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ITEM TIC3

TRANSPORT IMPLEMENTATION SUB-COMMITTEE – 17 APRIL 2003

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 12.35 pm

Present:

The Committee considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, together with a schedule of addenda tabled at the meeting, and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

26/03. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 27 February 2003 were approved and signed.

27/03. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:-

Request from	Agenda Item
Mrs Diane Ansell Mr Simon Lambert	6. Better Ways to School - Thame, Southern Road
Mrs Cathy Gaulter-Carter	7. Thame to Haddenham Cycle Link
Mr Tony Joyce	11. Proposed Bus Stand and Clearway – Taylorian Layby, St. Giles, Oxford
Mr Steve Webster Mr Ken Mongomery	14E. Bus Subsidies (both spoke under Item 4)

Mr Steve Webster (Chairman, Great Haseley Parish Council) referred to the loss of local amenities, which had increased the importance of local transport links for the village. A reduced service to Wheatley from 1 to 2 hours was not acceptable, the current service also stopped ½ mile short of Wheatley and should be extended. Also provision of a service (with a later morning and evening service) to Thame was a priority for local amenities together with a link for London via rail services at Haddenham and Thame Station. Current services terminated at Little Haseley. He also urged the County Council to increase publicity for services to increase patronage.

Mr Ken Montgomery (Cuddesdon and Denton Parish Council) also referred to the loss of local amenities all of which were now centred at Wheatley or Oxford. He asked the Committee to consider diverting services 101 or 103 through Cuddesdon.

28/03. THE SLADE, CHARLBURY: PETITION CALLING FOR TRAFFIC CALMING

(Agenda Item 5)

The Committee considered a report (TIC5) setting out a response to a petition which had been presented to the Committee on 27 February 2003 and which suggested that the petition be taken as a request for traffic calming and assessed with a view to its inclusion in a future programme.

Councillor Hodgson welcomed the proposal and asked for progress to be made quickly. This stretch of road was particularly dangerous and the number of reported accidents dramatically understated the true position. The local school headteacher was investigating the Better Ways to School Initiative and in order to support local initiatives he asked the Committee to consider the provision of some interim low cost measures. He also enquired about the results of the Archer Loop Survey and the Speed Sensitive Sign Survey and pointed out that in paragraph 5(b) "Louis" should have read "Louise".

Mr Dix advised that there was a need for a full assessment to gauge the effectiveness of any proposals in Charlbury against other similar requests and in that event it was likely that a report would come back to the Committee in the Autumn. In the interim he would look at the possibility of providing temporary measures. He undertook to let Councillor Hodgson have the results of the Archer Loop survey and with regard to speed sensitive signs the Committee noted that the scheme appeared to be very effective and local Councils were being encouraged to support joint funding.

In response to a suggestion by the Chairman Mr Dix undertook to arrange for the County Council’s Speed Smart cars to be placed occasionally at this site.

RESOLVED:

1. that the response to the petition as set out in paragraph 5 of the report TIC5 be agreed;
2. officers be asked to investigate the provision of interim measures pending the results of an assessment procedure for a permanent scheme in Charlbury.
   
   

29/03. BETTER WAYS TO SCHOOL - THAME, SOUTHERN ROAD

(Agenda Item 6)

The Committee considered a report (TIC6) on the responses received to a public consultation on a proposed traffic calming scheme proposed for Southern Road, Thame.

Mrs Diane Ansell addressed the Committee. As a resident of Southern Road for 18 years she wholly supported the proposal which would help to alleviate the problems on a road with fast moving traffic which was used by a large number of local school pupils. She added that 30 mph was too fast and would support a reduction to 20 mph.

Mr Simon Lambert addressed the Committee. As a resident of Southern Road living adjacent to the traffic hump he considered that the scheme had been badly designed and insensitively located with no regard to the possibility of damage to the foundations of adjoining properties. Parked cars along the length of road provided an efficient means of traffic calming and therefore the provision of a hump represented a complete waste of resources. He was concerned that children seemed to be being encouraged to use the humps as a crossing facility and advised that in the event of a road hump being sited at this proposed location he would be seeking compensation.

Councillor Mrs Ludlow expressed mixed views on this proposal but agreed that the hump would be better placed nearer the Recreation Ground. She advised that the Thame Town Council did not support the scheme in its current form.

