Return to Agenda

ITEM TIC3

TRANSPORT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE – 17 NOVEMBER 2005

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 11.20 am

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, reports and schedule, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

78/05. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 October 2005 were approved and signed.

79/05. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

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

Request from	Agenda Item
Mr R. Barber Watlington Parish Council	11E. Review of Subsidised Bus Services

Mr Barber conveyed Watlington Parish Council’s support for the Lewknor Taxi-bus. The service had grown steadily with significant patronage from residents of Watlington with resultant benefits of a reduction in car use. He suggested that the viability of the service could be improved if the core area was reduced and joint funding sought with Buckinghamshire County Council.

80/05. BANBURY, BRETCH HILL - PREMIUM BUS ROUTES, TRAFFIC CALMING

(Agenda Item 5)

The Committee considered (TIC5) responses received to a consultation on amendments to the current traffic calming measures in Bretch Hill, Hastings Road, Hilton Road and The Fairway

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve implementation of the scheme as described in the report TIC5 and illustrated on Drawing No. BPN1034/B3002 subject to authorising the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to resolve any issues which might arise from the detail design/safety audit; and
2. authorise the introduction of a bus stop clearway order at the existing bus stops.
   
   

81/05. BANBURY: MERTON STREET/ MIDDLETON ROAD TRAFFIC SIGNAL JUNCTION OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL(VARIOUS ROADS, BANBURY) (PROHIBITION AND RESTRICTION OF WAITING AND LOADING) AMENDMENT ORDER 200*

(Agenda Item 6)

The Committee considered (TIC6) responses received to a public consultation on proposals to implement a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) as part of the Middleton Road/Merton Street junction improvement scheme in Banbury.

Mr Clough advised that the safety audit had identified an issue which had necessitated amendment to the scheme. This was now shown as shown on drawing no BPN1038/B3253 and reflected in a revised recommendation which had been set out on the Addenda sheet.

RESOLVED: to approve:

1. installation of a signalised junction as illustrated in drawing no. BPN1038/B3253 subject to:
   
   

1. consideration at a future meeting of any objections which might arise from consultations on the necessary traffic Orders required to enable the proposed layout in the drawing to be implemented;
2. authorising the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from detailed design and/or safety audit should any arise; and
   
   
2. the implementation of waiting and loading restrictions as detailed in Annex 2 to the report TIC6 and any minor amendments required to implement (a) above.
   
   

82/05. CHOLSEY TO WALLINGFORD CYCLE ROUTE

(Agenda Item 7)

The Committee considered a report (TIC7) which considered responses received to a consultation on a traffic calming measure to reduce the speed of traffic in Cholsey in order to improve the safety of cyclists exiting the proposed Cholsey to Wallingford Cycle Route onto Wallingford Road in Cholsey and which also sought authority for conversion of a length of footway to shared use.

Councillor Greene referred to concerns which had been expressed regarding aspects of safety and to the costs involved in provision of this facility. He fully supported recommendation (b).

Mr Wasley confirmed that further design work and consultation would be undertaken.

RESOLVED: to:

1. instruct officers to carry out a further design study on the provision of a safe cycle crossing facility; and
2. authorise removal under the powers in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980 of a length of footway as detailed in Annex 3 to the report TIC7 and the construction of a cycle track under Section 65(1) [conversion of footway to shared pedestrian/cycle use] subject to the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport being authorised to resolve any concerns or comments resulting from future formal consultation.
   
   

83/05. HALFPENNY LANE, CHOLSEY – PROPOSED 7.5T WEIGHT LIMIT

(Agenda Item 8)

The Committee considered (TIC8) the results of formal public consultation/advertisement of a proposed 7.5T Heavy Goods Vehicle weight limit along Halfpenny Lane, Cholsey to prevent Halfpenny Lane being used as a through route between the A417 and the A329 by HGVs.

Councillor Greene expressed his support for the proposal.

RESOLVED: to authorise implementation of the Halfpenny Lane, Cholsey 7.5T Weight Limit Order.

84/05. DIDCOT AREA INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY – STEVENTON VILLAGE GATEWAY TREATMENT AND TRAFFIC CALMING

(Agenda Item 9)

The Committee considered (TIC9) responses received to a consultation for gateway treatments in Steventon which included traffic calming and the extension of the 30mph limit on Steventon Hill and Hanney Road.

