Agenda, decisions and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/119

Contact: Owen South, Senior Transport Planner Tel: 07932 605693

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CMDE4).

This report seeks Cabinet Member approval in principle for an 18 month experimental environmental weight limit covering the length of Burford High Street between the A40 roundabout to the south and the A361/A424 junction just north of Burford Bridge. 

The town council, local residents and local members of the county council have been campaigning for a weight limit for Burford for many years to address concerns about noise, vibration, air pollution and road safety issues associated with lorry traffic as well as the negative impact on the town's tourist economy.

However, this is being taken forwards on a temporary, experimental basis initially because of concerns raised in traffic modelling work that lorries might divert via other towns and villages, transferring these problems there instead.  This would not be acceptable but there is some scepticism about how accurately it is possible to predict such diversion and an expectation that much of the lorry traffic diverting away from Burford would do so via major A roads and motorways, particularly in the case of long distance lorry traffic.  Traffic monitoring will therefore be carried out at a number of key locations in order to identify any possible, adverse effects.

The cost of implementation, including the major costs of signing and enforcement, would be met by the local community.  This project would be the first community funded weight limit in Oxfordshire and can be seen as a pilot for other such schemes elsewhere in future.

The details of enforcement and the operation of a permit scheme (for local access to locations outside Burford High Street for which avoiding the High Street would be too onerous) have yet to be finalised.  The intention is to devolve a major part of enforcement activity to Burford Town Council.  However, this requires further work by OCC Trading Standards and Legal Services; when this is concluded, a further report will be taken to CMD.  

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to

(a)             approve in principle an experimental weight limit order for Burford, subject to agreement on local funding, evaluation and success criteria, and enforcement arrangements as described above;

(b)             request a further report setting out these proposals in detail for consideration at a future Cabinet Member for Environment Delegated Decisions meeting, to enable the scheme to be implemented subject to their approval.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered a report (CMDE4) seeking approval in principle for an 18-month experimental environmental weight limit covering the length of Burford High Street between the A40 roundabout to the south and the A361/A424 junction just north of Burford Bridge. 

James Kitcher-Jones spoke in support. Chipping Norton Town Council had campaigned for many years to reduce heavy traffic levels in the town.  Pending  provision of a relief road they saw this as a necessary measure to reduce pollution in the town which was 50% above legal limits and the 300 HGVs which currently travelled through the town.

Responding to the Cabinet Member he could not put a specific figure on vehicle reduction but the town council were confident that it would be a significant reduction.

District Councillor Neil Owen felt the case had been well made for introduction of an order and he thanked the officers and everyone who had been involved in the process. He was confident that the trial period would clearly illustrate the benefits to be gained and hoped that in time the measure would become permanent.

Speaking in support Ken Gray pointed out that Department of Transport statistics showed HGV traffic to be predominantly long-distance originating from outside Oxfordshire; mainly north to south or south to north with east west traffic emanating from or to Bourton-on-the-Water. Diversion of north-south traffic would be by the M40/A34/A320 or the A429 to Cirencester or the A40 for east – west and not through local towns and villages. This diversion had been supported by patterns of traffic when the A361 between Burford and Chipping Norton had been closed in March 2018 and had not resulted in any increase in HGV traffic on the Witney-Charlbury road, the Witney-Bladon road or the Stow-Chipping Norton road with traffic diverted to M40. The experimental order would show whether or not that trend would continue with substantial reductions in pollution levels in Witney and Chipping Norton. He added that no results should be used from the OCC model forecasting HGV routes which officers had acknowledged were inadequate.

John White endorsed the comments made by earlier speakers and welcomed the experimental order which would allow a decision to be taken based on fact and not assumption. He asked that the order specifically refer to vehicles of 7.5 tonnes accepting a comment from the Cabinet Member that there would need to be permitted exemptions.

District Councillor Julian Cooper was concerned and confident that this scheme would bring more traffic to Woodstock the impact of which would be felt in a town where front doors were closer to traffic than in Burford; with many services under the highway which would be put at risk and close to a World Heritage Site. He then posed a question that if this order was granted and a precedent set in Burford it would make it difficult to resist a similar request from Woodstock Town and so rather than adopt a piece meal approach to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59/18

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/106

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 99704

Report by Director for Infrastructure Operations (CMDE5).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on proposals to amend parking and loading places in High Street, New Road and Little Clarendon Street, Oxford.  These changes would allow the city council to carry out the necessary consultation for changes to taxi rank provision in these locations.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)             approve the proposals as advertised for High Street and New Road and request that the city council carry out the necessary formal consultation on the provision of taxi ranks;

(b)             note the response to the proposals on Little Clarendon Street and request that the city council carry out the necessary formal consultation on the provision of the taxi rank.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) responses received to a statutory consultation on proposals to amend parking and loading places in High Street, New Road and Little Clarendon Street, Oxford. The proposals had stemmed from requests by the City of Oxford Licensed Taxi Association (COLTA) in relation to their general concerns about limited taxi rank provision in the city centre and the changes would allow the city council to carry out the necessary consultation for changes to taxi rank provision in these locations.