RESOLVED: to approve the principle of traffic calming in Southern Road, Thame but that final consideration of the siting of the physical works be deferred pending a site visit by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman and if possible the local member with one representative from the Thame Town Council.

30/03. THAME TO HADDENHAM CYCLE LINK

(Agenda Item 7)

The Committee considered a report (TIC7) which considered the current situation regarding a proposed cycle link between Thame and Haddenham (Buckinghamshire) which had been put forward as a jointly funded scheme with Buckinghamshire County Council.

Mrs Cathy Gaulter-Carter expressed her strong support for the scheme and her disappointment that it was unlikely to proceed now due to funding difficulties.

Councillor Mrs Ludlow did not considered that the scheme represented good value for money because of the low projected usage figures.

Councillor Purse agreed that any scheme should be cost-effective but as it would effectively be an urban cycle route she felt that Buckinghamshire County Council could be asked to review funding for the scheme and that local employers in the Haddenham area also be approached to see if they wished to offer support.

RESOLVED: that:

1. the Thame to Haddenham Cycle Link scheme not be progressed further at this time; and
2. the scheme be retained on a list of cycling schemes for possible inclusion in a future capital programme, in the event that further funding from sources other than those of Oxfordshire County Council became available and that officers be asked to explore alternative sources of funding.
   
   

31/03. GORING WAITING RESTRICTIONS

(Agenda Item 8)

The Committee considered a report (TIC8) which considered comments received in response to the formal consultation on three Traffic Regulation Orders in Goring which had been promoted by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with Goring Parish Council.

Mr Dix suggested that the Order should proceed with the omission of Mill Street from the loading and unloading proposals and that officers investigate a possible compromise to meet the objection received.

Councillor Farrow expressed his support for the proposals including the proposed compromise option for Mill Street.

RESOLVED:

1. to approve the making of the Order introducing waiting restrictions as advertised amended by the omission of a length of Manor Road and Mountfield;
2. approve the making of the Order introducing a 20 mph limit in High Street as advertised;
3. approve the making of the Order introducing loading/unloading restrictions as advertised amended by the omission of Mill Lane and instruct officers to investigate other measures in Mill Lane including negotiation to remove the objection received to a future loading/unloading Order;
4. instruct officers to consult on further waiting restrictions in Elmcroft, Ferne Close, Heron Shaw, Lycroft Close, Meadow Close, Valley Close and the eastern section of Lockstile Way;
5. instruct officers to monitor parking in Manor Road, Mountfield and Nuns Acre and to bring forward future proposals if required.
   
   

32/03. BICESTER CYCLE NETWORK BANBURY ROAD TOUCAN CROSSING AND FOOTWAY IMPROVEMENT

(Agenda Item 9)

The Committee considered a report (TIC9) which considered representations in response to a formal consultation on proposals for a Toucan crossing and a southward extension of the cycle track on the west side of Banbury Road, Bicester to provide a link to the cycle track linking Banbury Road and Buckingham Road (just north of the railway) as part of the Bicester Cycle Network.

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve the implementation of the Toucan crossing on Banbury Road, Bicester as described in the report EX9; and
2. authorise officers to proceed with the detailed design and implementation of the cycle track extension as described in the report EX9, subject to the Director for Environment & Economy being authorised to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from detailed design and further safety audit, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
   
   

33/03. WOLVERCOTE ROUNDABOUT OXFORD – INTERIM SCHEME

(Agenda Item 10)

The Committee considered a report (TIC10) which detailed proposals for interim improvements for pedestrians at the Wolvercote Roundabout, pending provision of permanent proposals for vehicles and pedestrians.

RESOLVED: to approve the implementation of the proposals set out in Annex 2 to the report EX10 and to ask officers to investigate the potential for early provision of spiral markings to improve lane discipline on the roundabout.

34/03. PROPOSED BUS STAND AND CLEARWAY – TAYLORIAN LAY-BY, ST GILES, OXFORD

(Agenda Item 11)

On 18 February the Executive had resolved that measures to prevent the use of the Taylorian lay-by by coaches should be investigated, and that any resulting proposals and subsequent representations on them be reported to this meeting of the Transport Implementation Committee. The Committee now considered a report (TIC11) which set out proposals to introduce a bus stand and bus stop clearway, for local buses only.

