Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/43
Contact Officer: Eddie Luck, Assistant Director (01865 815705)

Report by Assistant Director (Transport Development) and Head of Finance (EX5).

The report seeks the Executive’s approval for the 2003/04 Transport Capital Programme and the Provisional Programmes for 2004/05 and 2005/06. The programmes have been developed taking into account the Executive’s decision on 18 March 2003 on the allocations of the Single Capital Pot (SCP) to the six main transport budget headings and further discussions with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management. The report also seeks approval to Project Approvals for the Premium Bus Routes project and the Structural Maintenance programme.

see also Addenda

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/53
Contact Officer: Eddie Luck, Assistant Director (01865 815845)

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development) (EX6). (download as .pdf file). Summary and conclusions (download as .doc file)

This report provides details of the response to the consultation on the A40 Strategy Review. The general response has been very supportive, and on this basis it is recommended that the new Strategy should be adopted with a view to progress being made on the design and implementation of the various individual components and measures that form the Strategy.

In summary, the strategy would be implemented over three phases with the first phase comprising a number of individual schemes and measures to be introduced over the next five years. These would be designed to reduce traffic congestion and increase bus priority and would include a new highway link between the A40 and the A44. The second phase would be based on the implementation of the proposed Oxford Guided Transport Express (GTE) guided bus links from Pear Tree Park and Ride to Redbridge Park and Ride via Oxford railway station. The northern guideway would be constructed in such a way as to allow buses travelling to and from West Oxfordshire (along the A40) to use the guideway to get in to the city centre. Phase 3 of the strategy would involve the introduction of the GTE guideways out to Witney and Carterton (via Eynsham).

A draft of the report was considered by the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2003. The Committee endorsed the proposed Strategy with the exception of bus priority on the B4044 at the approaches to Swinford Toll Bridge. The Committee were addressed on this subject by a representative of Cumnor Parish Council, who object to this element of the proposals on grounds of practicality, cost and damage to the environment and the local quality of life without providing compensating benefits. A note of the points made on behalf of the Parish Council has been forwarded to members of the Executive and is available for public inspection.

see also Addenda

The Executive is RECOMMENDED, subject to taking into account the reservations of the Environment Scrutiny Committee, to:

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/54
Contact Officer: Richard Kingshott, Assistant Principal Engineer (01865 815716)

Report by Assistant Director (Highway Management) (EX7).

This report considers responses to formal public consultation on the North Oxford Residents’ Parking Scheme. A total of 19 roads are included in the scheme with approximately 1100 residents and businesses being directly affected.

The objective of this scheme is to reduce uncontrolled on–street parking, particularly by commuters. Some of this parking was displaced by the introduction of residents’ parking schemes in Norham Manor and Walton Manor to the south. The promotion of the scheme is also made possible by the implementation of the Water Eaton Park and Ride. It is estimated that some 350 commuter vehicles will be displaced by the new restrictions, most of which would use this facility.

Formal consultation took place on the scheme during January/February 2000. Although the proposals were generally well received by residents, two major objections were received, which have led officers to propose modifications relating to the location of a coach parking bay in Charlbury Road outside Oxford High School and permit arrangements to facilitate conference delegate attendance at the Linton Lodge Hotel.

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/55
Contact Officer: Richard Kingshott, Assistant Principal Engineer (01865 815716)

Report by Assistant Director (Highway Management) (EX8).

The report considers the outcome of consultations to date on the Summertown Residents’ Parking Scheme and seeks authority for formal public consultation on revised proposals. Some 31 roads form the zone area and a total of 1576 residents and businesses are directly affected. This includes Oxfam who employ 750 staff in various offices within Summertown.

Besides the need to reduce the amount of commuter parking within the area, the scheme plays a very important role in preventing displaced parking from the proposed North Oxford Residents Parking Zone. The promotion of the scheme is also made possible by the implementation of the Water Eaton Park and Ride. It is estimated that some 300 commuter vehicles will be displaced by the new restrictions, most of which would use the new facility.

