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ITEM TIC7

WHEATLEY PARK – BETTER WAYS TO SCHOOL – HOLTON ROAD, WHEATLEY

PROVISION OF TOUCAN CROSSING AND ASSOCIATED WORKS

Introduction

1. This report explains the background and purpose for the installation of the proposed Toucan crossing and associated lengths of cycle track. It recommends construction and the legal conversion of lengths of footway to cycle track.

Background

2. The major part of the transport measures for Wheatley Park - Better Ways to School is a Toucan crossing very near the southern entrance to the School (near the bridge over the A40) with associated lengths of cycle track. In order to legally remove lengths of footway and legally construct lengths of cycle track, Oxfordshire County Council as Highway Authority has to make an appropriate resolution under the powers of Sections 66(4) and 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980.
3. The lengths of cycle track to be legally constructed, with lengths of footway in the same locations to be legally removed, are shown on a site plan (Annex 1) (download as .doc file).
4. Wheatley Park School, having successfully applied for Better Ways to School (BWTS) measures, was included in the list of schools in the proposed Sustainable Transport Programme 2002/03 (BWTS Main Programme for preparation in 2002/03 and implementation in 2003/04). That was included in the proposed Transport Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2004/05, which was approved by the Executive on 17 April 2002.
5. Discussions with Wheatley Park School and investigations have shown that the most desirable transport measures were a Toucan crossing very near the southern entrance to the School (near the bridge over the A40) with associated lengths of cycle track.

Consultation

6. The Council’s consulting engineers, Babtie, prepared the scheme in outline and carried out informal public consultation on the proposed Toucan crossing in the spring of 2003. Consultees included the emergency services, road user organisations, local schools, Parish Councils, the District Council and the local County Councillor. There were no objections in response to that consultation. Formal public consultation on the proposed Toucan crossing, with a Notice on the site, is now in progress.
7. Formal public consultation about the proposed conversion of the footways to cycle tracks was carried out in January/February 2004 through a Notice describing and illustrating the lengths to be converted. A copy of the Notice is available in the Members’ Resource Centre.
8. The only response to the public consultation was received from Thames Valley Police. A copy of their response is in the Members’ Resource Centre. They made ten suggestions on road safety grounds. Three of them (concerning zig-zag markings on the west side of the crossing, the standard of street lighting and cutting back of foliage) have been incorporated into the scheme. The other seven would increase the cost of the scheme and are considered unlikely to improve road safety overall, and have therefore not been included. A copy of an emailed reply to the Police giving the reasons for that is available in the Members’ Resource Centre. The reasons are summarised in Annex 2 to this report. In a verbal response received from the Police they stated that it was their duty to make each of the seven suggestions, however they would not object to these not being incorporated into the scheme.

Details of Proposed Cycle Tracks

9. The detailed design includes lengths of cycle track, from A to B and from C to D as shown at Annex 1, to enable cyclists to avoid making potentially dangerous direct switches between the carriageway and the crossing. The existing footway from D to beyond E (Annex 1) is the only one near the Toucan crossing which runs alongside the carriageway but separated from it by a narrow verge and the only one where conversion to a cycle track is not needed.
10. The lengths of cycle track are proposed to be made by physically widening the existing footways, and by providing a new footway where there is none at present, and in addition by a legal conversion of the footways to cycle tracks. For the legal conversion a resolution has to be made by the Committee (as recommended at the end of this report). The lengths of footway to be legally removed and converted by the resolution do not necessarily coincide exactly with the extent of proposed physical removal and construction.

Environmental Implications

11. The scheme is expected to encourage school students to travel to and from school by bicycle instead of by car. The reduced numbers of cars setting down and picking up students will result in reductions in congestion, air pollution and risk of collisions.

Financial and Staff Implications

12. Sufficient funds from the 2004/05 Better Ways To School schemes budget are available for installation of the Toucan crossing and the footway widening. Supervision will be by the County Council’s consulting engineers, Babtie. The legal conversion of footways to cycleways will have no significant financial or staff implications.

RECOMMENDATIONS

13. The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

1. authorise installation of the Toucan crossing shown in Annex 1 (download as .doc file) to this report, subject to the Head of Transport being authorised in consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Sustainable Development being authorised to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from the formal consultation; and
2. resolve to legally convert the lengths of footway alongside and near the Toucan crossing to lengths of unsegregated footway/cycle track and lengths of cycletrack, as shown in Annex 1 to this report, under the County Council’s powers as Highway Authority under Sections 66(4) and 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980, and to authorise the necessary widening of the associated lengths of footway.

DAVID McKIBBIN
HEAD OF TRANSPORT

Background papers: Public Notice dated 28 January 2004, Thames Valley Police memo dated 23 February 2004 and emailed response dated 26 February 2004.

Contact Officer: David Deriaz Tel: Oxford 815666

April 2004

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