HOPES that a traffic calming scheme championed by ward councillors in Stanford-le-Hope would prove a hit with residents appear to be misplaced after the scheme has received what could at best be described as an initial lukewarm reaction.

This week Thurrock Council announced the results of an initial consultation with residents in the Homesteads ward about traffic issues on Branksome Avenue and adjoining roads.

The council, which has won funding from, the government to introduce a scheme has come up with a plan based on new cycle lanes through the estate, linking it with the town centre – and also closing off some roads and narrowing other busy points.

In a message urging local residents to give their verdict on the scheme through a second consultation, which is being hosted online, Homesteads Conservative councillor, James Halden says: "Myself and my fellow ward members Gary Collins and Gary Byrnbe, have for some time wanted to address residents' concerns about speeding on Branksome Avenue, and the associated "rat running" of using roads from First Avenue up to Morley Hill to avoid Southend Road.

"A safer and calmer feeling environment will encourage cycling, walking and help reduce car trips and congestion in and around Stanford-le-Hope and Corringham.

"Earlier this year, we succeeded in securing commitment to designing and funding a scheme!

"It is vital that the council hear your views in this consultation as they will help guide the design of the enhancement scheme. This is your community, and as your Councillors, we want to make sure we correctly represent your views. The Transport Development Team will act based on the feedback from residents. But it will be too late once the consultation closes!

"This is a very real consultation and we are on your side.

"We very much want to hear from you to make sure you and our community gets the very best result. We will work flat out to ensure the council delivers on a scheme which as many local people as possible support.

"We are not telling you how to respond, just urging people to have their say so we can best serve you. We will not suggest to the Transport Development Team to proceed with the scheme if the plan does not identify at least a majority of support from responders (over 50%)."

Initial reaction on local social media has been predominantly negative but it will be some time before the opinions posted online are published.

The council says that the main issues concerning residents from the first consultation were

• 1) Vehicles speeding in Branksome Avenue
• 2) Rat running
• 3) Worries about speed bumps/humps to be installed
• 4) Complaints about the limited information of the measure provided on the consultation – it must be noted there were no details at that stage
• 5) Safety concerns
• Other concerns clearly come from the point of view of drivers as worries about parking spaces, road conditions or misuse of funds, whilst others come from the point of view of cyclist with worries of dangerous driving, inadequate parking, need of network connection and crossing points.

Summing up the proposal, the council says it sees a solution to the concerns by extending the length of the cycle route from the core road of Branksome Avenue, via Morley Hill to the north east and First Avenue / Dunstable Road to the south west, and with a cycle route also introduced on Third Avenue then the route can be formed to give connectivity of the Homesteads to the wider cycle network and local facilities.

Full details of the scheme can be found via this link.

Among the recommendations are the blocking off of one end of Central Avenue and Fourth Avenue, effectively making them cul-de-sacs (no through roads) and there would be interventions to restrict traffic flowing into Rodings Avenue and Second Avenue.

And throughout most of the Homesteads a 20mph speed limit will be introduced.

In order to further improve pedestrian safety at junctions and to protect all cyclists throughout the route, it is proposed that all side road accesses onto the cycle route have raised treatment immediately prior to the junction.

And a number of parallel crossings with refuges for pedestrians will be introduced on Southend Road. There would be four crossing points required for cyclists near to Plashet Close; between Third Avenue and Springhouse Road; by Ashdon Close and across the Manorway exit slip road

The council sums up by saying: "As stated earlier, the consultation undertaken earlier this year regarding a possible Active Travel Scheme highlighted residents' concerns over a range of traffic related issues in the area:-

Top 5 residents comments received from the previous consultation:-

• 1) Vehicles speeding in Branksome Ave - Vehicle speeds will be reduced by the proposals.
• 2) Rat-running - The break points on Branksome Avenue will not allow through traffic, thereby removing all rat-running concerns.
• 3) Worries about speed bumps/humps to be installed - Unfortunately this concern cannot be completely resolved as some vertical deflection will be required. However, the proposal is not a widespread "hump and cushion scheme" and humps will be kept to a minimum.
• 4) Complaints about the limited information of the measure provided on the consultation – The previous survey was carried as part of the preliminary investigation and there were no details at that stage. However, whilst not a completed design this report has greater detail of how the scheme will look.
• 5) Safety concerns - This scheme addresses the road safety concerns for all classes of road user along the route.

"The scheme proposed would be introduced under Active Travel for Walking and Cycling and is not being put forward as a measure to address the above issues. However, from the above it is clear that as part of this project, many of the resident's concerns have been addressed.

"The scheme proposed offers an excellent opportunity to deliver a safe cycle route from the Homesteads Ward out into the wider area."