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Maidenhead.

The Chairman requested that agenda item suggestions be emailed to the Clerk of the Forum.

MEETING

The meeting, which began at 6.15pm, ended at 7.30pm.