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ITEM EX25

BETTER WAYS TO SCHOOL - CYCLE ROUTES OUTSIDE HEADINGTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Introduction

1. This report details the response to local consultation held on traffic management measures on the southern footway of London Road, Headington, along the section outside Headington Junior School. This is the section between Latimer Road and Headley Way. The consultation on the footway conversion elements of the proposal was held between the 18 January and the 18 February 2002.
2. Prior to this there was detailed discussion with the school in principle the school supports the proposals. It was particularly concerned that the final design should also include features to prevent the present practice of parking on the pavement.

Proposals

3. The scheme being presented forms part of a small package of measures developed jointly through the B4495 and Headington and Marston Area Transport Strategy (HAMATS) studies as well as the Better Ways to School scheme with Headington Junior School. The elements of this package are:

• Pedestrian stages at Headley Way/London Road junction
• Conversion of Latimer Road Pelican to a Toucan
• A pedestrian refuge outside the Junior School entrance
• A cycle route outside Headington Senior School
• Controlled crossing at Woodlands Road/Headley Way

4. The present proposal is to have a shared use footway/cycle route outside the School. To do this the unsurfaced section of footway will need to be surfaced, the routes delineated and planters and posts erected to prevent obstruction by parked vehicles. There will also be a need to promote the conversion of the footway, to permit cycle use.
5. The footway outside the School boundary is 5 metres in width. There is therefore an opportunity to create a fully segregated surface in two parts for pedestrians and cyclists. The only area where safety concerns normally associated with shared routes may be of concern is at end sections of the proposal. The traffic lanes approaching the junction make it difficult to provide for cyclists on the carriageway near to Headley Way. There is scope to vary the proposal near Latimer Road as outlined in Annex 1. The scheme, as shown in Annex 2, will be the subject of a Safety Audit procedure associated with the detailed design.
6. The scheme should benefit school children as well as other users and is consistent with the recent strategic studies carried out in the area.

  Consultation

7. Approximately 90 consultation letters were sent out. There were no outright objections in the six detailed responses received. In fact many of the points raised were useful. It is intended to reflect comments made in the detailed design of the scheme. The details are set out in Annex 1.

Financial and Staff Implications

8. The scheme will be jointly funded by the Better Ways to School and Oxford Transport Strategy programmes for 2001/02.
9. The County Council’s engineering consultant, Babtie, is undertaking the design work. Project management is being carried out by officers of Environmental Services and can be encompassed within current staffing levels.

RECOMMENDATIONS

10. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the implementation of the scheme in principle as shown in Annex 2 subject to the determination of the final design by the Director of Environmental Services following Safety Audit procedures; and
2. authorise the conversion to shared use footway/cycle track of the lengths of footways as shown in Annex 2 under Section 66(4) and 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980.

DAVID YOUNG
Director of Environmental Services

Contact Officer: David Clough Tel: Oxford 815743

27 February 2002

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