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Division(s): North Oxford and Summertown

ITEM CMDT4

CABINET MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 4 JANUARY 2007

OXFORD, A40 ELSFIELD WAY TO JACKSON ROAD EXPERIMENTAL LEFT TURN BAN

Report by Head of Transport

(Statement of Decision)

Introduction

  1. This report details the responses received during the first twelve months of the experimental left turn ban from the A40 Elsfield Way into Jackson Road, Oxford.

  2. Local residents identified by that there was a "rat running" problem in the area of Jackson Road. Their main concern was that traffic using the A40 heading westwards from the Headington direction was using the road as a short cut to Summertown and Oxford. They also highlighted that by deterring "rat runners" it would provide a safer route for children traveling by foot and bicycle to and from Cutteslowe First School, Cherwell Upper School and the Oxford High School.

    (Annex 1 - download as .pdf file)
     (Annex 2 - download as .pdf file)
     (Annex 3 - download as .doc file)
     (Annex 4 - download as .doc file)
     (Annex 5 - download as .doc file)
     (Annex 6a - download as .pdf file)
     (Annex 6b-f - download as .pdf file)
     (Annex 7a - download as .pdf file)
    (Annex 7b - download as .pdf file)

    3. Consultation Process

  3. An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (Ex TRO) is used when the effect of a proposal is uncertain and it may be necessary to change or revert back to the status quo quickly. The Ex TRO process requires a notice to be published prior to the commencement of the experimental period, which may run for up to 18 months before being made permanent or removed. Unlike a permanent TRO no formal process for terminating the Ex TRO is required, thus enabling quick removal of any measures if required. Within the first 6 months of the experimental period the Ex TRO cannot be made permanent as this is in effect the consultation period.

    4. Initial Consultation

  4. The Ex TRO was introduced on 22 December 2005. Prior to this, on 11 November, residents living in the area bounded by the River Cherwell, A40 and Banbury Road, who would potentially be affected by the Ex TRO were notified by letter of the proposal. Annex 1 shows the residential area affected which consists of 1689 properties.

  5. As a result of that initial letter 8 letters of support for the proposal were received with 31 letters objecting to it and requesting the ban be removed. A petition was organised by one of the local residents who felt that the ban would block vital access to the area for residents. The petition contained 50 signatures all opposed to the ban being made permanent. (Anyone who signed the petition and then wrote to state their objection were only counted as objecting once).

  6. In February 2006 the Local County Councillors for the area (Jean Fooks and Dermot Roaf) sent a questionnaire to residents seeking their views on the experiment. The results of this are set out in Table 1 below, together with those from the initial letter response and petition.

    7. Table 1

     

    FOR

    AGAINST

    MONITOR

    UNDECIDED

    TOTALS

    Initial Letter/email

    8

    31

    N/A

    2

    41

    Petition

    0

    50

    N/A

    0

    50

    Local Councillor survey

    49

    59

    26

    0

    134

    TOTALS

    57

    140

    26

    2

    225

  7. From the responses received to the Local Councillor questionnaire it was noted that 8 respondents had changed their opinion between the time of the initial consultation letter going out and responding to the questionnaire. Two changed their objection to agreement for the ban to be made permanent; one changed their approval to an objection whilst the other five changed their initial objection to wanting the monitoring to continue.

  8. A majority of the responses received in the first six months expressed concern that the ban would have a detrimental effect on access for the emergency services getting into the area and also that it would cause an increase in response times.

  9. The Oxfordshire Ambulance Trust has a stand-by point at Oxford North by the Peartree Park & Ride. This is the preferred point of access to the Cutteslowe area. They have confirmed in writing that the "blockade of Jackson Road from Elsfield Way has no impact on our response when coming from these points. It may even improve in busy periods without rat-running traffic blocking the area."

  10. Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue also had no concerns regarding the restriction. They stated that if there was a "property fire or emergency incident on Jackson Road, the first appliance attending would be from the city centre and/or Kidlington. The route they would take would not be via the A40".

  11. Thames Valley Police also confirmed that they had had "no adverse comments from any organisation or staff within Thames Valley Police to indicate that it has affected response times". They did state however that the layout of the barriers used to affect the left-turn ban did not fully prevent vehicles from making the turn from the A40.

    12. Further Consultation

  12. To gain a more recent and wider representation of residents views on how the ban was viewed, it was decided to distribute further questionnaires to all residents within the catchment area. These were sent out on 22 September 2006 (10 months after the introduction of Ex TRO) with pre-paid envelopes provided to encourage residents to respond so that their views could be taken fully into account. The return date for all questionnaires was set at 22 October 2006. Both the covering letter and the questionnaire clearly stated that a non-response would be taken as agreement to the left-turn ban remaining in place.

  13. Out of the 1689 questionnaires that were sent out to residents, 429 replied (25.4% response rate). Of the responses 179 (41.7%) residents wanted the ban to be made permanent, 189 (44.1%) wanted the ban to be removed with another 43 (10.1%) wanting the ban to stay experimental and continue to be monitored. Another 18 (4.1%) did not give a preference.

  14. Of the 30 roads in the catchment area, there were 17 where the majority wanted the ban removed, 10 where the majority wanted the ban to be made permanent and 3 where there was a split decision. Annex 2 shows all results by road and their preference. Annex 3 details the comments received from residents in each street.

