Dean Lane, Cookham - Traffic Safety Scheme

[Cookham Webmaster]

The borough has been made aware that residents are concerned with the speed of vehicles travelling along Dean Lane, Cookham. There is particular concern in the area of Herries School, where the road is narrow and there are a number of pedestrians, particularly at school opening and closing times.

A proposed traffic calming scheme has been developed which would consist of three combined buildouts and humps and two individual humps. These features are aimed at reducing the speed of vehicles to make the road safer. These measures are required to be lit during the hours of darkness, this will be achieved by streetlights. The streetlights would be five metres high, illuminating the area of the traffic calming.

To view a plan showing the proposals, please see the Dean Lane Traffic Safety Scheme Plan. https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/4654/consultation_dean_lane_cookham_local_safety_scheme.pdfv

The borough is asking if you agree with the proposals to introduce traffic calming measures.  Please have your say by completing the Dean Lane Traffic Safety Scheme Survey. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3FHGDR6

Although it will not be possible to respond individually to responses received, all responses will be taken into consideration and will help inform a decision on how to proceed.

The consultation will close on Sunday 15 December 2019.

[Roger]

There is a lesson to be learnt here. NEVER complain to the Council about speeding unless you really know what you are doing. That also is true for parking.

[Archimedes]

It looks like they are going to have double yellow lines right up both sides of Dean Lane. I wonder what will happen with the parking round Herries? The humps and road signs should be attractive.

[Salisbury1]

Dean Lane Cookham Dean Traffic Safety Survey RBWM (EDITED VERSION)

The text below is an edited version of what we sent re the proposals. I have edited it down to make it more general as it focused on the proposals blocking our drive but the whole scheme needs to be completely reviewed/replanned/local engagement in our view before any ideas progress. Maybe some things you can extract and respond to the consultation by 15 Dec 19

I write with regard to the above Highways Consultation via RBWM https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/consultations . These proposals have just been brought to our attention via Cookham Noticeboard on Facebook. We have had no prior notification, which is staggering given the proposals appear to actually block our drive.

Pic below (could not show pics) shows view up Dean Lane.  A nice rural view as it stands. This would have double yellow lines running up both sides, give way road markings to the left, a speed bump and large illuminated signs in the middle of it. It will be so out of place in this area
 

-   Dean Lane: Dean Lane is at its narrowest outside our property and there is not space for 2 cars to pass currently without being at a snail’s pace. Anything more than a car cannot pass a car here. People naturally slow down if traffic is coming from either direction.  There is no need for further calming. It would add nothing at all.
-   Is there really a major Speed issue in this section of Dean Lane?: I live here and have done for 15 years. Yes, people do occasionally speed, but it is not an overpowering issue that needs such radical action (here anyway). I have CCTV outside my house and I can see the cars moving up and down the section of Dean Lane outside our property. They generally don’t travel fast (obviously some do) but not a major issue. I am sure there are better – locally inspired and appropriate ideas that will address the issues.
-   Increased Traffic/Engine Noise and Fumes Pollution: Putting a give way sign on the UPHILL section of Dean Lane will be a major issue. Cars will stop and pull away in first gear. That will make SIGNIFICANTLY more noise than any car passing in a higher gear as they do now – even if a little fast sometimes.
-   Increased Noise from Cars and Lorries banging/scrapping on the proposed ramp: that is inevitable and why should we put up with that.
-   Traffic Queues and Noise: the proposals will give rise to traffic queues on occasion up and down Dean Lane. Let the natural order continue i.e. cars give way to each other. It works.
-   Double Yellow Lines: Look at the proposals. Double Yellow lines all the way up Dean Lane. Completely inappropriate for this area adjoining the Conservation Area and totally unnecessary. No one ever parks or would think of parking on the road at this point because no one would be able to pass. I am not aware of anyone ever parking here. Look at the pic of Dean Lane above and imagine double yellow lines, white give way, high lights, a traffic island, a speed bump and signage – beautiful!!
-   Traffic Island and Illuminated Signs/Column Lights: Completely unnecessary and will detract from the rural setting. It will look like an urban area which it is not. The illuminated signs will cause light pollution
-   Volume of traffic/Bisham Roundabout proposals?: has this increased over the years? We have not noticed. Maybe it has? It certainly isn’t a major issue for us. I know that there are/were concerns about Bisham Roundabout proposals (if that is still a proposal) and the possible effects on Cookham/Cookham Dean traffic. If that is still an issue we all need to be made aware of it so that we all understand the implications and make proposals that will work for the area.
-   Road Signs: There has been a proliferation of Road signs in the area following a previous campaign to lower speed limits to 30 mph (which I think had some effect in slowing traffic??). These things are never thought through properly. I doubt many realised that the new speed limit would require a whole host of new speed signs at every road junction in this rural area. The image below being one. Apparently, you can drive at the national speed limit up Jobs Lane now!       