Sajad Khan spoke specifically to the blackcab trade element emphasising its importance as an integral part of the local transport service in Oxford.  COLTA whilst supporting proposals for the 2 new ranks and reinstatement of the rank outside the Mitre and with regard to the latter understood concerns regarding removal of the loading bay but the Shepherd and Woodward rank was in an unsuitable location and not fit for purpose.  Highlighting concerns expressed regarding zero emissions COLTA felt that it was unfair to penalise the blackcab trade as they were not the highest polluters and particularly when there ongoing discussions regarding this issue.

Tim Gresswell spoke against reinstatement of the rank outside the Mitre.  As an owner of a business adjacent to that site he advised that in 15 years he had only seen 1 taxi waiting there whereas the loading bay was in constant use with  3 deliveries daily to his shop in addition to dray deliveries to the Mitre.  There would also be consequences for other businesses in the High Street which could lead to more closing.  He had already closed down one business in the market and it would be a travesty to lose anymore. In any event the proposed rank would only accommodate 2 taxis and it was easy enough in his opinion to hail one. He tabled photographs showing congestion which would only be worsened by taxis.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that the issue of loading bays would be addressed.

Councillor John Sanders welcomed the proposed provision for taxi ranks but also suggested reconsideration be given to provision in other locations such as Norfolk Street.  He also raised the issue of prioritising access for stallholders in Market Street.

Mr Rossington advised that since the report had been published a further 20 responses had been received making a total of 36. The final, updated summary of the response to the consultation was as follows:

This meant for High Street there had been an additional 11 responses supporting the advertised proposals with a further 8 objecting.

For New Road an additional 15 responses supporting the advertised proposals with 1 objecting.

For Little Clarendon Street an additional 12 responses supporting the advertised proposals with 3 objecting.

Of the additional objections to the High Street proposals, it was possible to identify 4 from Covered Market or High Street businesses  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60/18

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/144

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

Report by Director for Infrastructure Operations (CMDE6).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to amend, remove and introduce new disabled persons parking places (DPPPs) at various locations in Oxford.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to:

a)            approve the proposals for the additional new bays in Barns Road & Norreys Avenue;

b)           reject the proposal for the removal of the existing bay in Junction Road;

c)             approve the proposal to remove the description of the bay in Duke Street from the Traffic Regulation Order.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE6) responses received to a statutory consultation to amend, remove and introduce new disabled persons parking places (DPPPs) at various locations in Oxford.

Mr Kirkwood presented the report and having regard to the information set out in that report the Cabinet Member confirmed her decision as follows:

a)           approve the proposals for additional new bays in Barns Road & Norreys Avenue;

b)            reject the proposal for the removal of the existing bay in Junction Road;

c)             approve the proposal to remove the description of the bay in Duke Street from the Traffic Regulation Order.

Signed…………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/119

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

Report by Director for Infrastructure Operations (CMDE7).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on revised proposals to install traffic calming measures on the B4009 Chinnor Road at Kingston Blount.  The proposal follows concerns raised by Aston Rowant Parish Council who are funding the scheme on the speed of traffic on the B4009 Chinnor Road and High Street at Kingston Blount.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve proposals to install traffic calming measures on the B4009 High Street at Kingston Blount as advertised subject to a satisfactory road safety audit.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE7) responses received to a statutory consultation on revised proposals to install traffic calming measures on the B4009 Chinnor Road at Kingston Blount following concerns raised by Aston Rowant Parish Council regarding speed of traffic on the B4009 Chinnor Road and High Street at Kingston Blount.

Matthew Day spoke in support of the scheme.  Although a B road the B4009 was a fast road particularly at this point with traffic entering the village at speeds significantly higher than 30 mph. That had resulted in a number of collisions including 1 fatality and buildings being hit.  As funders of the scheme the parish council had tried to take a measured response to this situation with 3 years of consultation resulting in a proposal for a physical build-out. An earlier proposal for the provision of road humps had been rejected due to concerns expressed regarding noise. This current scheme was now felt to offer the best solution. Recent trials had indicated some improvement and he thanked County Council officers for their help with that exercise and the design of the scheme.

Mr Turner confirmed that officers had worked closely with the parish council. Recent trials carried out indicated the proposed site of the build out offered the best location and the most protection. An independent safety audit would be carried out prior to construction although tests had indicated the audit would be successful. Responding to the Cabinet Member he confirmed that the dimensions for the build-out prevented separate provision for cyclists but that each island would be lit with street lights.

While acknowledging objections received regarding the tendency for chicanes to potentially encourage traffic to speed up and for potential delays to occur the Cabinet Member for Environment, however, felt that in this case the objective of slowing traffic at this point was a laudable one and so having regard to the information set out in the report before her together with the representations made to her at the meeting confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve proposals to install traffic calming measures on the B4009 Chinnor Road at Kingston Blount as advertised subject to a satisfactory road safety audit.

Signed……………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………