The original scheme promoted by Oxford City Council met with much adverse reaction at the formal consultation stage. In order to find a more acceptable solution revised proposals have been designed and subjected to an informal consultation process. The latest scheme has met with broad approval. It has slightly reduced the amount of on-street parking in line with residents’ concerns about obstructive parking. A total of 1224 spaces are now available: 1041 would be permit holder spaces, 200 of which could be allocated to businesses; the balance of 183 would be used for short term parking of which 137 would also be available for residents. This reduced amount still caters for all existing residents’ parking.

Executive Member: Community Safety, Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/199
Contact Officer: Matt Bramall, Scrutiny Review Officer (01865 815673)

Report by Community Safety Scrutiny Committee (EX9).(download as .doc file)

The Lead Member Review Group set up by the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee to carry out this review has now completed its work, having collected evidence from a wide variety of sources, and has reported to the Committee with its findings and recommendations. The Review Group included nominees of both Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny Committees, and the Chair and Deputy Chair of the latter were present when the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee considered the Review Group’s report. The Committee decided to agree the report without amendment for submission to the Executive and a copy is circulated with the agenda.

The Review Group’s report recommends the Executive to establish a "Task Force", to include councillors, engineers, road safety officers and the police, to form a 'Speed Limits Revision Plan’, its purpose being to aim for and to achieve a rural speed limit strategy that works effectively, the remit of the Task Force to be:

The report on the following agenda item ("Speed Management Strategy") builds on the Review Group’s proposal. In considering a draft of that report the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2003 expressed support for the principle of a working group to take the strategy forward, and ask the Executive to positively consider membership from both the Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny Committees.

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/169
Contact Officer: Geoff Barrell (01865 810450)

Report by Assistant Director (Transport Development) (EX10).

On 3 April 2002 the Executive approved the development of a speed management strategy including a hierarchy of roads, a key element to ensure a consistent approach to setting speed limits, for future consideration by both the Executive and the Environment Scrutiny Committee. The roads hierarchy will set a framework for all new speed limits, both to guide those requested within the imminent speed limit review and to help focus on the most effective limits promoted within works programmes. This report summarises progress regarding the development of the hierarchy as a basis for further consultation, seeks approval to develop the strategy and proposes a pilot programme of 20 and 50 mph speed limits with supporting measures for the 2003/04 Casualty Reduction Scheme Programme.

The report takes account of the recommendation of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee review of the 30mph speed limits in South Oxfordshire (see preceding agenda item). This review will provide useful input to the development of the full draft speed management strategy. The proposed hierarchy outlined in the report was established in a similar manner to that envisaged by the Scrutiny Review and the continuation of working arrangements in the shape of the proposed task force to develop the strategy is supported.

The Environment Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2003 endorsed the proposed Speed Management Strategy, as well as making the comments reported under the preceding agenda item.

Executive Member: Schools, Learning & Culture
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/67
Contact Officer: Roy Leach, Andrew Coggins (01865 815693/810212)

Report by Director for Learning & Culture and Director for Environment & Economy (EX12).

This report describes the arrangements which the Home Office intends to adopt for the provision of certain services to people resident at the proposed ‘Accommodation Centre’ for asylum applicants planned on Ministry of Defence land near Bicester, should this receive consent and be implemented. Procurement of these services would be the responsibility of the contractor selected by the Home Office to operate the centre, and that contractor would be expected to secure an appropriate level of provision through arrangements with other parties having the necessary expertise.

The services involved include education and libraries, and approaches have been received from prospective contractors to ascertain the Council’s interest in offering these. Such provision, and the terms on which the provision would be made, would be subject to contractual arrangements between the Council and the company eventually employed by the Home Office to run the Centre. Legal authority for a local authority to enter into such a contract was introduced in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

The County Council appeared as an objector at the recent public inquiry into the Accommodation Centre proposal, and gave evidence as to (among other matters) the costs which the development would be likely to impose in the local community. The proposals in the report are without prejudice to the Council’s opposition in principle to the creation of the proposed Centre.

Information exempt in that it refers to terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to authorise the making of arrangements to provide education and library services to the contractors appointed by the Home Office to operate the Accommodation Centre, in the event that consent for the Centre is given and its development proceeds, subject as set out in the report and to such other terms as the Director for Learning & Culture, in consultation with the Solicitor to the Council, the Head of Finance, and the Executive Members for Schools, Learning & Culture and Children & Young People, may consider appropriate.

April 2003

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