PARWICH.ORG

TISSINGTON SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY FORUM MINUTES
Thursday 12th March 2009, 7.30pm at Kniveton Village Hall

PC Ian Cooper Chair – Derbyshire Constabulary
Sgt Steve Edwards Derbyshire Constabulary
John Bradbury Kniveton Parish Council
Nancy Bradbury Kniveton
Ray Frampton Kniveton
Ian Stafford Kniveton
Michael Armstrong Kniveton
Dennis Stone Fenny Bentley Parish Council
John Bailey Thorpe

Apologies from Chris Carr,Tissington
Minutes of previous meeting on 17th November 2008, at Parwich Village Hall – Agreed

Meeting updated on actions taken – Details of The Equipment Register (TER) had been featured in the village newsletters for everyones information. – Query re school buses not going into Tissington. Bill LEAR, DCC spoken to. The bus does a number of villages and is on a tight schedule. Doesn’t have time to go into the village, can only collect at the Gates. – Footpath at Fenny Bentley. Dick Hardy, DCC, made aware and was going to get it looked at.

PC Cooper stated he had seen DCC men clearing the pavement from Sandybrook towards Woodcock Delph. Dennis Stone said the pavement from the Trail Bridge down into and through the village had not been done. (Checked by PC Cooper, the main area where the pavements width is beginning to get slightly reduced is from Ashes Lane, through the village towards Ashbourne; on the nearside around the bus shelter area, and also the narrow footpath on the offside. Other areas where it is reduced is under the trees on the rise up to the Bentley Brook Inn junction, and then in the ‘S’ bends towards Ashbourne. Just needs a shovel and brush to remove collected debris and weeds / grass creeping onto the path).

Operation Blodwen (Overgrown verges obstructing junctions, manner of driving issues)
The verges currently were not an issue, and people are being encouraged to report these problems, should they arise during the Spring / Summer months. They should use the Call Derbyshire number – 08456 058 058, the County Council call centre staff with then get someone to look at the issue. The same number can be used for potholes, icy roads, etc. CREST does continue to come to the area for speed issues, and it is anticipated that in the better months Op Focus will be running again to concentrate on motorcyclists. CREST have said that collisions figures are down, and from experience PC Cooper agreed. Sgt Edwards explained that Priority Profiles are used to find short, medium and long term solutions to problems, and should not be left continually on going. The profile was to be closed. It was appreciated that Road Safety issues are a general concern for the area, which PC Cooper does monitor.

Op Coriander (Madge Hill, Kniveton, Off roaders ignoring road closure notice.)
Issue had been raised by Councillor Irene Ratcliffe on behalf of residents. The lane has a Temp Road Closure Order on it until 31st March 2009 to allow repairs to be made to it. Off road vehicles have been using it and making the lane worse. PC COOPER had made an initial site visit and liaised with Dick HARDY, DCC, who had provided a detailed explanation of the situation. The lanes status is not clear due to claims made by 4×4 groups. This is one of many that needs to be clarified, and so may take many months to do so. It status though does not affect the Temp Road Closure Notice. Whatever the status, the Closure still applies. PC COOPER has made checks on the area, and residents have been encouraged, through Parish Council and village newsletter, to report offending vehicles at the time, with a direction of travel. To date only one call received, no persons traced.

Op Oilseed (Unruly and antisocial behaviour by School children on the school buses)
Concern has been raised at Queen Eliz. Grammar School about the behaviour of some pupils on school buses, in particular on the way home. As well as being anti social it can be distracting and dangerous. QUEGS deal with this by speaking to pupils, parents and if need be, will remove bus passes. They have approached the Police for assistance, and so officers will be doing random ‘ride a longs’ on the school buses concerned. Some of those causing concern are on our area.

Comments from the floor
John Bradbury spoke of two potholes in Kniveton. 1 – Near toGreen Farm, 2 – opposite the Church. (Checked by PC Cooper – 1 is by a drain cover, Wirksworth bound, on the corner opposite Willowbank. Is small but deep . 2 is in the centre of the road just below church gates, next to manhole cover. Small but both worth checking by Highways.

