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Division(s): Abingdon

ITEM TIC17

TRANSPORT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE – 4 MARCH 2004

ABINGDON, ST NICOLAS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL BETTER WAYS TO SCHOOL SCHEME

Report by Head of Transport

 

Introduction

  1. In line with the County Council’s policy to encourage sustainable transport, proposals have been advertised for works relating to the Better Ways to School (BWTS) Project for St Nicolas CE Primary School, Abingdon. This report sets out the background to the scheme, off-site proposals, consultations undertaken and amendments that have been considered. Members are asked to consider the latest objections and proposals and authorise officers to proceed with implementation of the scheme.

    2. Background

  2. St Nicolas School has been approved for inclusion in the Better Ways to School Programme following a successful application by the school, which has demonstrated a commitment to encourage travel to school by sustainable means.

  3. Meetings between the Headmaster, parent representatives and County Council officers took place to discuss the proposals, both on and off site. Feasibility studies of the off-site proposals were carried out and designs and plans drawn up by Babtie. These were presented at a subsequent meeting and the scheme, with some minor amendments, was approved for implementation.

    4. Proposal

  4. The current proposals are shown on plans BPS/087221/4500 and 8087221/02 which will be displayed at the meeting and which are available in the Members’ Resource Centre. Annex 1 (download as .doc file) shows all the locations while Annex 2 describes them in more detail, which consist of four elements:

    1. provision of a controlled crossing;

    2. conversion of footways to shared cycle/footways (Annex 3);

    3. change of priority at junction of Boxhill Walk and Fitzharry’s Road; and

    4. traffic calming features in Boxhill Walk to create a School Zone.

  5. By installing the crossing, short lengths of shared use cycle/footways and calming features, it is believed that the safety of cyclists and pedestrians can be improved and the proportion of children who walk and/or cycle to school increased.

    6. Consultation

  6. Formal consultation for the scheme as a whole was carried out between 11 December 2003 and 23 January 2004. Letters and plans were sent to road user representative bodies, the School, Emergency Services, the local member (Cllr Alan Bryden), Town and District Councils and residents living in the vicinity of the proposals. Site Notices were erected for the duration. Plans were made available for inspection at Speedwell House, Oxford and Abingdon Library.

  7. Approximately 200 letters were sent out and 22 responses received, of these 9 were not happy with the proposals for reasons of potential inconvenience, not good value for money, being ineffectual and no safer than present arrangements. The remaining 13 were broadly in favour but raised concerns about individual items within the scheme, many of which can be addressed at the detailed design stage.

  8. Many respondents raised common points or concerns which have been summarised at Annex 4 along with officers comments. Copies of the letters are available for inspection in the Members’ Resource Centre.

    9. Financial and Staff Implications

  9. In October 2003 the Executive deferred implementation of the scheme to 2004/05 due to other budget pressures. The scheme is currently estimated to cost £132,000 (including consultant’s fees) and is to be funded from the Better Ways to School budget (subject to sufficient funding being available). Babtie will carry out detailed design and construction supervision.

    10. RECOMMENDATIONS

  10. The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. authorise detailed design and implementation of the scheme as proposed, subject to funding being available and to the Head of Transport being authorised to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from detailed design and safety audit, in consultation with the Executive Members’ for Transport and Sustainable Development; and

          2. approve the conversion of the footways, listed in Annex 3 to this report, to shared cycle/footways under Sections 65(1) and 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980.

DAVID McKIBBIN
Head of Transport

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: James Wright Tel: Oxford 815551

26 February 2004

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