Active neighbourhood in Stockport to be made permanent as assurance given ambulances will not be delayed

Plans are to be drawn up for a permanent active neighbourhood in an area of Stockport that was hit by ambulance delays when the scheme was trialled last year.

Also known as a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN), temporary measures introduced by Stockport Council included 20mph zones, a one-way system and a new mini-roundabout.

The new proposals for Heaton Chapel and Reddish South will be based on residents’ responses to the pilot scheme.

That means the more controversial and unpopular elements should be designed out.

Town hall chiefs say problems with ambulance navigation which arose during the trial should not recur under any permanent arrangement, following talks with emergency services bosses.

What happened during the trial period?

The two-month active neighbourhood trial was aimed at reducing ‘rat running’ through residential streets, while increasing road safety and air quality.

But there was huge controversy over the use of modal filters, which are essentially giant planters blocking off one end of a road to stop drivers using streets as cut-throughs.

Despite initially denying there were any problems, the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) later admitted ambulances “had been caught up in the new road layouts” and were delayed as a result.

Two of these five delays, at Broadstone Hall South and Bollington Road, were said to be “significant” – standing at 5.37 minutes and 6.5 minutes respectively.

While NWAS is not aware of any patients coming to harm, it has told the council that no through roads to Bollington Road and Halesden Road would be “a concern to us, given the delays that have been uncovered”.

Will these issues happen again if the scheme is made permanent?

Members of Heatons and Reddish Area Committee were assured this would not happen under a permanent scheme, when they met on Monday 7 March.

Council officer Nick Whelan said: “We have dug into this quite deeply and had quite a lot of conversations with them (NWAS) about it.

“The issue seemed to be with this that they were not recording temporary restrictions on their navigation systems – and this was what was seen to be causing the confusion. But any permanent restriction does go on to their system.

“If we did a permanent filter point at any point then that would go on their system, so the same issue should not arise.”

What did the public consultation on the active neighbourhood show?

The results of a public consultation suggested that residents supported the principle of the scheme but not all of the measures were popular, including the modal filters at Bollington Road, Halesden Road and Downham Road.

However, there was support for the modal filter at Briarfield Road by those residents living nearest to it.

A majority of locals also want to keep the one-way system on Ash Grove, the mini roundabout at the Carnforth Road and Marbury Road Junction and the scheme-wide 20mph speed limit, all of which had been continued post-trial due to proving popular.

What did the councillors agree to do now and what was said about it?

Councillors gave the green light for the research and design of a permanent active neighbourhood scheme for the trial area, taking into account the results of the consultation.

Reddish South councillor Janet Mobbs said there had been “strong feelings” both in favour and in opposition to the scheme.

“Some of that revolved around the ambulance services, so I’m really pleased tonight we have had clarification that any permanent scheme will now be properly recorded with the North West Ambulance Service and the problems that were experienced will be a thing of the past and with a permanent scheme that will not happen”, she said.

“I think it’s important to reassure people that whatever happens, if any scheme of any shape takes place in their area, this will be recognised by NWAS and will not cause the problems that some people previously experienced.”

Coun Gary Lawson said he was glad the scheme had been trialled. “As someone who lives in the area, I have certainly found it a lot safer, quieter and a lot less polluted and a neighbourhood in which it’s safe to be more active. And I have noticed people have been more active and some people have said to me they would welcome that opportunity,” he said.

However, he urged the council to engage more with staff and parents at Broadstone Hall Primary School school and “get as many as we can” travelling by bike or on foot.

The council will now begin to develop a permanent Active Neighbourhood scheme for Heaton Chapel and Reddish South which reflects residents’ views. There will then be a further consultation once proposals for a permanent scheme are drawn up.

What did the North West Ambulance Service say?

A consultation response from NWAS to the council reads: “Our GPS system does allow for updates but these can be complex and considering the sheer number of temporary installations throughout the whole of the North West region, would be difficult to keep track of and remove, once works or testing is complete.

“To that end, only permanent changes are logged on the system. Of course, we are always keen to see measures which can make our roads safer for the public, we know first hand the injuries and devastation caused by road collisions but we must also factor in how quickly we can attend to patients who need us in a matter of minutes.

“We are looking into how consultation with agencies such as councils and highways can be improved so we can avoid issues such as those we have seen in the Heatons.”