Minutes of the meeting of the Highways and Transport committee held on Monday 16th February 2009 at 7 pm in the Corn Exchange complex, Hungerford.

Present:  Cllrs Hudson, Gaines, Harries, Booth, Buckwell, Desmeules, Parry and Bullock

1. Apologies for absence:  Cllrs Cardwell (away), Liddiard (other engagement), Werrell (work commitment) and Wilson (other engagement)

2. Declarations of interest:  none

3. Minutes of meeting held 19th January 2009:  Item 7 second para:  the motion was seconded by Cllr Harries (not Bullock).  Item 9 first para:  the end of the sentence should read, ‘a spare bench if Hungerford Town Council has one available.’  Item 9 second para:  ‘2020’ should read ‘2010+’.  With these amendments, the minutes were proposed as a true record by Cllr Gaines, seconded by Cllr Harries, 1 abstention, 7 in favour.

4. Christmas lights      - update & review:  In response to the request at the Full Council meeting, Cllr Desmeules tabled a list of donors, together with a breakdown of income and expenditure.  He expects the final figures to show that he was on budget and was congratulated for this.

5. WBC Highways Issues & Progress Programme (see table) which includes:

· JoG – a travel plan is being organised

· Speed reduction signs – there are no further funds for this so HTC will have to fund it themselves from ‘special projects’.

· Coach parking – Chamber of Commerce and HTC are looking into Seeda funding.

· Parking charges in the High Street – this project is now unlikely to succeed.

· Railway Station – Cllr Harries met with the DCs and MP to discuss enhancement of the station.  A report is being sent to Cllr Hudson.

· Bollards – in progress.

· Church Way improvements – in progress.

· A4 diversion – unlikely to happen.

· Station Road parking spaces – need to speak to District Councillor Holtby.

· TRO – will be looked at in the spring.

· Church Wall – HTC has been offered some paving but local resident unhappy with it.  Action:  Need to contact John Winstanley, WBC, again.

· Speed limit on the Common – 40 mph limit is to be reviewed as a ‘special case’.

· Speed limit Eddington – speed limit is to be moved to beyond housing.

· Chewing gum machine – WBC has said that no machine is available, so HTC will have to pursue this itself.

· Footway Smitham Bridge – Action:  clerk to write to Cllr Holtby to ask what the position is with regard to work on the footway which WBC has funded.

· Dog bins – discussion took place on whether or not to buy.  This is a subject for bye-laws;  Cllr Harries to look into bye-laws, enforcement and signage.

It was requested that the dangers at the roundabout at Priory Road/Salisbury road be added to the list.  Action:  Cllr Hudson. 

6. Pedestrian Bridge crossing of Canal:  A response has been received from British Waterways Board detailing their concerns if a low level design were to be adopted.  Further discussion took place on high level and low level options.  It was stressed that the adopted design should be acceptable to the people of Hungerford.    Cllr Hudson reiterated that we should ask for an independent study using the £6,000 special project money.  Cllr Booth proposed that we take this forward now and obtain options on a high level bridge. Cllr Gaines, who said she was totally against the high level, asked if the eastern side of the bridge had been considered.  Cllr Bullock said that it had and would find the relevant correspondence in the files.  Cllr Gaines proposed an amendment to Cllr Booth’s proposal that both sides of the bridge are looked at, unless there is documented evidence showing that the eastern side is not viable.  Cllr Desmeules seconded the vote plus amendment, 6 in favour, Cllr Hudson abstained.  The vote was carried.  Action:  The files are to be searched and a letter is to be sent to WBC.

7. Public seats  -  Update on benches:  Dan is working on the benches at Smitham Bridge.

                              -  Benches for Library garden:  The Library is happy with its benches which will be reviewed in 12 months.  The garden is to be officially opened on Saturday 28th February.  Volunteers are required to help tidy the garden on Saturday 21st starting at 10 am.

8. Risk Assessments:  nothing to report.

The meeting closed at 8.38 pm.