Solihull MBC received requests for improved pedestrian crossing facilities on Fillongley Road, near its roundabout junction with Main Road, from Meriden Parish Council and residents during 2011. In January 2012 a pedestrian crossing assessment was undertaken on Fillongley Road following these requests. It found that the very low numbers of pedestrians crossing this road at this point did not justify the introduction of a controlled crossing facility. However, maintenance improvements were undertaken to the existing uncontrolled crossing point on Fillongley Road near Maxstoke Lane following liaison with the Council’s Neighbourhood Management team. Broken tactile paviors at the crossing point were replaced and the footway partially resurfaced to aid pedestrians on their journey.
Meriden Parish Council made representations following the initial assessment; the Parish Council felt that the number of pedestrians crossing Fillongley Road would increase following the completion of a nearby housing development on Maxstoke Lane. The increased volume of traffic accessing the Village including HGVs from quarry operations and other commercial businesses within the Parish using Fillongley Road should also be a factor for a controlled crossing. It was agreed that a new pedestrian crossing assessment would be undertaken on Fillongley Road following the substantial completion of the new housing development which was completed in the summer of 2013. Dates were agreed for the new surveys before they were undertaken. The surveys for the new report were undertaken in September 2013 and a new pedestrian crossing assessment report prepared by SMBC Highways officers.
The new assessment found that although the number of crossing pedestrians had increased they were still fairly low and not of a significant amount to justify a controlled crossing point such as a zebra crossing. Furthermore, analysis of the crossing pedestrians showed that the greatest proportion were adults of which most crossed outside of the peak traffic periods. This suggested that they were not journeys to or from the nearby Meriden Primary School but shopping trips to the parade of shops on the Service Road. Large gaps were available in the traffic during these periods which provided sufficient intervals for pedestrians to cross the road safely. The assessment found that the existing uncontrolled crossing point on Fillongley Road provided adequate provision for the low numbers of pedestrians which were crossing. Therefore, it was not intended to undertake any further improvements on this road at the present time.
Recent communication with SMBC Neighbourhoods Team by local residents requesting a review of the current situation has been made. SMBC’s response is that it is highly unlikely that the number of pedestrians crossing this part of Fillongley Road has increased significantly in the two year time period since the last analysis was undertaken; therefore no further assessments are proposed to be undertaken at this location.
Local residents are petitioning for a controlled Fillongley Road crossing and will be undertaking their own traffic/pedestrian survey to evidence the need for reassessment.