-   Destroy Rural Setting: Yes there are some people that speed and it would be good to slow people down but I think the permanent visual negative reminders surrounding these proposals completely outweigh the benefit that may result and we think MASSIVELY detracts from the rural feel of the area and adjoining Conservation Area.
-   The Natural Width of the Road Controls the Traffic: The natural width of Dean Lane outside our property means that cars and lorries wait in the section either side of my house to let each other pass. It is done naturally and without the need for a visual eyesore.
-   There have been No Accidents? Have there been any accidents involving pedestrians or vehicles in this section of Dean Lane over the last 15 years? I am not aware of any. The solution does not merit the proposals as currently drafted.
-   Herries School: Is the issue about Herries parking so bad? It slows people down doesn’t it? Is this not the same issue around the country at drop off and pick up. Is it possible that Herries could manage this whole process better? I am told that there is a car park at the back. Does that get used?

This is not about being a nimby. It just needs more thought and local involvement It is an active road and we all knew that when we moved here. I understand that we would all like traffic to slow down, but this is not the solution.

CONCLUSION
The scheme will look dreadful and will ruin the rural feel of the area, significantly increase noise and pollution.– the double yellow lines on both sides being completely inappropriate. There is absolutely no need for illuminated traffic island in this position on Dean Lane. The naturally reduced width here already controls the two-way traffic. The proposals are over the top for the issue that is trying to be solved.

It is just an initial thought but why can’t we just put up a traffic speed camera (I know not great but better of the evils? At least lets discuss it?) or some other, more appropriate measures (they must be out there). I know others have pointed towards psychological road calming techniques which look to have merit http://bit.ly/deanlane We seem to be moving to a thunderous scheme when other measures could be tried first to solve problems in a way that works for all. I have no doubt that the people (whoever they are?) behind the proposals are well meaning but they just don’t work for the area. Let’s have a proper consultation involving local people who are well placed to make comments that will inform the designers. I would be delighted to give up my time to assist anyone from RBWM/Councillors or others to find a solution that works. I am sure that there is enough brain power in the area to actually come up with something that could be an exemplar for future schemes.

PS I have phoned RBWM and they directed to the same number that is on the plan – which is unobtainable. I have found another number for the project centre and made contact but have not yet heard back. info@projectcentre.co.uk   The lady running the consultation is Faith Coles? 0330 135 8950.

[Kate]

The 'solution' sounds to me very much like the measures they implemented at Maidenhead Riverside which were so unpopular and intrusive that RBWM ended up having to remove them again, all at taxpayers cost of course.

[Cookham Webmaster]

From Dean Lane Residents Traffic Group

You may have seen the proposal from the council for speed humps and street lighting along Dean Lane. While we agree that we need to do something to reduce the traffic speed on Dean, we disagree with the RBWM proposal of speed humps and street lighting as there is a better way. Please submit your objections, copy this list or add your own, by the deadline of Dec 15th 2019.  Here’s the link to the consultation and to the form to submit your objections.
https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/consultations  - Select Highway Consultations, then Dean Lane Traffic Safety Scheme.
If you’ve already submitted comments and agreed with the proposals but did this because you didn’t know there was an alternative, please re-submit your comments and object.

View the council proposal and this letter on our website https://cookhamdeantraffic.blogspot.com

This is why we object:

•   Cookham Dean is the most rural part of the Cookhams and the introduction of speed humps and street lighting is not in keeping with a village.  It will make the village seem more like a town or a semi-urbanised environment.
•   RBWM have recently declared a Climate and Environmental Emergency. Speed humps and street lighting run totally contrary to this because -
o   Speed humps have the proven effect of drivers slowing down and then accelerating away again thereby increasing their fuel consumption and their carbon emissions.
o   Street lighting uses more energy and therefore increases carbon emissions
o   Street lighting increases light pollution which is bad for wildlife and biodiversity
•   Speed humps create more noise for local residents as drivers slow down and then accelerate away
•   Speed humps and street lighting are expensive to install
•   There are other approaches to traffic calming that are more climate neutral, biodiversity enhancing, have less impact on residents and are cheaper

Our proposed alternative way forward is a consultation led by expert consultants in this area together (yet to be identified but there are plenty out there) with local residents to design a psychological road calming scheme along Dean Lane. We residents can do most of the groundwork on engagement therefore saving money.  This would be a truly participative and collaborative approach rather than the current proposal which seems to have had little resident involvement.

Please take a look at this link below for the type of approach we are referring to. It’s a long report from the Government’s Transport Research Laboratory but just looking at the photographs alone give an indication of the approach and what might be possible. It’s a much more pleasant and cheaper alternative for all concerned to reduce the traffic speed.

http://bit.ly/deanlane

Please let us know via email what you think and if you’d be willing to be part of a growing group of residents who might take the lead on this. The first step is to let everyone know about this well before 15th Dec and to raise enough objections to the current proposal so stop it getting approved, so please do that.

Kind regards

Dean Lane Residents Traffic Group
Please email us at CookhamDeanTraffic@gmail.com