Dennis Stone spoke of one Fenny Bentley Parish Council had reported, near The Coach and Horses. The Council had written back stating it was a ‘depression’. (Checked by PC Cooper. It is a small sunken piece towards the kerbside, Ashbourne bound, no sharp edges. It is next to an area that has previously been patched up. That is beginning to break down.)

John Bailey spoke about the ‘Think Bike’ signs that are put up in the Spring / Summer. He felt that the signs targeted car drivers, when the problem is down to some motorcyclists. He asked if signs that target the actual motor cyclists could be used. He also pointed out that the problem is along the length of the A515, Lichfield to Buxton, as many come up from B’ham and elsewhere. PC Cooper suggested that when we do our days on specific roads to target this problem, it may be worth considering doing them in conjunction with neighbouring Forces, eg A515, with Staffs – Cat and Fiddle, with Cheshire. (Since the meeting a number of temp signs have been erected near to Honeysuckle Cottage, Sandybrook in relation to this. It is a group of 4 signs, “Biker Crash Zone”, etc towards Buxton. All have on the reverse “Biker Crash Zone” for Ashbourne bound traffic. Isn’t appropriate Ashbourne Bound when so close to Ashbourne, and too repetitive in such a close area. Signs would be better spread a little further. Would be okay with this message on both sides well into the area, but at the end of the ‘areas’ either a blank back or slightly different message may be better.)

Ian Stafford expressed concern about the area of the B5035, junction with Standlow Lane, Kniveton, which has Madge Hill opposite. He was concerned about vehicles overtaking as they approach / go through the junctions, and wondered if the White Line system needed changing slightly to make it continuous solids. He also pointed out that there were no junction markings at the end of Standlow Lane. It has been developed in recent years, and the Holiday Cottage development is holding conferences for up to 46 people. The junction is now used considerably more. (PC Cooper checked area. There is a double white line system, through this stretch of road. It has Solid White lines for vehicles approaching the junctions which change to broken lines by the junction. This would seem appropriate for circumstances. It may be that people are overtaking early, ie on the solid line. Going uphill, towards Wirksworth, the amount of broken line does seem short and into a brow. May be worth reviewing. Standlow Lane has markings at the end; just a dotted line. Opposite is Madge Hill, which has Give Way markings at the junction. They are badly faded and worn. If repainting these it may be worth painting Give Way markings to replace the dotted line for Standlow Lane. )

John Bailey asked about Agricultural Trailers and lighting requirements. He said that Contractors would soon be moving silage around, and it concerned him that some continue into the night without lights, presenting a danger.

Date of next meeting will be 25th June 2009 at Thorpe Village Hall at 1930
PC Cooper thanked all attending and for their time and commitment.

Minutes emailed with covering note to;
Dick Hardy, DCC, re blue items. (also to Ashley Knott, Traffic Management, Police HQS for info).
Ian Salsbury, Police Officer with CREST, re red items.  Sent for their attention / consideration.

From Dick HARDY – There have been restructures of staff and clearing of overgrowth on rural roadside footpaths is now a low priority. A new team is being set up for dealing with Emergencys. They will do this sort of work in their down time. It will be passed for them to look at in the future.
Re Madge Hill – Road Closure extended for 12 mths to allow work to be done.
Re pot holes – passed to local Inspector.
Re comments on White Lines, B5035 – passed to DCC Traffic Section.

From Insp Jim ALLEN, Roads Policing (Chair of M/cycle routes), CREST.
The biker crash zone and similar signs have to go on risk assessed road furniture where it’s appropriate. A considerable amount of thought and research has gone in to design and placement. Some will be in areas where they are not as effective as others, but there are over 400 out around the Peak District – it is about the complete message rather than the Ashbourne specific message.

Operation Focus is back this summer and starts within weeks with a joint Operation with Cheshire and North Wales Police. The A515 is in Focus from Sudbury to Buxton, as is the B5035 from Carsington to Middleton. The vans will operate on these routes from time to time over the summer. We also have extra patrols out. Last year motorcycle casualties were reduced by 32% from 197 to 127. An amazing achievement. We hope to maintain the 127 level this year as last year’s reduction was remarkable.