WILFORD COMMUNITY GROUP

The Tenants and Residents Association for Wilford

Minutes of the Closed Committee Meeting

held on Thursday 5^h February 2004

at Nottingham Moderns RFC

Present: David Boulton (DB) Chairman

Sheila Atherton (SA) Treasurer

Roger Steel (RS) Vice Chairman

Josie Foster (JF) Minute Secretary

Mike Cathcart (MC)

Kate Clark (KC)

Brian Clark (BC)

Brian Hardy (BH)

Jonathan Shewell-Cooper (JS-C)

Invited Guests Pat Armstrong, City Council NET Office and Brendan Clarke-Smith who joined the meeting after Pat Armstrong had concluded his visit.

The Chairman, David Boulton (DB), opened the meeting by explaining the background for Pat Armstrong (PA) being invited to attend a closed committee meeting. This was in response to the Group's letter to NET following a lobby of residents' reactions to NET's phase 2 consultation brochure.

PA began by explaining why the brochure had only been distributed to those residents within a radius of 100 m or so of the tramline. However, by now it was hoped that all Wilford Residents who were missed had now received one. PA explained that the cost of distribution over a very wide area had to be balanced against the reduced interest in the detail further away from the line PA stated that more public consultation has taken place over this route than any other in the country, particularly, at this stage of planning and consultation. Statutory advertising of plans etc. will be issued and there will be a Public Enquiry.

At the moment, to avoid any accusations of potential bias by the NET office, an independent group is analysing responses from the public

The Queen's Drive route will definitely not happen, the costings and analysis have proved that this route would not be acceptable to the Government when asking for funding due to costs exceeding benefits - the Clifton-via-Wilford route meets most of the criteria for funding. This has all been well documented. Another reason is that the speed of the tram if it is mixing with traffic is 13% slower than if separated from traffic. PA also stated that the Clifton-via-Wilford route would attract 15% more passengers. Another important factor for choosing the Wilford route is that no new bridges are required.

The Group had written to NET explaining that one of the main areas for concern to Wilford residents is the lack of tram stops with particular reference to the elderly or disabled. The view of NET is that they have to follow a certain criteria of patronage and that is based on experience gained from other areas where a tram service is already operating and not by guessing at what may happen in our own area when the tram is up and running.

A rapid system is paramount so fewer stops are necessary and the tram is about getting people out of cars and reducing the number of journeys of long distance car users. However, PA stated that this consultation is more about route design and mitigation than the detail of tram stops and there may be an opportunity to revisit decisions in the future.

PA was asked about patronage figures and whether these might have been understated by having stops at Main Road and Wilford Lane. PA explained that, for walking access, patronage figures cover roughly a 400 metre radius from stops (a slightly lower distance than normally considered to account for the greater proportion of more elderly people in the Wilford Village area) and the proportion of available people using the service is based on experience. PA reiterated the comment in the NET feedback letter that stated that although there was limited local support for the Main Road stop, because there was no local consensus about where the stop should be placed, it would remain in the plans in its current position. The committee stated that this was not an acceptable approach and PA suggested that unless a consensus was demonstrated, it was difficult to justify a change. He also stated that there are 14 stops on the route which gives an average of 7% passengers at each stop. The Main Road Wilford stop expected patronage is only 3%. Taking the 400m access distance, the Main Road stop would serve 180 households (this includes the new Waterfront development), a stop at Bader Road only 150 households. This compares with 325 households at Wilford Lane. PA was asked to consider the schools in the area and that if a residential development were to be approved at the Château site and it could be demonstrated that a significant number of school children might use the tram, the potential patronage figures for a Bader Road stop could increase significantly. PA also warned that to ensure passenger security, a fifty-metre tram stop would mean more than 50 metres of the embankment being removed - would Bader Road residents accept this?

