OLD COLWYN EAST RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Open meeting 9 th March 2005 .
Minute of an address by Mr Paul K. Banholzer
Policy & Performance Management Coordinator of
Conwy CBC Highways and Transportation Dept.
Minute of an address by Mr Paul K. Banholzer
Policy & Performance Management Coordinator of
Conwy CBC Highways and Transportation Dept.
Peter introduced himself and said that he had worked for the council for 21 years he' d been involved iPaul Banholzer introduced himself as an engineer who has worked in Local Government for 26yrs and is now the Policy & Performance Management Coordinator of the Conwy County Borough Council Highways & Transportation Services Dept.
He began by defining the highway ~ carriageway, footway, countryside paths, everyone he said uses the highway in some way and it is an important asset of the Authority.
Employees Based~
Name and Address of Business Activity Total Employees
Premises (Work Location)
The Heath, Penmaenmawr Engineers/Administration 83
Road, Llanfairfechan
Highways Division Office, Engineers 4
Copthorne House, Abergele.
Old Magistrates' Court, Engineers 4
Plas yn Dre, Llanrwst.
Bridge/Structures Engineers 7
Assessment Team
Ffordd Sam Parri, Conwy.
Works Unit Engineers/Roadmen 66
Various — on site workers Car Parks, School Crossing 102
Patrols and School Escorts
What the department does
It manages a Highway Network of:
1700km of County Roads : / 1650 km of Public Rights of Way; / 125km of Trunk Roads on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG)
Builds & maintain Cycle Tracks
Provision of public transport and home-to-school transport.
Why the Dept does what it does?
“The Statutory Duties”
• Maintain roads & “other highway” infrastructure
Using a number of photographs and a degree of wit, he went on to describe types of roads and some problems that beset them such as trees growing through the footways which provides hazards for the public.
Also families are having more cars which often either park on the verges or on the road which causes often other vehicles to have to drive around them onto verges.
Lamp columns have to be maintained so that they do not become dangerous to the public.
Duties of the Authority
Keep and update registers of highways & definitive maps ( some roads are private) Administration of local land charges
Co-ordinate all road openings within the highway (Transco, BT and others) often a problem for road users but necessary for safety.
Investigation of accident sites in conjunction with the police.
Promote road safety including supervised “on road” cycle and other safety training such as “where to cross” kerbcraft for youngsters. School crossing patrols and other schemes such as a “walking bus” to promote interest in walking to school, this is a Welsh Assembly initiative coordinated by the Department.
Seat belt initiatives are very important.
Packs are sent to two or three year old children on road safety.
More Statutory Duties include the
• Production of a Local Transport Plan, a vision of what will happen over a six year period.
• Ensuring the provision of comprehensive public transport information
• Production of a Bus Strategy
Statutory Powers include those to ~
• Undertake feasibility studies for road schemes, etc. Road improvement.
• Provide street and footway lighting, this is a power not a duty.
• Improve highways for safety reasons. This includes crossing points in the carriageway.
Promoting road cushions rather than humps.
• Deal with traffic management and traffic regulations. On street parking requires signage and parking attendants.
Safe Routes to School initiatives include shared footpath/ cycle path routes to keep children away from cars. The Assembly is pleased with Conwy initiatives under this scheme.
Prepare pedestrianisation schemes for safety and urban environment improvements
• Procuring public transport and school transport services
Bus Infrastructure includes
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700 stops + 100 shelters
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Raised kerbs + Red Cages, funded by Transport Grant
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Quality Partnerships with operators
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- The Aims of the Highways Authority
• To maintain the highway network to ensure free flow of traffic
• To improve roads to standards adequate for modem traffic
• To introduce traffic management systems to reduce congestion
• To improve road safety and reduce road accidents
· To protect the Capital investment in the highway network through partnerships with Councils in North East Wales under the banner of an agency. Conwy Highways Authority provides a design service for highway structures for the whole of North Wales from the eastern side.
