Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/153

Contact: Tim Shickle, Group Manager – Traffic & Road Safety Tel: 07920 591545 / John Exley, Highway Engineer Tel: 07568 563706

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM7).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on measures on the A44 between the Peartree and Wolvercote roundabouts and the new link road to the A40 comprising a 50mph speed limit on the A44 Woodstock Road north of the Wolvercote roundabout, a 20mph speed limit on the new link road between the A44 Woodstock Road & the A40 Northern Bypass, a 7.5 tonne weight limit to be introduced on the new link road, a  right turn prohibition & no access restriction at the junction of the link road with the A44 and a new staggered signalised crossing for pedestrians and pedal cyclists  across the A44 south of the junction with the link road while noting that further traffic management measures will be progressed at a later stage of the major Oxford North development and be the subject of further consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve as advertised:

a)     A 50mph speed limit on the A44 Woodstock Road north of the Wolvercote roundabout

b)     A 20mph speed limit on the new link road between the A44 Woodstock Road & the A40 Northern Bypass

c)     7.5 tonne weight limit to be introduced on the new link road

d)     A right turn prohibition & no access restriction at the junction of the link road with the A44 

e)       a new staggered signalised crossing for pedestrians and pedal cyclists across the A44 south of the junction with the link road

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management considered (CMDHM7) responses received to a statutory consultation on measures on the A44 between the Peartree and Wolvercote roundabouts and the new link road to the A40 which comprised a 50mph speed limit on the A44 Woodstock Road north of the Wolvercote roundabout, a 20mph speed limit on the new link road between the A44 Woodstock Road & the A40 Northern Bypass, a 7.5 tonne weight limit to be introduced on the new link road, a  right turn prohibition & no access restriction at the junction of the link road with the A44 and a new staggered signalised crossing for pedestrians and pedal cyclists across the A44 south of the junction with the link road while noting that further traffic management measures would be progressed at a later stage of the major Oxford North development and be the subject of further consultation.

Jo Sandelson spoke in support of all five recommendations in the report. A resident of Wolvercote for many years she had spoken with many neighbours who were seriously concerned about the impact of the Oxford North Development on their safety and amenity, particularly as cyclists and pedestrians, the increase in traffic levels and the poor provision for active travel in and out of the site. It was disappointing and concerning that this aspect had not been better served through the planning process and the consequences of not getting this right was evident by the calls by residents of Barton Park for expensive and complicated retrospective action to make access to their homes safe. That made today’s decision even more important.  She also asked that the cycle lane on the link road joined up effectively with cycle lanes at both ends, on the A44 and the A40, to include phasing of the lights and encourage residents of the new homes to adopt the right kind of travel choices.

County Councillor Andrew Gant expressed concern that a real opportunity had been missed by the planning authority to genuinely deliver on tackling Oxford’s housing crisis while addressing the dominance of the car and car-driven employment. Provision for cycling and walking infrastructure in and out of the site was very poor and he shared the view that it was hard to see how future residents would be encouraged to walk or cycle to local schools, Parkway station or the city and hoped that ways could be found to address that problem before residents moved in and started demanding retrospective action, as had happened at Barton Park. Supporting the recommendations he hoped that the cycle lanes would tie in effectively with cycle lanes on both the A44 and the A40 and were LTN 1/20 compliant and while welcoming the speed limit proposal suggested that an even lower limit might be more appropriate given this would be a residential frontage. As well as issues of safety and air quality, noise pollution from the A34 was a massive problem in Wolvercote, made worse of course by this huge car-led development and so speed reduction had to be part of the solution.

Endorsing the comments made by Councillor Gant County Councillor Dan Levy added that it was important to bear in mind the effect of this development on the A40 and cycling.

Thanking the speakers for their comments which he supported the Cabinet Member for Highway Management acknowledged that that there was a lot of work yet to be done and it was likely that further decisions would be required.  Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before him and the representations made to him at the meeting he confirmed his decision as follows:

to approve as advertised:

a)        A 50mph speed limit on the A44 Woodstock Road north of the Wolvercote roundabout.

b)        A 20mph speed limit on the new link road between the A44 Woodstock Road & the A40 Northern Bypass.

c)         7.5 tonne weight limit to be introduced on the new link road.

d)        A right turn prohibition & no access restriction at the junction of the link road with the A44. 

e)          A new staggered signalised crossing for pedestrians and pedal cyclists across the A44 south of the junction with the link road.

Signed………………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of signing………………………………..