  15. On the questionnaires sent out and the covering letter, it was clearly stated that "a non reply to the questionnaire would be taken as an agreement to the ban staying in place in a permanent capacity". With this in mind, this would suggest that 1439 (85.2%) of residents are in favour of the ban with 189 (11.2%) wanting the ban removed and another 43 (2.5%) wanting the ban to be kept in place and monitoring to continue with 18 (1.1%) not expressing a preference.

  16. The questionnaire is reproduced at Annex 4. Annex 5 summarises the responses.

    17. Speed and Volume Surveys

  17. Speed and volume surveys were undertaken at three different times during the length of the ban. A turning count was also undertaken at the A40/Jackson Road junction in September 2006. The results of these surveys and a location plan of where the speed and volume surveys were undertaken are set out at Annex 6.

  18. Speed and volume surveys were undertaken before and after the implementation of the Ex TRO. There is some evidence from the data collected that the average 85th%ile speeds have reduced on all roads since the ban has been in place. The 85th%ile speed is the upper limit of which 85% of drivers travel. Flows have also reduced on most roads. Below is a breakdown on how speeds and flows of each road surveyed has been affected:

    19. Jackson Road – no ‘speed’ data was collected before the Ex TRO was introduced due to equipment availability. Both ‘after’ surveys showed 5 day 12-hour averages of 223 and 249 vehicles using Jackson Road.

    Carlton Road – Vehicle flow rose with the 5 day 12-hour average up by 104 vehicles in March 2006. However by September 2006 flows were back to the level recorded before the ban was implemented. Speeds decreased after the ban was implemented with the 5 day 12-hour flow down by 0.5mph during the March 2006 survey. The biggest decrease was in Sunday speeds which saw a reduction of 3.8mph at the last survey taken.

    Wolsey Road – The first ‘after’ survey saw an increase in flows but by September 2006 there was a decrease of 44 vehicles over a 5 day 12-hour average. Speeds reduced throughout the ban with the 85th%ile 5 day 12-hour average decreasing from 27mph to 26.1mph. Speeds on Sundays decreased from 27mph to 25mph.

    Wentworth Road – Flows reduced (on average) over the first survey by 103 vehicles and this decrease continued during the second survey which showed a decrease of 123 vehicles from the flows before the ban was in place. Speeds reduced over the two surveys with the 5 day average 85th%ile dropping from 30.3mph to 29.2mph.

    Lonsdale Road - The initial before survey was only able to be carried out for one day due to equipment restraints. The survey in September was not able to be undertaken due to the survey equipment being stolen twice. While there is limited data at this site it does indicate a small decrease in the 85th%ile speeds. There is however an increase in the 12 hour flow of 39 vehicles.

  19. The turning survey undertaken in September 2006 showed that a number of vehicles are still turning left into Jackson Road, the results of this survey can be found at Annex 7. In a 12 hour period it was noted that 35 vehicles ignored the ban. The turning survey undertaken in October 2004 noted that 839 vehicles were making the turn from the A40 onto Jackson Road in a 12 hour period. This means the ban has reduced vehicles using the left turn in a day by 804.

  20. In the roads in which it was possible to collect traffic data there has overall been a marginal change in vehicle flow and speed. The reduction of the number of vehicles turning left from the A40 into Jackson Road will consist of a proportion of residents whose movements will be redistributed within the area affected by the Ex TRO. To an extent this redistribution will balance out the expected decrease in flow from the removal of "rat-running" traffic.

  21. Annex 6(a) shows the roads in which we wished to collect additional speed and volume data (black triangle). However, due to parked vehicles it was not possible to collect any data in these roads. This data would have helped to assess better whether or not there had been a insignificant change in vehicle flows in the area.

    22. Officer Comment

  22. It is disappointing that better traffic data could not be collected to fully assess the effects of the Ex TRO. However the response to the questionnaire sent out in September suggests that overall there is support for making the Ex TRO permanent (see paragraph 15).

    23. How the Project Supports LTP Objectives

  23. Implementation of the left turn ban on a permanent basis would provide an environmental benefit to residents by removing extraneous traffic from the area.

    24. Financial and Staff Implications

  24. Funding of £102,000 is provided in the LTP programme for signage works on the ring road. The estimated cost of the signage works proposed is £30,000. It is proposed, subject to the Cabinet approval, that the works required to make the Ex TRO permanent be funded from the budget allocation for the ring road signage. The works required to make the Ex TRO permanent is estimated at £25,000, which includes all associated road works. The overall estimated demand on the original budget of £102,000 is therefore £55,000. Any further signing work on the ring road will require justification against the LTP criteria. There are no staff implications.

    25. RECOMMENDATION

  25. The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to authorise the:

          1. detailed design for a permanent scheme to be introduced subject to authorising the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from the Road Safety Audit process should any arise, and

          2. works required for the permanent scheme to be funded from the budget allocated to ring road signage.

STEVE HOWELL
Head of Transport

Background papers:
Consultation Questionnaire
Questionnaire comments and results
Location plan for surveys undertaken
Survey Results
Turning surveys – October 04/September 06
Drawing TPI/3/154 B – Experimental layout Drawing TPI/1/167 – Questionnaire analysis and catchment area

Contact Officers:
John Cramer, Tel: 1865 815936
Jeremy Dufour, Tel: 01865 815625

December 2006

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