Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/025

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director for Infrastructure Delivery (CMDE6).

On 12 April 2018 the Leader of the Council (who was substituting for the Cabinet Member for Environment at that meeting) deferred a decision on proposals to provide bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station and put forward as part of a proposed development on the south side of the A420 at the Buckland Services site to allow further information to be obtained on the rationale behind the proposal in respect of encouraging customers and staff at the new development to change their travel patterns to the site taking account also of the planning consent issued by the Vale of the White Horse District Council. That information is set out in a revised report together with the original report to the April meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve  proposals to provide bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station as advertised.

Approved

Clearway restriction time amended to a 24 hour restriction from 7 am to 7 pm.

Noted

·                     A footway between the development and Buckland village on the south side of the A420 would have been preferred if funding could be found.

·                     That the matter had been fully discussed but regrettably a decision needed to be made in accord with the District Council’s planning decision

On 12 April 2018 the Leader of the Council (who had been substituting for the Cabinet Member for Environment at that meeting) deferred a decision on proposals to provide bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station put forward as part of a proposed development on the south side of the A420 at the Buckland Services site. That deferral was to allow further information to be obtained on the rationale behind the proposal in respect of encouraging customers and staff at the new development to change their travel patterns to the site taking account also of the planning consent issued by the Vale of the White Horse District Council. The Cabinet Member for Environment now considered a report (CMDE6) setting out that information together with the original report deferred at the April meeting.

Councillor Heathcoat reiterated her concern regarding the interpretation given to the response by the police which she did not consider could be taken as not objecting.  There was a new potential conflict point at the 2 stops in Pusey Wood which were not lit.  She reiterated Buckland Parish Council’s support for provision of a footpath rather than 2 new bus stops.  There was currently limited bus use which could be supported by existing stops of which there were 4 and provision of pedestrian facilities made far more sense and be of greater value to and safer for residents.

Mr Kirkwood explained the background to the comments submitted by Thames Valley Police and agreed that provision of a footpath would be excellent but unfiortunately that had not formed part of the planning process for the development and there was no funding available for its provision.  The only element that the county council was legally required to consult on was the waiting restriction in the layby.  Provision of a footpath would be a massive variation on the existing permission which would need to go back to planning.

The Cabinet Member could see the reasons behind calls for a more suitable scheme and, noting a local preference as stated by the parish council and local member for a footpath on the south side of the A420, recognised the aspirational merits for provision of such a path between the development and Buckland village if funding could be found. Unfortunately, that could not be done as part of this S106 agreement and despite a full and wide discussion which had taken place regrettably she felt she could do nothing other than agree the proposal which had been drawn up in accordance with the District Council’s planning decision but with an alteration to the timing of the clearway restriction to 24 hour. 

Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before her and the representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve proposals to provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/025

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director for Infrastructure Delivery (CMDE10).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to provide bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station. The proposal has been put forward as part of a proposed development on the south side of the A420 at the Buckland Services site. 

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve  proposals to provide bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station as advertised.

Deferred for further discussion

The Leader of the Council considered responses received to a statutory consultation to provide a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby and pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station. The proposal had been put forward as part of a proposed development on the south side of the A420 at the Buckland Services site. 

Councillor Heathcoat referred to a history of correspondence between Buckland Parish Council and the County Council setting out Parish Council support for provision of a footpath rather than 2 new bus stops and to some inconsistency in the observations from the police. The A420 had a poor accident record and she was concerned that the introduction of more bus stops would make it more hazardous. In her view provision of a footpath link from the existing stops to the development would be of greater value to and safer for residents who already walked there to shop. She also had concerns regarding lighting at the pedestrian refuge. She asked that a decision be deferred pending further investigation of available options.

Mr Kirkwood confirmed that the terms of a planning decision taken by the Vale of White Horse District Council required delivery of these proposals.  Referring to the comments regarding an apparent inconsistency in the response from Thames Valley Police he explained that that part of their response had referred to an element of the scheme which had not formed part of the specific consultation for the clearway order. A footpath link of 500m was a fairly long stretch and he wondered whether it would be used consistently. He accepted there were alternative ways of delivering access but the opportunity to do that had passed and failure to agree these proposals could compromise provision of the development.

Questioning the rationale behind the proposal the Leader of the Council wondered whether or not it would encourage people and staff at the new development to change travel patterns to the site. There were obvious constraints on what could be done because of the existing planning permission and as this was a S278 agreement no decision now would mean a return to the planning process. Given the concerns expressed to him by the local member he confirmed his decision as follows:

to defer a decision on provision of bus stops, including a bus stop clearway on the south side of the road within a layby, and a pedestrian refuge on the A420 at Buckland, approximately 150 metres north-east of the Buckland Service Station as advertised to a future meeting to enable further discussion.

Signed…………………………………..

Leader of the Council

Date of signing………………………….