Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/089

Contact: Geoff Barrell, Principal Engineer, 20mph speed limit project, geoff.barrell@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM18).

To determine what speed limit changes should be made following consideration of public consultation responses.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the introduction of 20mph speed limits in Drayton (Abingdon) as advertised with the sole exception that the terminal of the proposed 20mph limit on the B4017 Steventon Road be moved to a point just northeast of the A34 overbridge.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management APPROVED the 20mph scheme as outlined in Annexes 3A & 3B excluding the B4017 except on the B4017 between Kiln Lane and Newman Lane.  

The Chair stated that approval of the recommendation was intended to be a solution for the present time. Requesting that the scheme would be kept under review with the intention of implementing the full 20 mph scheme in Drayton as soon as possible within the context of the Drayton Neighbourhood Plan traffic calming proposals and wider bus journey time initiatives within Oxford.

The report presented responses to a statutory consultation on the proposed introduction of 20mph speed limits in Drayton (Abingdon).

Chris Macdonald-Bradley addressed the meeting and expressed concern about the public consultation process.

The Chair responded to concerns raised by the speaker and said that the process was correct in law and as set out in the Council’s Constitution. The justification for the 20mph scheme was set out in the policy adopted by Full Council and a budget had been allocated to it. The Council, in policy terms, accepted the findings of numerous studies which indicated that 20mph speed limits made communities safer. The policy was discussed and debated in public with full opportunity for the public to contribute. The Chair went on to say that the consultation process was sound.

Officers stated that the 20mph schemes where only put in place when the local Parish Councils had requested them and where the Parish Council had the general and broad support of the local community.

The Chair referred to paragraph 10 of the report and stated that there had been legitimate concerns from the bus companies to some of the previously proposed 20mph speed limit schemes. In December there had been five schemes deferred after objections from the bus companies. Officers had undertaken a significant programme of re-design of those schemes, in close consultation with the bus companies. The Chair stated that they had been a good example of collaborative working. In this case, officers had put forward a scheme that the bus companies still had objections to.

The Chair referred to paragraph 13 of the officers’ report and the officer’s response to the bus companies’ objections.

The Chair and officers discussed the possibility of reducing the extent of the 20mph speed limit area to consider the concerns of the bus companies.

The Chair thanked the Parish Council and Councillor Webber for their input into bringing the concerns of the residents forward and campaigning for the proposed 20mph speed limit over a long period of time.

The Chair referred to the traffic calming proposals which were part of the Drayton Neighbourhood Plan and commented that these proposals would need to be taken into consideration when deciding the proposed 20mph speed limit.

The Cabinet Member for Transport Management APPROVED the 20mph scheme as outlined in Annexes 3A & 3B excluding the B4017 except on the B4017 between Kiln Lane and Newman Lane.  

The Chair stated that approval of the recommendation was intended to be a solution for the present time and requested that the scheme be kept under review with the intention of implementing the full 20 mph scheme in Drayton as soon as possible within the context of the Drayton Neighbourhood Plan traffic calming proposals and wider bus journey time initiatives within Oxford.

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/089

Contact: Geoff Barrell, Principal Engineer, 20mph speed limit project, geoff.barrell@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM9).

To determine what speed limit changes should be made following consideration of public consultation responses.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the introduction of 20mph speed limits in Drayton (Abingdon) as advertised with the sole exception that the terminal of the proposed 20mph limit on the B4017 Steventon Road be moved to a point just northeast of the A34 overbridge.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management DEFERRED this item.

The report presented the consultation responses to the proposed introduction of 20 mph speed limits and associated speed limit buffers in Drayton (Abingdon).

The Chair and officers had received from Drayton resident’s, several emails in the last 24 hours, objecting to the proposal and declaring that they had not been informed about the proposal in time to respond. In addition to this, there were ongoing discussions between the bus company and officers around the precise geographical extent of the 20 mph scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management DEFERRED this item.