With regard to the tram line rising on to the embankment at Bader Road this is a difficult balance between use of land currently used for sport/leisure and use of the old railway alignment in line with County Structure Plan policy. However, a way-leave to install the tram at ground level at the rear of the embankment has been retained as demonstrated by the recent agreement with Glebe allotment holders. Final alignment and elevation of the tram will be subject to future development proposals for the adjacent Château site where plans have been submitted to Rushcliffe Council for housing. DB asked PA for contact names at the County Council should the Group wish to seek clarification and PA suggested Councillor Mick Warner, Leader of the Council, Councillor Terry Butler, Environment Portfolio, both at County Hall and Peter Webster, Director of Environment, Trent Bridge House.

Committee member Roger Steel (RS) mentioned the car park facilities for the Rugby Club and how inadequate they would be especially as there are sometimes as many as three coaches on a Saturday. PA said they would have to park on Main Road, the car park would be for fisherman, parents dropping off children at school and other visitors to the area. There would be measures to prevent long-stay, e.g. “park & ride”, such as a 3 hour limit to parking. Enforcement could include CCTV cameras and visits by an attendant perhaps twice a day. Concerns from residents about parking would be countered by double yellow lines, a residents parking scheme or clamping. DB explained that residents would prefer that parking was prevented from the outset instead of using a wait-and-see policy and then have to introduce double-yellow lines and parking schemes that would be unpopular with residents.

RS then mentioned that the Rugby Club were willing to use part of their field for a lockable car park with access near the Ferry Car Park. PA said this would be a good way to proceed but the proposed car park would still be needed, even if it were a smaller facility.

Committee member Jonathan Shewell-Coper (JS-C) asked about noise and vibration and the advantages of having an additional bridge built. PA replied that it would be visually damaging, as would stilts. The Environment Agency would fight any such plans, as it is a flood plain and would affect the speed of water getting away. It would be too expensive, any bridging is not cost effective and this was one of the major reasons for choosing the Wilford route and in NET's opinion is the best balanced option.

Concerns have been raised about the traffic congestion on Wilford Lane; PA explained that the tram signals would be red to traffic for 30 seconds every five minutes and would be co-ordinated with the other traffic light cycles. The lights at the Compton Acres junction change on a 70 second cycle, so additional lights for the tram would not increase congestion in themselves.

The placing of the tram stop on Wilford Lane on the south side is because that is where the most households are situated, therefore, it would be safer for passengers as they would not have to cross Wilford Lane. This will have to be balanced against any intrusion on the residents at this point. During construction all planting of shrubs and trees will go. Planting will take place at the end of the construction period but not mature trees or shrubs, as these tend not to survive.

The maintenance area shown is for bringing in a tamping machine that is used for settling the ballast. PA said that it is a noisy operation and will run at night along the 3 km length of ballasted track and probably undertaken in two shifts. This will only take place every 2 - 5 years.

There will be no automatic compensation for residents of St. Austell Drive or Compton Acres. They will have to prove that their property values have fallen and proceed through the Lands Tribunal.

Declaring a family interest, RS was concerned about the crossing at Ruddington Lane and the impact on nearby properties - the road will drop by two and a half metres and the tram bed raised by 3 metres. PA explained that in general, tram stops should be as open as possible to improve passengers' sense of security.

In conclusion committee member Brian Hardy said he would like to congratulate Pat Armstrong on how well he had presented his letter of response to the residents clarifying the issues raised. The committee concurred and also thanked him for attending our meeting.

After Pat Armstrong left the meeting at 9.40 pm and after a short break BC-S joined the committee at 9.50 pm.

