The Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel of Harrow Council met on Wednesday 5 March 2025 to discuss a range of traffic management and road safety matters. The meeting agenda included updates on petitions, parking programmes, traffic schemes, and active travel initiatives.

Petitions

The panel was scheduled to receive an information report detailing petitions submitted since the last meeting. This report would outline any new petitions received and the current status of investigations and findings undertaken by the council. Updates on actions taken regarding petitions discussed at the previous meeting were also to be provided.

The report detailed several petitions:

• A request for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) review in South Hill Avenue was noted, with the review planned as part of a wider strategic parking review.
• A petition against double yellow lines in Stiven Crescent was to be reported and discussed with ward members.
• A petition concerning parking availability and road accessibility in the Brember Road Industrial Estate was submitted as part of a response to a parking review.
• A petition to introduce CPZ controls in Elizabeth Gardens was noted, with the issues raised directed towards developers/owners of adjacent properties.
• A request for improvements to the zebra crossing on Camrose Avenue near Haverford Way was under initial assessment.

The report also provided updates on actions taken regarding previous petitions, including:

• Traffic calming measures and a 20mph limit on Devonshire Road and Sussex Road were added to a future 20mph zone programme, anticipated for design and consultation between 2025-2028, subject to funding.
• Parking controls in Hazeldene Drive were to be assessed and placed on the parking programme priority list.
• An extension of the single yellow line on Crowshott Avenue was to be included in the next batch of localised safety parking programme.
• A parking and traffic review for South Hill Avenue was underway, with proposals for new 'at any time' waiting restrictions and extensions of existing double yellow lines.
• Double yellow lines were to be proposed for Imperial Close.
• Speeding and difficulty crossing Camrose Avenue/Burnt Oak Broadway junction concerns were reported to the police, and concerns were passed to London Borough of Barnet.
• A pedestrian crossing on Kenton Lane was added to the priority list for a future programme.
• Parking proposals in St Brides Avenue were not to be taken forward, with officers seeking approval from the Corporate Director for Place and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways.
• A request for residential parking on Northolt Road was placed on the priority ranking list for consideration.

Annual Parking Programme Review

An information report was presented to provide an update on the council's work concerning parking controls, including the controlled parking zone (CPZ) programme, the localised safety parking programme, and disabled person's parking spaces. The report highlighted the council's move towards a data and demand-led Strategic CPZ Consultation Rollout Programme. It also detailed a streamlined process for CPZ consultation and rollout, delegating authority to the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Finance and the Portfolio Holder for Finance & Highways.

The report discussed the strategic reasons for introducing CPZs, aligning with national, regional, and local transport policies, including the Mayor of London's Transport Strategy and the council's Local Implementation Plan (LIP). It outlined the two-stage consultation approach for CPZ schemes, which can take 12-18 months to deliver, and introduced the Experimental Traffic Management Orders (ETMO) process as a more flexible and efficient alternative, potentially reducing delivery times to 6-9 months.

The report detailed the CPZ programme for 2024/25, including Phase 1 and Phase 2 schemes, and the Localised Safety Parking Schemes Programme (LSPP), which addresses minor parking problems with measures like double yellow lines at junctions. The process for disabled bay applications was also outlined, noting that approved spaces are not exclusive and can be used by any Blue Badge holder.

Furthermore, the report informed members about the council's decision to increase parking fees and charges by approximately 5% in April 2025, in line with inflation, to ensure parking schemes remain self-financing. The structure of Resident Permit Prices had also been reviewed to address confusion and discrepancies, leading to a standardised fixed surplus for each additional vehicle.

2024/25 Traffic Programme Update

This information report provided an update on the progress of traffic schemes and initiatives funded in 2024/25, including those funded by Transport for London (TfL) grant, NCIL, and s106 contributions. Appendix A summarised the progress of all schemes within the current programme.

Specific schemes discussed included:

