Issue - meetings
Buckland - A420 Proposed Bus Stop Clearway
Meeting: 10/05/2018 - Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Environment (including Transport) (Item 33)
33 A420 at Buckland - Proposed Bus Stop Clearway 
PDF 130 KB
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.
Additional documents:
Decision:
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
Minutes:
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
Meeting: 12/04/2018 - Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Environment (including Transport) (Item 27)
27 A420 at Buckland - Proposed Bus Stop Clearway PDF 695 KB
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.
Decision:
Deferred for further discussion
Minutes:
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………………………….