Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/142

Contact: Tim Shickle, Group Manager – Traffic & Road Safety Tel: 07920 591545 / Mike Smith, Road Agreements Team Leader (Cherwell & West) Tel: 07881 311704

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM4).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce a 20mph speed limit within the Barton Park residential development at Oxford. Funded by the Barton Park residential development the speed limit is intended to help facilitate walking and cycling within the development and safer movement of traffic.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the 20mph speed limit as advertised.

Approved

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management considered (CMDHM4) responses received to a consultation to introduce a 20mph speed limit within the Barton Park residential development. Funded by that development the proposals had been promoted to help facilitate walking, cycling and safer movement of traffic.

County Councillor Glynis Phillips spoke in support of the proposals. Although disappointed with the Police response she appreciated their honesty regarding expectation of full enforcement and that they had to prioritise their activities due to cuts in funding and personnel numbers which meant enforcement of speed limits was now low down that list of priorities. However, if this scheme was approved then it would allow police and the local community to introduce spot checks and short-term speeding checks similar to those undertaken on the northern by-pass. There was evidence of speeding along what was a residential road and a walking route to Barton Park school. Communities across Oxfordshire would be looking to the introduction of similar across the county.

Thanking the police for their efforts in carrying out spot checks the Cabinet Member for Highway Management suggested that devolvement by government of powers for enforcement of speed limits would allow the potential for greater levels of enforcement. He agreed that this particular area merited a 20mph speed limit adding that it should have been so restricted from the outset and hopefully this would send a message to all developers in future to consider adopting similar speed measures for all new residential areas. Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before him together with the representations made to him at the meeting he confirmed his decision as follows:

Approve the 20mph speed limit for the Barton Park residential development as advertised.

Signed…………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of signing…………………………