Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/088

Contact: Tim Shickle, Group Manager – Traffic & Road Safety Tel: 07920 591545/Mike Wasley, Principal Officer – Traffic Schemes Tel: 07393 001045

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMHM7).

This report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce no waiting Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm on both sides of Water Eaton Lane south of the existing no waiting at any time restrictions in the vicinity of its junction with Bicester Road. Funding for consultation on the proposals was provided by Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council and from the County Council’s Parish Support Budget. If approved the Parish Council will fund implementation. 

The Cabinet Member for Highways Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed waiting restrictions on Water Eaton Lane as advertised.

Deferred for further investigation to include parking surveys

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management considered (CMDHM7)  responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce no waiting Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm on both sides of Water Eaton Lane south of the existing no waiting at any time restrictions in the vicinity of its junction with Bicester Road. Funding for consultation on the proposals had been provided by Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council and from the County Council’s Parish Support Budget and if approved implementation would be funded by the Parish Council. 

Ruth French advised that there was overwhelming opposition from residents living on Water Eaton Lane to this proposal in its current form for reasons of safety, inconvenience and enjoyment of their property and also others in nearby roads, especially Beagles Close, who were extremely concerned at the prospect of increased parking in those roads. Commuter parking was not recognised as a problem and not one local agricultural or business had commented in support of the proposal.  The parish council had not sought the views of local residents before putting this proposal forward to the county council, either this year or in 2017 and on neither occasion did local agricultural businesses contribute to the consultation or voice any concerns with existing arrangements. The proposal had not been supported by evidence and recent, time-randomised, daily spot checks had shown very few incidents of problematic parking. The previous proposal in 2017/18 had been similarly rejected due to lack of evidence and the report currently before the Cabinet Member confirmed the lack of any perceived problem with regard to commuter parking There had been an increase in leisure visitors to the lane last year due to pandemic lockdowns, but those numbers had now substantially reduced. She had not seen a single vehicle obstructing the passage of traffic or reducing the visibility at the junction with Beagles Close and making decisions based on occasional individual complaints without putting them into the context of the ‘normal’ situation created an extremely biased picture that should not be used as a basis for such a drastic change. This proposal would not improve safety and if there was a genuine, evidence supported, problem with parking in this street, then a more balanced, proportionate solution needed to be found. She asked that the proposal be rejected as it currently stood as there was no evidence base for it and residents did not want it considering that it would worsen, not improve, safety and nuisance parking while adversely affecting the normal use and enjoyment of their properties. The parish council needed to look again at this issue, gather and analyse relevant data, and consult with their constituents, the local residents, before submitting another proposal to the County Council.

A written representation had been received from County Councillor Ian Middleton noting the predominantly negative response to the proposal which seemed to be based on the belief that the road was fairly wide and parked cars did not create a significant obstruction. There were also concerns about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7