Some completed schemes
Important duties are
• To comply with legal obligations of the Highway Authority
• To promote the use of public transport and other modes of transport by producing Information/Publicity such as a Timetable book twice per year. 350 roadside displays are provided ‘Amserol' is a real time information service. Traveline and Green Key & Conwy Valley Line Initiatives
Concessionary Fares
6,000 passes issued in 1999 up to 23,000 in 2005. This is an issue encouraged by the Assembly Government.
94% are Pensioners 6% are disabled.
Free travel was introduced in 2002
Other issues
Trunk Road Agency Agreement
The Authority does work for the Welsh Assembly as an agency for the trunk roads.
They work with North Wales Transport Consortium — TAITH, to ensure that a journey through the area and onward to, for instance Wrexham or Holyhead is a seamless journey. Matters are looked at in a regional manner.
• Asset Management ~ Inventories need to be maintained and the cost of replacement.
• Local Transport Plan ~ Six year plan has to be done.
• Investors in People ~ the department is now accredited under this scheme since 2004.
• Certificate of Approved Training for Engineers ~ they can train their engineers up to graduate level and hopefully keep them after they qualify as engineers.
Stakeholders of Highways & Transportation Services
• All Highway Users
• Councillors
• The National Assembly for Wales
• Blue Light Emergency Services
• Statutory Undertakers, Transco, BT and others who dig up the highway.
• Access Groups. Changes are discussed with groups to assess impact on different groups of people, such as disabled. This ensures proper spending of resources.
• Motoring Organisations
Highways & Transportation Services Web Page www.conwy.gov.uk includes the Council' s A to Z listings. The Head of the Department is Mr. David Peel, Highways & Transportation Services, The Heath, Penmaenmawr Road , Llanfairfechan , LL33 OPF .
Telephone 01492 575495
Question and Answer session
A resident acknowledged that the recent floodwater on the Promenade had been excessive in recent weeks, causing a lot of damage. She however stated that in terms of Promenade repairs, in her opinion, works always started at Rhos on Sea and never seemed to reach Old Colwyn which she called shameful, most of the time,. She asked if the Promenade had been about to have major construction done to it, prior to the recent damage done by the sea.
Paul replied that promenades do not come under the jurisdiction of the Highways Dept., it is under Tourism and Leisure and coastal defences are under Environment Agency. Highways maintain the cycle path. When the Council is looking at the whole job of the Prom and the cycle path, the various departments work together, to ensure that they make the best use of resources.
The resident went on to enquire if the work could start at the Old Colwyn end and progress the opposite way next time.
Paul replied in a good natured manner that Rhos on Sea has been done now and should last for a number of years. They are making their way along the Promenade towards Old Colwyn. He said that the recent weather had made the situation worse.
The resident continued by pointing out that stones had been seen rolling down the railway bank from vibration caused by passing trains. Paul replied that the equipment on the Promenade at the moment belonged to Railtrack who are dealing with the fact that there are boulders towards Penmaenhead which have moved.
The Chair then spoke of recent resurfacing of the Old Colwyn to Colwyn Bay main road. He said that points had been made recently that within a month different agencies had been digging holes in the highway, making a mess of the good job. He asked if that work could have been done first.
Paul replied that his Department do try and coordinate works and tell all the utilities twelve months ahead of what they intend to do with surfacing. However if the utilities have to respond to an emergency causing a risk to life or health, they have the right to go into the tarmac literally as soon as it has been done.
A resident made the point that the works had not appeared to be an emergency they took about a month to deal with the last hole which was the second within six weeks of the new surface being laid. There were days when the workers were not working there. Also there are frequent works in the Old Colwyn/ Colwyn Bay area.
