Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/138

Contact: Roy Newton, Service Manager – Infrastructure Planning Tel: (01865) 815647

Report by Director for Environment & Economy (CA9).

This report puts forward detailed proposals to improve the Ducklington Lane corridor; Phase 1 of the wider Witney Transport Strategy.  The scheme forms part of a package of transport infrastructure investment in Witney, identified to relieve congestion and support the planned level of growth.

The report also confirms the outcomes of a public consultation and separate Traffic Regulation Order consultation, and the subsequent changes made to the scheme design following this.

The corridor improvements include: 1) an enhanced signal control junction at the Ducklington Lane / Station Lane / Thorney Leys junction, with 3-lane approaches on all arms; 2) right-turn manoeuvres at the junction, a road safety concern raised by local drivers, will no longer be opposed as right-turn filters will be incorporated into the traffic signal phasing;  3) the southern Beechgate vehicle access is modified so that vehicles can only exit here and travel in the direction of Ducklington Lane south or the A40 on-slip; and 4) improved pedestrian and cycle crossings will also be incorporated into the Ducklington Lane / Station Lane / Thorney Leys junction design, and along Ducklington Lane (south) corridor.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)                                       note the responses received as part of the consultation;

(b)                                      agree the proposed changes to the scheme reflected in the revised scheme drawing as well as approve the scheme for detailed design and construction; and

(c)                                       delegate powers to the Director for Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to make minor amendments to the scheme.

Cabinet had before them a report (CA9) which sought agreement to detailed proposals to improve the Ducklington Lane corridor; Phase 1 of the wider Witney Transport Strategy.  The scheme formed part of a package of transport infrastructure investment in Witney, identified to relieve congestion and support the planned level of growth.

The report also confirmed the outcomes of a public consultation and separate Traffic Regulation Order consultation, and the subsequent changes made to the scheme design following this.

The corridor improvements included: 1) an enhanced signal control junction at the Ducklington Lane / Station Lane / Thorney Leys junction, with 3-lane approaches on all arms; 2) right-turn manoeuvres at the junction, a road safety concern raised by local drivers, will no longer be opposed as right-turn filters will be incorporated into the traffic signal phasing;  3) the southern Beechgate vehicle access is modified so that vehicles can only exit here and travel in the direction of Ducklington Lane south or the A40 on-slip; and 4) improved pedestrian and cycle crossings will also be incorporated into the Ducklington Lane / Station Lane / Thorney Leys junction design, and along Ducklington Lane (south) corridor.

Mr Gibbon, local resident and taxi driver, spoke generally in support of the improvements to Ducklington Lane whilst making specific observations regarding the layout of the scheme and in particular the Thorney Leys  junction when approaching from Beechgate.  He urged the Cabinet to reconsider the yellow box proposed for that junction indicating that he believed the box would lead to 10 to 15 minute waiting times.  He further asked the Cabinet to consider making the Northern exit 2 lanes (one left and one right) and to increase right turns lanes at Station Lane to improve traffic flow.

Councillor Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment expressed concern over the proposed pedestrian facilities and their impact on the traffic flow through Witney, hoping that adequate Mitigation was in place. He expressed reservations that the scheme appeared to be a ‘patchwork project’.

The Leader commented that the scheme was not ‘patchwork’ but that a  phased approach had been decided upon to make the implementation safe and appropriate for the residents of Witney.

In response to the public address regarding the Thorney Leys Junction, Mr Tugwell commented that the beechgate approach was a sliproad and signalled and so should provide plenty of opportunity for traffic to get in and out of the junction.

Regarding phasing and capacity, Mr Tugwell commented that extra capacity was being put into the junctions and that sequencing  of lights also allowed people to get across junctions.

Councillor Chapman expressed the need for the Cabinet to monitor the situation closely to see how the proposals were working on the ground.

RESOLVED:   to

(a)               note the responses received as part of the consultation;

(b)              agree the proposed changes to the scheme reflected in the revised scheme drawing as well as approve the scheme for detailed design and construction; and

(c)               delegate powers to the Director for Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to make minor amendments to the scheme.

(d)       ask officers to report back to a future meeting of the Cabinet following implementation of the Ducklington Lane Corridor improvements to access the impact on congestion.