RESIDENTS who campaigned for new traffic management in a busy road in Luton will be pleased that their petition was successful.
Central Luton Area Committee accepted the recommendations concerning the junction between Lincoln Road and Dunstable Road made in a meeting on Monday.
However, none of the representatives from the campaign attended the meeting, which almost resulted in the petition being delayed.
Councillor Tahir Khan said: “I worked with the petitioner to bring it here and I am really disappointed that we haven’t got someone here. It’s an urgent topic and I suggest we consider the report.”
The committee considered postponing a decision until officers and petitioners involved could attend but committee member Martin Plant said: “The officers had the opportunity to make their representation. Why don’t the ward councillors make the decision?”
It seemed the petitioners had arrived at the ward forums at 5.50pm, although they were not due to start until 6.30pm, and told to return for the meeting at 7.50pm when the matter would be discussed, but they did not return.
The petition, which was signed by about 60 residents, said: “We the undersigned residents of Lincoln Road are rather concerned of the increased volume of traffic at the aforementioned junction due to the change in use of premises at the junction. There are two superstores at the junction generating high volume of traffic in the area that is compromising safety and causing greater inconvenience to residents’ parking as well as traffic flow. We request urgent attention from Luton Borough Council to review and take remedial action.”
Councillor Khan said: “I would like to stress as a ward councillor it’s a junction that’s waiting for something fatal or serious to happen. It’s really a very chaotic junction and there are serious issues of concern for the children who are crossing the road. I press for the urgency in resolving these issues.”
The committee agreed to extend waiting restrictions in Lincoln Road as part of the parking schemes work programme for the financial year starting April 2012.