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ITEM EX8

DIDCOT TRANSPORT ISSUES STUDY

1. The principal purpose of the Didcot Transport Issues Study is to provide a sound basis for advice on transport matters that will be relevant to the preparation of the Local Plans for the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts. The study has to identify the local transport issues, including those associated with expected development, and recommend an overall transport strategy together with appropriate transport measures. The study area is shown in Diagram 1.
2. In order to meet the required timescale for the preparation of the Local Plans a relatively short time for this type of study was allowed, starting in April 2001 with completion due in early November 2001. Following consultation with Parish Councils in December 2000 on a draft brief, Colin Buchanan and Partners were engaged as consultants to do the work.

Study Progress

3. The consultants have reviewed previous work, interviewed local organisations, consulted with Parish Councils and have undertaken some fresh surveys to identify the issues. Suggestions for local transport proposals were also obtained. A briefing for local county and district councillors was provided in June 2002.
4. The consultants have assessed a wide range of transport proposals. These were presented at a second briefing for local councillors in September immediately prior to a public exhibition held on three days at the Didcot Town Hall. The consultants’ presentation of the proposals included outline assessments. The purpose of the exhibition was to obtain views from the public on the proposals through comments at the exhibition and workshops, and through a questionnaire. Parish Councils, in particular, were encouraged to give their views and were contacted in advance to give notice of the exhibition.
5. Following the exhibition, the consultants have analysed the responses and they have recommended which proposed measures should be taken forward so as to support an integrated transport strategy for the area. They have also undertaken further supporting work on these measures. This has taken longer than expected but, at the time of writing, the consultants’ reports were close to completion. It is intended that the Final Report with the Consultation, Modelling and Assessment Appendices (all separate volumes) will be placed in the Members’ Resource Centre. An outline of the consultants’ recommendations is set out in Annex 1 attached, together with my comments.

Outcome of the Consultants’ Work

6. The consultants recognise that as the demand for transport continues to grow, central and local government cannot meet this demand within acceptable financial and environmental constraints. In particular, it is impossible to satisfy the demands for car travel without significant damage to quality of life and disproportionate economic cost. Therefore, it is necessary to provide more cost effective and environmentally sustainable alternatives and to impose constraints on certain types of travel, as well as making best use of existing facilities. The consultants have described a number of principles that have influenced the development of their recommended transport strategy:

• the importance of the car for personal transport is recognised, but the current pattern of use is not sustainable in the long term;
• good accessibility to facilities provides a benefit to local residents, workers, employees and visitors, but this should not be denied to those who do not have use of a car;
• the urban and rural environment should be protected and enhanced for future generations;
• road accidents cause very significant personal and economic costs;
• travel demand is influenced by a complexity of issues including personal lifestyle, land use and available transport choice.

7. The consultants have provided a wide range of recommendations, covering all modes of transport and addressing the issues identified by the study. These provide a useful guide for transport development in the area. Each recommended proposal will need more preparation, in terms of detailed design and consultation, before it can be programmed for implementation.

Next Stages

8. Although the consultants’ report is later than intended, the consultants’ work is helpful for the preparation of the Districts’ Local Plans. Whilst various consultation procedures were built in to the study and formal consultation is included in the Local Plan process, a political framework will be needed to guide the implementation of an agreed transport strategy for Didcot and the surrounding area.
9. Integrated Transport Strategies (ITS) are being developed, and some have been adopted, for the other major towns in Oxfordshire. They have been progressed under the guidance of joint Member/Officer Steering Groups. An ITS for Didcot and its environs would build on the work of the transport issues study, provide a programme for agreed transport measures and give confidence to detailed planning of development committed in the area. Because of the proximity of Didcot to Abingdon there may be some transport measures arising within an ITS that would affect both areas. There should therefore be links between the Abingdon and Didcot ITS Steering Groups, with joint meetings arranged from time to time on issues of common interest. It is envisaged that technical support for these groups would be obtained through Term Transport Planning Consultants, when they have been appointed.
10. Other ITS Steering Groups comprise three County Councillors, three District Councillors and one Town Councillor. Under the current arrangements, the County Council representatives are the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management together with the Chair/Chairman/Chairwoman of the Environment Scrutiny Committee, or their respective nominees. It is suggested that a similar format would be appropriate for Didcot, with two District Councillors representing South Oxfordshire and one District Councillor representing the Vale of White Horse.
11. There is a fair degree of flexibility as to how the Steering Groups run – for example, they may decide to allow public access to their meetings, although as they are not formally constituted bodies this is not a legal requirement. The Executive Member for Transport has suggested that the ability of the Steering Groups to co-opt additional stakeholder representatives should be recognised. He particularly has in mind that there might be one or two representatives of town centre traders and of surrounding parishes. This would however be for each Steering Group to decide. Beyond such matters affecting their own proceedings the Steering Groups do not of course have any executive authority, and if there is a division of opinion on any matter of significance the views of both sides should be made known to the body which is responsible for a final decision.
12. It has to be recognised that the draft Local Plans will be published before the Didcot Steering Group has considered the merits of transport measures included in, or omitted from, the draft plans. This need not prevent the conclusions of the Steering Group – both on their own account or jointly with the Abingdon Steering Group - influencing the content of the Local Plans as eventually adopted, since the preparation process includes consultation stages and a public inquiry.

Environmental Implications

13. Development of transport measures at Didcot will be subject to assessment and mitigation of adverse environmental effects. Assessment of possible measures is included in the consultants’ study.

Financial and Staff Implications

14. The implementation of transport measures in accordance with an integrated transport strategy to be recommended by the steering group will require substantial funding. The main sources will be developer contributions and the County Council’s transport capital programme. Staff resources to support the ITS steering group are expected to be met from the existing establishment. Costs will be incurred in employment of consultants for transport planning support and scheme design.

RECOMMENDATIONS

15. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. accept the advice in the consultants’ report on the Didcot Transport Issues Study as interim guidance on the local transport issues, pending further specific consideration;
2. agree the setting up of a Didcot Integrated Transport Strategy Steering Group, with a view to developing a strategy for Didcot and its environs linking to the Abingdon strategy, on the basis indicated in paragraphs 9-11 of the report, and with County Council representation comprising the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management and the Chair/Chairman/Chairwoman of the Environment Scrutiny Committee or their respective nominees.

DAVID YOUNG
Director of Environmental Services

Contact Officer: Nigel Birch Tel: Oxford 815582

21 February 2002