Paul replied that although it may seem that there are frequent works, the Authority hold quarterly meetings to try and coordinate works which can be foreseen. A new Act of Parliament will probably put the local authority in a policing role on this issue. He advanced one thought that utilities would have to estimate how long they would take and anything in excess of the estimate would entail a charge. He also advanced a thought that such charges could be passed on to the consumer.
A resident brought up the subject of the pedestrianised area of Station Road , Colwyn Bay which was constantly used as a short cut by taxis and others.
There was a discussion explaining that there is a new order being written and it is then a police matter to enforce.
A resident spoke of the junction from Church Road , Old Colwyn out on to Abergele Road . It was he said impossible to see properly in both directions and is very dangerous.
Paul replied that it is possible that the Authority have never been told about a major problem existing. A belief was advanced by another person that a mirror had been placed opposite the junction to enable vision.
A resident complained of the unnecessary regular daily use of the highway outside the Police Headquarters, Old Colwyn as a parking place for a large number of police employees. He advanced the thought that if the cars were not there, the road could be changed to accommodate another lane for traffic turning left at the Marine roundabout towards the A55 junction, in the same way that there are three lanes on the Old Colwyn side of the roundabout. He went on to query why, when making the assessment about double yellow lines for the area, they had only been put on one side at what was a very busy junction.
It was discussed that the carriageway narrows as it approaches the roundabout; therefore a third lane is not feasible.
Paul replied that he understood that discussions had been carried out with residents opposite and those people had agreed to the parking.
There was a discussion about the regular closing of the Promenade, due initially to bad weather but then continuing often for several days causing disruption to traffic in the village. A resident cited a recent fatal accident following which the Prom had been closed for about ten days. When he rang to query it, the reason he was given was the accident. When he stated how long it had been, the Prom was reopened the next day.
Paul responded by pointing out that the Promenade was not Highways responsibility, it was further discussed that where there are high tides and during bad weather, the prom cannot be opening and closing all the time.
A resident queried what control Highways had over bus routes and cited the problem carrying on in Cefn Road over the last 18 months, where because of parking on the bus stop, the buses had diverted down Wynn Avenue.
The secretary interjected that our association had been involved in the consultation process over the changes in parking orders in Cefn Road . There had been agreement with the police that they would enforce once the orders became valid after the red cage was painted. Until the last couple of weeks, there had been no such enforcement.
Paul answered that commercial routes are run for profit and only where the Authority subsidises the service can they exercise any control.
A resident queried why the cycle path in Penrhyn Bay had been coloured red.
Paul explained that it was because there is a lot of traffic cross-movement at that point; cycles crossing roads and the garage forecourt in front of cars. The red had been used to warn cyclists and car drivers that they were approaching an interesting area, that is to say hazardous.
A resident spoke about tree roots entering his drive from the carriageway and starting to cause damage.
Paul said that there is a duty to control trees which are sometimes damaged by contractors. He invited the resident to write to the Department who would investigate the issues. He also said that not all trees are part of the Highway.
A resident then brought up the subject of the two ton weight limit on the Promenade. It was discussed that the limit went back to days of trams and is perhaps not relevant now. There are now very heavy vehicles using the highways and it is being discussed at various committees.
Cllr.Cossey said that the Prom is not a highway and the weight restriction was placed by an old byelaw of the previous Colwyn Bay District Council which has since expired. There is now no byelaw covering it.
The Chair said he thought that he had read recently that the Prom Day had been cancelled and if it was not alright for the heavy ride vehicles to go along there why can others use it.
It was discussed between Paul and Cllr. Cossey that there are plans for engineering calculations to examine the stability of the area but generally the issue of concern is that the rides are on Promenade itself, which is next to water and water seeps in everywhere. It may be that water has created voids under the Promenade.
Cllr Cossey then informed us that the Council was waiting for a report commissioned by the Council for health and safety reasons. The area had been examined for voids with technical equipment and a result was imminent.
The Chair then thanked Paul for a very enjoyable and enlightening talk at very short notice and there was a round of applause.
