Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/133

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

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE11).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce additional waiting restrictions at North Hinksey Lane and Lime Road, North Hinksey put forward as a result of concerns raised by the local member over the safety and movement of traffic in the area and, if approved, funded from her Councillor Priority Fund.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve proposed no waiting at any time restrictions on North Hinksey Lane and Lime Road, North Hinksey as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE11) responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce additional waiting restrictions at North Hinksey Lane and Lime Road, North Hinksey put forward as a result of concerns raised by the local member over the safety and movement of traffic in the area and, if approved, to be funded from her Councillor Priority Fund.

The local member Councillor Judy Roberts advised that the application covered two areas of North Hinksey parish. The first Lime Road was a commercial bus route with school buses also serving Matthew Arnold Secondary School. There was poor visibility where the bus route turned right from Laburnum Road into Lime Road, past the new estate’s exit of Turner Drive and then past Sycamore Close. The new estate contained 135 dwellings which had made this area busier especially as the bus stop was immediately after the left exit. There was also a pedestrian access route to the Brookes Campus at this point so the new lines should now keep the road clear of parked cars when the bus was stationary at the bus stop allowing to traffic to flow, albeit slowly.  North Hinksey Lane was, however, more complex as it had an access point to the A34 at the southern end, the local Primary school and two industrial estates and access to the Botley Road at the Northern end. It was a small lane accessing North Hinksey village originally but now had  quite a heavy traffic flow and was being used for commuter parking as shown by the objector from Wantage to the initial consultation. The Lane and the slip road were used by some school staff members as the school had limited parking on site but the Fishes pub had kindly given permission for parents to use their car park at drop off and pick up times.  She acknowledged that it would be impossible to please everyone in this section of the Lane even though the road was often impassable by the afternoon with vehicles reversing all the way to the allotments. The spaces for the North Hinksey Nature Reserve already had permission, but they had just been painted over previously, the spaces by the allotments and St Lawrence’s Church were specifically asked for in the first consultation and all the housing on the slip road had off road parking. The timed restrictions were suggested by officers to stop commuter parking transferring from the Lane to the slip road and while there was a slight inconvenience to the school staff and residents, it still allowed parking for them and for their visitors. 

The Cabinet Member acknowledged a written submission from Rachel Nixon, a resident of North Hinksey Lane objecting to the proposals. One of her key  concerns was being able to safely access her property which she currently did by manoeuvring in the adjacent service road. As the proposed restrictions could encourage parking on both sides of the service road (because of the different times proposed for the restrictions on either side) vehicles parked on the opposite side of the service road (the island side) would likely make it impossible for her to do that. Currently there were no parking restrictions along the service road and vehicles only parked on the west side, providing space for other vehicles to pass and she considered that the island side of the service road should be marked as ‘no waiting at any time’ to ensure that safe access to driveways for residents would be retained.

Officers confirmed that the proposals were being promoted to restrict commuter parking. Restrictions would be enforced with some residents inevitably affected by having to move cars periodically but if there was a problem with a particular driveway that could be looked at although any changes could then affect other residents.  There had been a level of support to the first formal consultation and also the second formal consultation, which had incorporated some amendments from the first round.

Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before her and the representations made to her at the meeting the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve proposed no waiting at any time restrictions on North Hinksey Lane and Lime Road, North Hinksey as advertised and that officers be asked to liaise with the local member if any changes were necessary in order to protect the integrity of individual residential driveways.

Signed……………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………