Agenda item

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 including one from the Covered Market Tenants Association.  Additionally, the Oxford Bus Company (OBC) had raised concerns and objected to the New Road proposal. On the High Street proposals, the same concerns were raised by the traders as those summarised in the published report about loss of loading space and impact on business activity. The OBC response had raised a valid issue regarding the nature of operational difficulties that buses were still experiencing in this vicinity on the basis that the space on the south side of the road where a bus stop and taxi rank were no longer used were kept clear for the majority of the time.

In the case of New Road, OBC had raised concerns about congestion approaching the zebra crossing on the corner because of the proximity of the proposed taxi rank at the corner with Castle Street.  This could result in a stretch of one way working at times which would exacerbate congestion and therefore delays to traffic.

Officers recognised that some provision for taxis was required near the Mitre but felt on balance that the proposal could not be progressed in its current form and should be reconsidered. Similarly, in view of the significant response from OBC with regard to the New Road proposal and its proximity to the Castle Street crossing and the potential for bottlenecks officers were also suggesting that that element also be reconsidered.

Recognising the need for additional taxi rank provision the Cabinet Member for Environment acknowledged the comments made by officers with regard to the need to reconsider the siting of the High Street and New Road proposals. Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before her together with the representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

(a)         note the full response to the consultation on the proposals for High Street and New Road and ask officers to (i) rethink how a taxi rank could be provided on High Street and (ii) request the city council to carry out the necessary formal consultation on a taxi rank on New Road in place of the advertised loading bay;

(b)          note the full 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.

Signed……………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………….