Return to Items for DecisionDelegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Transport –5 June 2008Statement of Decision
Petitions and Public Address
Present:
Also in attendance:
Documentation considered:
Summary of representations in person
A petition was received from the residents of Highfield, Headington requesting the County Council explore options to reduce through traffic in Highfield.
Ms Sarah Carter, 11 Lytton Road, Oxford presented a petition calling on Stagecoach and Oxfordshire County Council to reinstate a bus service along Rymers Lane and Littlehay Road talking into account the views of the many bus users in the area who are now left without any viable alternative, as well as concerns about use of double-decked vehicles by residents of Littlehay Road. She advised that this service had been withdrawn on 30 March 2008 with no consultation and little publicity and had reservations that it had been a commercial decision as the changes to the route could not have been made without the construction of the turning circle at Cowley Centre. The County Council had a duty to undertake a thorough review and proper consultation before making a decision to facilitate any change by altering the highway. The 101 and 103/104 service was less frequent, had not improved reliability and did not provide an adequate replacement service. It was operated by two different companies with no facility for interchangeable tickets. The County Council should consider making it a condition of contract that all services on route 101 and 103/104 travel via Rymers Lane and Littlehay Road and that all valid Stagecoach tickets were accepted at Rymers Lane and Littlehay Road for journeys between Cowley centre and Oxford city centre thereby ensuring that users did not have to pay more for a greatly reduced service. Residents would also like the County Council to explain why this change had been made in the name of ‘Quality Bus Partnership’ when all that had been achieved was the demise of bus use in the Florence Park Area which had left people with a minimal service.
Councillor Roz Smith endorsed the points made by Ms Carter. She referred particularly to the loss of services in Florence Park and a direct route to Headington hospitals. Expressing her concern regarding the lack of consultation prior to installation of the turning circle she advised that some services now had to travel twice through a busy signal junction and asked the Head of Transport to reconsider the safety audit for the turning circle.
Cabinet Member’s Comments
Councillor Hudspeth received both petitions Referring them to the Head of Transport for consideration he asked him to respond with regard to the Service 10 petition within two weeks.
Signed ...................................................................... Cabinet Member for Transport
Date ………………………2008
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