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ITEM TIC16

TRANSPORT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE – 6 DECEMBER 2002

GROVE, OXFORD LANE - TRAFFIC CALMING

Report by Director of Environmental Services

Introduction

  1. Consultations have been carried out on a traffic-calming scheme for Oxford Road, Grove, which has been included in the 2002/2003 Community Safety (Transport) programme. The scheme includes footway build-outs, speed cushions, and a double mini roundabout on a raised table at the junction of North Drive and St John’s Road.

  2. Following initial consultation the scheme was modified by replacing the footway build-outs with speed cushions. A formal consultation on the speed cushions and mini roundabout resulted in only two objections, both making the same point. The report recommends that the modified scheme should be implemented.

    3. Consultation

  3. The initial consultation was carried out in August 2002 and 30 letters detailing objections were received. The points raised by the objectors and officer comments on each point are tabulated in Annex 1.

  4. The majority of objectors acknowledged that traffic speeds needed to be reduced but objected to individual aspects of the scheme, or raised other concerns such as the absence of parking restrictions. The main objections were to the footway build-outs as it was considered that these could cause traffic congestion.

  5. Although it is considered unlikely that congestion would occur with present traffic flows, the Draft Local Plan proposes significant further development in this area of Grove which could lead to traffic congestion in the future. It was therefore considered preferable to replace the footway build-outs with speed cushions.

  6. Formal consultations were carried out on the provision of the speed cushions and mini roundabout, which resulted in only one objection.

    7. Discussion

  7. The traffic-calming scheme will make a major contribution to the safety of school children going to and from Grove Church of England Primary School. The scheme has been modified by replacing the proposed footway build-outs by pairs of speed cushions. As detailed in Annex 1, I do not consider the objections to be sufficient reason for not proceeding with the scheme, which is supported by the Parish Council and the Police.

    8. Financial and Staff Implications

  8. There is sufficient funding in the 2002/03 Community Safety (Transport) schemes budget for this scheme. Our consulting engineers, Babtie, are designing the scheme and will supervise the construction.

    9. RECOMMENDATIONS

  9. The Committee is RECOMMENDED to authorise the Director of Environmental Services to proceed with the implementation of the modified scheme as shown in Annex 2 (download as .doc file) to this report.

DAVID YOUNG
Director of Environmental Services

Contact Officer: David Deriaz Tel: Oxford 815666

Background papers: Copies of letters received from members of the public in response to consultation have been placed in the Members` Resource Centre. A 1:500 scale drawing will be on display at the meeting of the Transport Implementation Committee.

November 2002

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