Objection

Officer Comments

The Pelican crossing is not necessary, because it is only used at school travel times, and a Crossing Patrol operates there. (9)

The Pelican crossing will be used by pedestrians throughout the day. For a long time there was no Crossing Patrol, and the crossing was supervised during school travel times by the caretaker of the John Hampden Primary School.

The Pelican crossing will cause a loss of parking, which will be inconvenient for residents. (9)

One daytime space might be lost. Apart from that, the loss of parking will be during evenings and weekends only, and along the north side of the road only. On the north side of the road, and downstream of the crossing, the zigzag markings will extend over only 8 metres instead of the normal 16 metres. Allowing for driveways to be kept clear, only three spaces at most will be lost.

The Pelican crossing will prohibit loading/unloading of heavy clocks by customers of "Rosemary and Time".

The centre of the Pelican crossing has been located about 4 metres west of the centre of the existing uncontrolled crossing point, in order to keep the crossing itself clear of the frontage of "Rosemary and Time". A medium-size car can be reversed across the footway onto "Rosemary and Time" land, although the car would first have to be stopped within the zigzag markings downstream of the crossing. There is no satisfactory alternative location for the crossing.

The Pelican crossing and the build-out will cause shops in Park Street to lose trade. (8)

The shops very near the crossing and the build-out are all specialist, and known to almost all their customers. The Pelican crossing will make it easier for customers to get to those shops. About 100 metres west of the crossing, on the north side of Park Street, is the local post office. The crossing is expected to encourage people living in the new houses off Thame Park Road to walk to the post office.

A loading zone (where stopping for loading/unloading would be permitted) is needed, with residents` parking also permitted.

The scheme will cause only a small change in the permitted parking and loading. Any change in the restrictions, particularly a residents` parking scheme, will need extensive consideration and consultation after introduction of the pelican crossing and build-out.

Noise from vehicles crossing the existing hump is a nuisance; it will be worse on the widened hump at the Pelican crossing.

The noise is not expected to be worse because, on the wider hump, the bouncing of a vehicle travelling at excessive speed on the up ramp will have subsided more by the time the vehicle reaches the down ramp.

A better site for the Pelican crossing would be near the entrance to the park, about 50 metres north-west of the proposed site.

With that location, it would be very difficult to persuade some parents living east and north of the John Hampden Primary School to make the 100-metre detour when on the way to/from school with their children.

A better site for the Pelican crossing would be at the site of the proposed build-out; some people cross there already.

That site would obstruct the vehicle access to No 49 Park Street and would prohibit loading/unloading outside the four shops at No 68.

The Pelican crossing will cause congestion. (4)

It might cause congestion during peak periods, however that will be worthwhile if it discourages the use of Park Street by drivers as a short cut.

Concern from school bus operator about safety and legality of buses reversing into the school entrance about 15 metres north-west of the Pelican crossing.

Reversing into the school entrance will be less hazardous when the flow of traffic is slowed and interrupted by the pelican crossing. On the south side of the road, and downstream of the crossing, the zigzag markings will extend over only 8 metres instead of the normal 16 metres. Therefore the stopping and reversing will take place outside the zigzag markings.

The build-out will cause congestion. (3)

It might cause queues of westbound vehicles to tail back to the Thame Park Road junction in peak periods, as westbound vehicles will have to give way to eastbound. However the reduced speed of westbound vehicles will enhance safety at the Pelican crossing, which will be 50 metres west of the build-out. Also the congestion might discourage the use of Park Street by drivers as a short cut.

Some pedestrians use the existing build-out to cross Park Street instead of the existing uncontrolled humped crossing; the proposed build-out directly opposite the existing one will increase the temptation to cross there. (2)

They are more likely to have to wait for vehicles to pass there, as the vehicles will normally only pass one way at a time. (The width will be not less than 4.5 metres, which will allow two slow-moving cars to pass if the queue for fuel at the nearby filling station tails back to the build-out).

A new roundabout at the junction of Chinnor Road, Thame Park Road and Park Street would calm traffic heading for the town centre and reduce the frequency of accidents at that junction. The proposed build-out would then not be necessary. (4)

A new roundabout would require substantial rearrangement of the junction and new street lighting and traffic signs, and would cost at least £300,000, and would cause the loss of some parking spaces. The build-out will cost less than £5,000.

The build-out will make deliveries to the nearby shops difficult. (3)

The build-out will only occupy as much space as one parked car. Some people making deliveries may have to park up to 5 metres further away than they do at present. That should not be a major problem.

The build-out is likely to cause accidents.

The street lighting at the build-out will be improved if necessary to bring it to a high standard. Also there will be bollards with reflective bands on them on the build-out. In advance of the build-out there will be warning signs. Accidents will only occur when approaching drivers drive recklessly or very carelessly.

The build-out is unnecessary.

The build-out is needed in order to reduce the speed of vehicles approaching the humped Pelican crossing, which will be the first vertical deflection in the traffic calming which extends the full length of Park Street.

The build-out will make turning right out of Victoria Mead difficult. (7)

It is acknowledged that only a small car will be able to turn right from Victoria Mead and straighten and then stop to give way to oncoming vehicles at the build-out. Some drivers will have to wait until the gap in eastbound traffic is sufficient for them to clear the build-out before the next oncoming vehicle gets close to it. When there is a queue of westbound vehicles, drivers in Victoria Mead may have to wait for the queue to clear, however in most instances one of the drivers in the queue will wave them on.

A one-way street would allow more car parking and make crossing the road at the existing uncontrolled humped crossing point easier.

A one-way street would force drivers to use less suitable roads such as Queens Road (or Croft Road) and Kings Road, and would increase the traffic on East Street.

A 20mph speed limit would make the proposed measures unnecessary. (2)

The measures will help to enforce a 20mph speed limit which is planned for introduction next year if measured vehicle speeds are generally low enough.

The road gets flooded adjacent to the existing build-outs and hump at the uncontrolled crossing point. The proposed humped pelican crossing and the proposed build-out near Victoria Mead would make the flooding problem worse.

The type of drainage used at the existing uncontrolled humped crossing (combined kerb/drain units) gets blocked too easily when used at such a location. The drainage will be improved adjacent to the proposed humped Pelican crossing and the proposed build-out.