RESOLVED: to authorise:

1. implementation of the traffic calming measures shown at Annexes 1 and 2 to the report TIC9 subject to authorising the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to agree any necessary changes to the detailed design of the build outs and to resolve any issues from the safety audit should any arise; and
2. the introduction of an extension to the 30mph limit under section 84 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 subject to authorising the Cabinet Member for Transport to resolve any concerns or comments should any arise from the formal consultation.
   
   

85/05. WITNEY - WOODFORD MILL CYCLE TRACK

(Agenda Item 10)

The Committee considered a report (TIC10) which sought authority for a compulsory purchase order in respect of a section of a private access track in Witney in order to complete a pedestrian and cycle link from Mill Street to West End.

RESOLVED: to:

1. add the Woodford Mill cycle track to the Witney ITS programme; and
2. authorize the making of a compulsory purchase order for the acquisition of the land coloured pink on Drawing No BPN1016/F3101 and to authorize officers to undertake all necessary procedures in connection with the making and publication of the order and its confirmation by the Secretary of State or (if the Secretary of State issued a notice to that effect) by the County Council as an unopposed order.
   
   

86/05. EXEMPT ITEMS

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded during the consideration of item 11E in the Agenda since it was likely that if they were present during that item 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 that item in the Agenda, i.e. information relating to:-

1. the amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by the Oxfordshire County Council and other local authorities and organisations under any particular contract for the acquisition of property or the supply of goods or services; and
2. any particular applicant for, or recipient or former recipient of, any financial assistance provided by the authority.




PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

87/05. REVIEW OF SUBSIDISED BUS SERVICES*

(Agenda Item 11E)

The Committee considered a report (TIC11E) which described the review of subsidised bus services whose contracts were due to expire on 28 January 2006 and for which decisions were needed on their future together with a supplementary exempt annexes setting out the recommended action for each contract under review and specific responses from members to consultation.

With regard to Contract 026 Councillor Jean Fooks expressed her delight at the introduction of free parking at Pear Tree and urged retention of the existing service with the last bus at 11.30 until the Review in June 2006.

Councillor John Howell replaced Councillor Roger Belson for consideration of Contract S21.

With regard to Contract S21 Councillor David Turner referred to the innovative nature of the service which although only running for 9 months had begun to represent a real alternative to the car which had led to resultant benefits to parking and safety levels at Junction 6 on the M40. To abandon support now would illustrate a lack of intent on the County Council’s part to effectively promote bus services as a viable alternative. He asked the Committee to continue support for one more year with increased publicity.

Councillor Wilmshurst endorsed the comments made by Councillor Turner and also emphasised that many residents of Chinnor relied on this service. He appreciated that although services took time to establish patronage had been increasing and he urged the Committee to support this very important rural bus services.

The Committee were advised in response to the suggestion by Mr Barber (see Minute 79/05) that as Buckinghamshire County Council were currently undertaking a review of services they had indicated that they were not able to consider joint funding for Contract S21. It was accepted that the service was unlikely ever to run commercially and the constraints on the public transport budget meant that to make up any shortfall to continue operation for this year would place an additional burden on those finances. It was agreed not to award a contract for Service S21.

Councillor Belson then resumed his membership of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

1. with regard to Contract O26 to award the Oxford Bus Company a contract to retain the current timetable on the Peartree Park and Ride Service until the Oxford Review in June 2006;
2. with regard to service O27 (Rail Station to John Radcliffe Hospital) to award the Oxford Bus Company a contract to retain an unchanged service pending the Oxford Review in June 2006;
3. not to renew the contract for Service S21 Lewknor Taxibus/Oxford Tube;
4. with regard to Contract S88 (105/6 Oxford-Berinsfield and Wallingford) to award Thames Travel a contract to retain current level of service until the Wallingford Review in May 2008 but diverted via Shillingford Bridge in lieu of the X39 service;
5. to record that in the opinion of the Committee the decisions made above were urgent in that any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or public’s interests and that in accordance with Scrutiny Rule (17)(a), subject to the concurrence of the Chairman of the Council, the call-in period should not apply.

in the Chair

Date of signing 2005

* The reports relating to the exempt items have not been made public and should be regarded as strictly private to those members and officers entitled to receive them.

Return to TOP