Item			Action
1	Apologies None
2	Summarising the talk with Pat Armstrong Following discussions about the meeting with Pat Armstrong, the agreed actions are as follows: 1) BC-S to request the councillors to lobby Martin Brandon-Bravo and 2) RS to draft a letter about running the tram at ground level with a footpath on top of the embankment to Mick Warner, Leader of the Council, Terry Butler and Peter Webster cc to Martin Brandon-Bravo and Alan Simpson. 3) DB to write to Pat Armstrong to investigate the implications of a stop at Bader Road in terms of embankment removal. When we have responses from these people we can then proceed with contacting the residents for their opinion.		BC-S RS DB
3	Minutes of the Previous Meeting (8^th January 2004) The Minutes were approved.
4	Review outstanding actions from previous meeting
	4.1	Wilford Sports Ground and the Protection of Wilford’s Open Spaces JS-C has written to Gordon Mitchell, Chief Executive stating our objections to the granting of planning permission on various grounds and requesting they review the permission given. A copy was circulated to Brian Haywood, John Collins and Alan Simpson. Gordon Mitchell has acknowledged but not responded to the questions. John Collins has also acknowledged and forwarded the letter to Alan Clarke. Brian Haywood has acknowledged and will investigate. Alan Simpson – no response.
	4.1	Ownership of land BC-S investigated the ownership of the Beckett School playing field on Ruddington Lane – the Catholic Diocese had submitted a planning application in 1997 and so can be assumed to be the land owners.
	4.2	Invite Beat Officer to March Committee Meeting Carried over.	RS
	4.3	2004 Gardens Day Notice has been placed on notice boards and the web site. Committee members reported that five residents had volunteered to take part. If DB could provide him with an electronic copy of the notice, JS-C would carry out “targeted leafleting”.	DB JS-C
	4.4	Spring Bulb Planting JS-C has offered to store bulbs in his shed on the allotment. DB/SA will plant bulbs on Sunday 8/2 in the morning and JS-C in the afternoon.	DB/SA JS-C
	4.5	Correspondence re Co-op Notice Board DB thanked BH/BC for placing the notice board on the Co-op wall. DB contacted the Church Office about church notices being placed on the notice boards and she promised to talk to David Rowe.
	4.6	Tram – correspondence in the Evening Post DB had written to the two residents in question and the letters and one reply are available on file for inspection.
	4.7	Venues for future open and closed meetings BH reported that a new committee has recently been formed at the Social Club. It is only a temporary committee for 2 months, but we can have free use of notice boards within the club and they are only too pleased to us to conduct our meetings there but not on Thursday this is Quiz Night. See item 6 below.
5	Correspondence DB reported he had received a letter from John Lee and there are no plans to change the current barriers and no plans for barriers on the new footpath However, he confirms that planting will take place as soon as convenient. DB has also written to Sam Todd, Environment Officer, suggesting a Bulwell stone facing on the ‘B’ bank wall in an effort to prevent graffiti. No reply as yet. Neil Harby has been chased up about signs. Steve Soul has been approached about the wrong positioning of the Holly Avenue nameplate and the fact that it doesn’t ‘fit’ in with a conservation area. He does not see the problem and has ordered a similar nameplate but to be positioned differently. RS mentioned that he had funded two posts for street signs that are positioned in his garden, perhaps the committee could fund a similar one. A letter was sent Natalie Sellears, Area Co-ordinator, Clifton and Wilford Area Committee, who replied the Forum is open to all local residents. DB suggested RS take the opportunity to introduce himself at the next area meeting. DB has received a letter from two residents in Grange Close who are complaining that a long standing issue with regard to the fence between the new built school and their properties has not been completed. They have made several representations to the Headmaster without any effect, would the group take up this problem on their behalf. The committee agreed that this was a matter we may be able to help with and DB would contact the Chairman of the Governors. DB mentioned the school bus will be withdrawn by the NCT as from the end of the summer term. SA gave BC-S a contact name and BC-S agreed to make contact. It was agreed that the Group objected to this proposal as it would increase congestion in the “village”.		DB BC-S
6	Open Meetings JC, BC and JF had attended the Open Meeting on 28^th January and the Social Club between 11.00 am and 2.15 pm. One resident attended with three other residents coming over because they were in the club for lunch. Each suggested we should advertise future meetings on the Social Club notice board. One resident was concerned about the lack of a Neighbourhood Watch in the area. DB was of the opinion we had one and that Clive Bennett was the person responsible. JF did not think this was the case. DB would contact Clive Bennett to ascertain the true situation. DB suggested that this could be a subject for this year’s General Meeting.		DB
7	Date of Next Meeting It was agreed to cancel the open meeting planned for 26^th February. Next Committee Meeting 4^th March and depending upon the venue will be open to residents.
	The meeting closed at 11.00 pm
	Signed ……………………………………. Chairman Date …………………………………..