Mr Joyce welcomed the proposals to ensure tourist coaches were moved from the layby but expressed some concern that a seasonal problem could be replaced by allowing local buses to wait for 1 hour. He suggested that that waiting time be reduced to 15 minutes and asked for the provision of sympathetic signage.

Mr Luck advised that the Executive had asked for something to be done quickly and officers had wanted to achieve some improvement without protracted negotiations which could be put in place before the start of the tourist season. He would look at the situation again to see if further improvements could be made including the sympathetic placing of signs.

RESOLVED: to proceed with the proposals as shown on drawing HP/3/015 subject to:

1. close monitoring of the scheme;
2. consideration being given to the sympathetic placement of signs;
3. strict enforcement of the restrictions including operators’ turning engines off when a vehicle was stationary.
   
   

35/03. THE OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (DISABLED PERSONS’ PARKING PLACES – OXFORD) (AMENDMENT ORDER 200*)

(Agenda Item 12)

The Committee considered a report (TIC12) which considered representations received in response to a formal Traffic Regulation Order amending the existing Order which covered all of the disabled persons’ parking places within Oxford City, outside the Central Area.

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve the creation or removal, as appropriate, of the Disabled Parking Bays as listed in report EX12 in the light of comments received;
2. authorise the making of the Oxfordshire County Council (Disabled Persons Parking Places – Oxford) (Amendment Order 200*) with the necessary modifications.
   
   

36/03. EXEMPT ITEMS

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded during the consideration of items 13E and 14E in the Agenda since it was likely that if they were present during those items there would be a disclosure of "exempt" information as described in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and specified below each item in the Agenda, i.e. information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority)

PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

37/03. MINUTES

(Agenda Item 13E)

The Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2003 (TIC13E) were approved and signed.

38/03. BUS SUBSIDIES

(Agenda Item 14E)

The Committee considered a report (TIC14E) which described bus services in the Wheatley, Thame and Watlington areas for which subsidy agreements were due to terminate in July 2003. The report also considered services, which were scheduled for their regular review at this time, a miscellany of services that had either been operated on a short-term basis under delegated authority (following the de-registration of a previously commercial operation) or had been surrendered prematurely by the existing contracted operator.

Councillor Belson asked the Committee to consider the continuation of Service PTS/38 which formed a vital link for pensioners travelling to/from Henley and which was supported by both local community and operator.

Councillor Fooks asked the Committee to consider a possible replacement for service PT/05 if that service was withdrawn. She suggested an option of diverting one of the many services to Kidlington operating along the Banbury Road to terminate at Cutteslowe (Templar Road) instead and then returning direct to the City/Barton from there. Officers agreed to pass on Councillor Fook’s suggestion to the bus companies to investigate with the operator the possibility of diverting one of the Banbury Road services to serve Cutteslowe once per hour, but were not in a position to force operators to amend their commercially operated network to meet this request.

Councillor Turner welcomed the proposed Chalgrove service and the proposals to provide a service to Cuddesdon and supported the request to extend the PT/S105 service into Wheatley. He requested consideration be given to 2 hourly service from Wallingford to Thame serving local villages and a Wallingford Market Day Bus.

In response to Councillor Purse who had asked why the operator of Service PT/S103 was to be changed, notwithstanding the fact that local people had been more than satisfied with the original operator, Mr Helling advised that the operator now being considered had submitted the most favourable tender within the tendering rules set by Oxfordshire County Council.

With regard to PT/S38 Mr Wood advised that patronage figures showed that only 4 people were totally dependent on this service and that alternative services were available for other passengers.

RESOLVED: to:

1. make decisions on subsidy for services described in the report in sections A, B and C on the basis of the tender prices contained in exempt Annex 4 including additional provision for one year only (and then reviewed) for two am and pm peak journeys to/from Haddenham and Thame Parkway station from the Miltons, Haseleys and Chalgrove;
2. authorise officers in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to enter into a subsidy contract for the provision of a service to replace the part of service 10 to be withdrawn, taking into account the tender prices received and the longer-term aspirations of the HAMATS Strategy.

in the Chair

Date of signing 2003

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