• Alexandra Avenue/Eastcote Lane, South Harrow: Surveys at the junction following changes to markings indicated a shift in queue direction, with an increase in queues on Eastcote Lane (west arm) and a decrease on Eastcote Lane (east arm). The junction will continue to be monitored.
• Clamp Hill: Speed surveys following the implementation of full-width sinusoidal speed humps showed a reduction in 85 percentile speeds from 38mph to 28mph, falling below the 30mph speed limit.
• High Road/College Ave: The scheme introducing a new pedestrian refuge island in College Avenue and a keep-clear marking on High Road was complete.
• Honeypot Lane: The reduction of the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph between Queensbury Circle and Collins Avenue was complete.
• Boroughwide 20mph Zones: Prioritised locations included Mollison Way, Pinner Park Avenue, Northumberland Road, Sandringham Crescent, Manor Way, and Radnor Road. Mollison Way and Pinner Park Avenue schemes were complete. Northumberland Road, Sandringham Crescent, Manor Way, and Radnor Road had majority support following public consultation and were in the detailed design phase, with construction anticipated in spring/summer.
• George V Avenue/Headstone Lane/Pinner Road and Pinner Road/Station Road: Feasibility studies and designs for improvements to pedestrian and cyclist facilities and potential bus priority measures were ongoing. Initial modelling had begun, and an engagement plan was developed.
• Harrow View: Construction of a new zebra crossing had commenced, with completion expected in Spring 2025, subject to gas works.
• Old Church Lane: Construction of a new zebra crossing and junction amendments had commenced and was complete, awaiting snagging due to defects.
• Uxbridge Road/Blythwood Road: A feasibility study was completed, with the preferred option being a signalised junction. Further investigatory work was planned for 2024/25, and the existing traffic island on Uxbridge Road had been replaced with a pedestrian refuge island. Sensors were installed to monitor traffic movements, driver behaviour, and near misses.
• Merlin Crescent: Work to provide new traffic islands, a raised mini-roundabout, a speed table, and junction narrowing had commenced and was complete, awaiting snagging due to defects.
• Boroughwide study of pedestrian walking areas: Design work for a zebra crossing outside Whitmore High School on Porlock Avenue was underway, with work on-site hoped to start before the end of the financial year.
• Local Initiative Schemes: Design work for an additional pedestrian crossing facility at the Malvern Avenue/Kings Road junction was in progress, with work on-site hoped to start before the end of the financial year.
• Bus Priority Schemes: Investigations into possible bus priority improvements were ongoing at various locations, including potential bus lanes in London Road, Stanmore; Sheepcote Road, Harrow; Kenton Road, Kenton and Kingsbury area; and College Road, Harrow. The London Road and Sheepcote Road schemes were in design, with comments on initial plans welcomed.
• Overview of Old Church Lane and Whitmore Road schemes: The conversion of a Hail and Ride bus service to fixed stops on Route 324 was being developed, with TfL considering four stops feasible for further development. A feasibility study for Whitmore Road identified pinch points causing delays, and minor interventions such as waiting restrictions were planned in liaison with TfL.
• Harrow Cycle Network: Detailed design on sections 1-3 of the Harrow to Pinner Cycle route was underway, with final approval sought for section 4. Further routes were being designed, including Northolt Park to Rayners Lane, South Harrow to Eastman Village, Harrow to Harrow & Wealdstone Station, Wealdstone to Edgware, and Harrow to Harrow Weald.
• Residential Cycle Parking: Secure cycle hangars were being installed for residents within Council Housing estates, with works expected to be completed by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
• TfL Local Implementation Plan (LIP) Programme 2025/26: A three-year bid had been submitted to Transport for London, with proposals including 20mph zones, borough-wide accessibility improvements, cycle infrastructure audits, intersection analysis, school streets, school vicinity improvements, active travel promotion, Vision Zero initiatives, and district/town centre improvements.

Active Travel and Road Safety

This information report provided an update on the council's work in encouraging sustainable transport, promoting active travel, and delivering road safety education. The report detailed the Boroughwide School Healthy Streets initiative, which restricts vehicle movements outside schools during drop-off and pick-up times, enforced by ANPR cameras. As of October 2024, three School Streets were operational, with plans to introduce the scheme at six additional schools. Engagement activity was ongoing until 2 April 2025.

The report also covered Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Points, noting secured funding for additional sites and the planned operationalisation of the first phase of Flat and Flush EV charge points by April 2025. For Ultra Rapid and Rapid Charging Points, TfL had withdrawn from a joint venture but would install Ultra Rapid chargers at Stanmore Station. Harrow aimed to issue an Invitation to Tender for Rapid and Ultra Rapid chargepoints by late February.

A Car Club Pilot Scheme was proposed, with commercial interest indicated by operators. The scheme would introduce car club bays in car parks and be monitored for usage and satisfaction, operating at no cost to the council.

Cycle Training was available for all abilities, delivered by Cycle Confident. However, a shortage of qualified cycle trainers was noted, impacting the ability to meet demand.

TfL's Road Safety Data Report was used to visualise collision figures. Harrow ranked in the lowest quartile for collisions in London, performing better than neighbouring boroughs. Between February 2019 and September 2024, there were 2,218 slight casualties, 282 serious casualties, and 11 fatal casualties. Analysis by mode of travel showed cars involved in 1,174 collisions, followed by pedestrians (463), motorcyclists (460), and pedal cyclists (225). Fatal collisions data indicated that all occurred on 30mph roads, with driver error or injudicious action cited as primary causes. Funding for road safety interventions required alignment with TfL's safe and sustainable transport objectives, with Harrow submitting a three-year bid for LIP funding.