Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/124

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Paul Knight, Project Sponsor – Major Transport Projects Tel: 07584 909528

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE6).

As a part of the wider western A40 Corridor improvement project, it is proposed to introduce a number of measures aimed at improving the flow of traffic to reduce journey times and help to improve road safety along the stretch of the A40 Northern By-pass approaching Wolvercote roundabout. This report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on a number of  proposals which will require the introduction of Traffic Regulation Orders:

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve:

(a)  proposed amended speeds limits comprising an extension of the 30mph speed limit west of the Wolvercote roundabout, westwards to beyond the A34 flyover bridge, and the introduction of a new 40mph speed limit (replacing parts of the existing 40mph & 60mph national speed limit);

(b) introduction of a bus lane for eastbound buses approaching Wolvercote roundabout from near the A34 flyover;

(c) the prohibition of U-turns on the A40, 200 metres east of the A34 Flyover at the new service sideroads on the A40 and 7.5tonne weight limits on the side roads being created as part of approved development adjacent to the A40 west of the Wolvercote roundabout at Oxford.

(d)  introduction of 7.5 tonne weight restrictions (with exemptions) on the 4 new access roads either side of the A40:

North side, approximately 300 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover; and

South side, approximately 270 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE6) responses received to a number of  proposals as a part of the wider western A40 Corridor improvement project aimed at improving the flow of traffic, reduce journey times and help to improve road safety along the stretch of the A40 Northern By-pass approaching Wolvercote roundabout.

Councillor Charles Mathew expressed profound concerns that these measures ignored the role of the A40 to the wider public. Further speed limits would exacerbate existing queue problems at the head of this road which was a main conduit East for many thousands a day from all points west from Wales, Monmouthshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire and, pre-Covid, used by 32,000 vehicles per day. Add to that the many residential developments happening or planned in these areas and what was already a problem would then become a nightmare.  He considered these measures would only make that situation worse. The police had already indicated they would not be able to enforce them due to a lack of resources or possibly priority.  He could not see the rationale behind these measures and did not believe that they would be effective. The long-awaited Loop Farm link project, currently unfunded and now no longer part of the infrastructure planning for this area had represented a vital relief road option to the A40 traffic going north at this juncture and was preferable to what would now be a rat run in the North Oxford Development on the approach to the Wolvercote roundabout.  He considered it nonsensical to promote measures which would not be enforced by the Police, had the effect of further complicating the through traffic plans of thousands a day and asked the Cabinet Member to reconsider these proposals, in the light of the clear problems they would present.

Councillor Paul Buckley considered the Oxford North development had a major highways design flaw at its heart as he and others had explained at meetings of the City Council’s West Area Planning Committee and then its Planning Review Committee in 2019. The Oxford North outline plan contained an internal link road that crossed the centre of the site, linking the A40 and the A44. According to the plan, it would be a low capacity road with part of it even shared with pedestrians and cyclists but as we now know that there will be no external link road (the originally proposed Loop Farm Link Rd) to divert through traffic away from the Wolvercote roundabout there would be extreme congestion on the approaches to that roundabout, with a substantial fraction of the queuing traffic being A40-A44 through traffic with the internal link road presenting an obvious rat-run short-cut.  Through traffic approaching along the A40 would have been sitting in a long queue as it approached the junction with the internal link road and at peak times that queue could be at least 3km (according to Oxford North’s prediction). The strong motivation for all this through traffic would therefore be to divert through the centre of the site to get to the A44 quicker, via the internal link road – thereby avoiding the 3 sets of traffic lights and 160% greater distance involved if continuing up to the Wolvercote roundabout to reach the A44. This strong motivation would extend to all the through traffic, including HGVs and we can expect the link road to be very busy indeed and grossly ill-designed to meet that demand. For the safety of users of the link road it is vital that at least all HGVs were prevented from joining this stream of traffic through the site. He shared the ‘strong reservations’ of Thames Valley Police concerning the internal link road and for the safety of its users it was vital to apply a 7.5 tonne limit with maximum enforcement measures e.g. by ANPR deployed as well.  He also supported the use by taxis of the east-bound bus lane on the A40. It was OCC policy to discourage drivers from bringing private cars into Oxford so for those who were prevented for some reason from using cycles or buses they should be able to use taxis to make the journey more quickly than by private car and so taxis should be able to benefit from the bus lane as elsewhere in Oxford. The bus stop came just after the junction with the internal link road, so there would be plenty of space for any taxi in the bus lane, that found itself behind a bus that stopped at the bus stop, to turn out and pass the bus and he asked that the proposed ban on taxis using the bus lane should not be implemented.

Responding to the Cabinet Member officers confirmed that the internal link road would not be accessible to all traffic but only cars and light vehicles.  No HGVs would be allowed to access other than for example refuse vehicles.  The link road would not be enforced by the police but would restrict access would be supported by cameras.  With regard to the A40 north that needed to be seen as wider development from Eynsham which sought to address heavy traffic levels with a park and ride site and bus lane to Wolvercote roundabout to encourage a modal shift from car to bus. Enabling works for the rearrangement of the A40 were due to be signed off on Monday 23^rd November with main works starting in January and the programme completed and delivered by 2023.  The internal link road was linked in with the North Oxford development and would be restricted.  The Loop Farm link road was no longer part of the County Council’s infrastructure planning. It should be noted that the internal link road scheme currently being considered had been through the decision making process and informal consultation and it was necessary to now consider the required traffic regulation orders as part of the agreed development.   The link road would be required for construction traffic.

Officers were in touch with City Council officers and particularly regarding one outstanding issue which concerned the 4 way signalled intersection and the advanced safety lines for cyclists.

Regarding future use of the A40 bus lane by taxis there were a number of issues around safety and improved times for buses.  In view of that it was considered that use by taxis should be kept under review to promote and boost bus usage as an alternative to the car and therefore reduce the numbers of vehicles. 

Thanking everyone for their submissions the Cabinet Member recognised this was a difficult part of Oxford City which was about to see further significant changes to one of the main radial routes.  She accepted that this might not be the best or total solution but her decision today was a limited one for measures which needed to be introduced for a road yet to be built, which had not been a county decision but down to a planning decision by another authority.  Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before her along with the representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve:

(a)  proposed amended speeds limits comprising an extension of the 30mph speed limit west of the Wolvercote roundabout, westwards to beyond the A34 flyover bridge, and the introduction of a new 40mph speed limit (replacing parts of the existing 40mph & 60mph national speed limit);

(b) introduction of a bus lane for eastbound buses approaching Wolvercote roundabout from near the A34 flyover;

(c) the prohibition of U-turns on the A40, 200 metres east of the A34 Flyover at the new service sideroads on the A40 and 7.5tonne weight limits on the side roads being created as part of approved development adjacent to the A40 west of the Wolvercote roundabout at Oxford.

(d)  introduction of 7.5 tonne weight restrictions (with exemptions) on the 4 new access roads either side of the A40:

North side, approximately 300 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover; and

South side, approximately 270 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover.

(e) note assurances given that HGV restrictions would be appropriately enforced with automatic number plate recognition cameras to recognise the importance of complete enforcement to prevent this internal link road becoming a major highway;

(f)   note that when these roads are open the issue of use by taxis of the eastbound bus lane should be reviewed.

Signed………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………..