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Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Transport – 4 September 2008

 

Statement of Decision

 

Walton Well Road Railway Bridge, Oxford - Weight Limit

 

Present:

Cabinet Member for Transport : Councillor Ian Hudspeth
Officers:	Graham Warrington (Corporate Core) Peter Mann, David Tole and Stephen Axtell (Environment & Economy)

 

Also in attendance: 

Other Members:

Councillor Alan Armitage (as local member)

 

Documentation considered:

Report

Walton Well Road Railway Bridge, Oxford - Weight Limit

A copy is attached to the signed copy of this decision.

 

Summary of representations in person

 

Councillor Armitage referred to the limited use of the bridge by heavy vehicles and supported the objections submitted by the Cripley Meadow allotment holders and Bossom’s Boatyard.  He suggested that if Railtrack persisted with its objection to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes using the bridge then the option of accessing the allotments via Roger Dudman Way should be assessed although the preference remained that access should continue over the bridge.

 

Mr Axtell advised that the original safety assessment of the bridge, although borderline, had indicated that in order to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge the weight of vehicles crossing should be limited.   However, new analysis now showed that a weight limit might not be required if the carriageway across the bridge  was narrowed to a single lane.

 

In response to Councillor Hudspeth Mr Tole agreed that Railtrack were being very cautious but the potential consequences of any accident would obviously be serious.  Officers would look at the issues raised regarding the frequency of vehicles crossing the bridge and the Roger Dudman Way option but he was confident that if required a low cost option for narrowing the carriageway could be worked up.

 

Decision

 

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before me, the representations made to me and the further considerations set out above, I confirm my decisions on this matter as follows:

 

to defer a decision on the Oxfordshire County Council (Walton Well Road Railway Bridge, Oxford) (Weight Restriction) Order 200* pending an investigation into the feasibility of reducing the carriageway width over the bridge to single lane.

 

Signed ......................................................................

            Cabinet Member for Transport

 

Date ………………………………….

 

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