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Division(s): Headington
and Marston
ITEM TIC12
TRANSPORT
IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE – 20 JULY 2006
OXFORD,
NORTHWAY PARKING ZONE
Report by
Head of Transport
Introduction
1. This is a report
on the statutory consultation process concerning the Traffic Regulation
Order (TRO) for the proposed Northway Parking Zone (PZ). It provides
information on the policy context,
development of the process to date, an outline of the consultation carried
out and recommendations
in the light of this consultation.
Policy Context
2. The policy context
for the Northway PZ is contained in the County Council’s Local Transport
Plan for 2006 – 2011. The LTP identifies a number of priorities for
transport scheme development: tackling congestion, delivering accessibility,
safer roads, better air quality and improving the street environment.
The plan includes a parking strategy, which recognises that Controlled
Parking Zones (CPZs) have an important role to play in controlling the
overall level of peak hour traffic within Oxford’s Ring Road and so
helping to tackle congestion in the city.
3. It is also recognised
that CPZs, where any parking is limited to short stay or permit holders,
help to protect local streets from intrusive long-stay commuter parking.
The LTP therefore notes that the introduction of CPZs is particularly
important in the Headington and Marston area where there is a growing
problem of parking and traffic with the large and expanding hospital
and university establishments.
4. Indeed, the
introduction of CPZs in the areas close to the John Radcliffe Hospital
was also included in the Headington and Marston Area Transport Strategy
(HAMATS) along with a number of other many transport schemes. Recognising
the local planned employment growth over the subsequent few years the
County Executive endorsed this strategy on 12 November 2002.
5. The principles
of HAMATS are consistent with the objectives of LTP2 and are still as
relevant now as when first endorsed, particularly as the number of staff
working at the John Radcliffe Hospital Headley Way site is due to increase
by over 1200 in January 2007 following closure of the Radcliffe Infirmary
on Woodstock Road. As well as CPZs, HAMATS includes public transport
improvements and travel plan measures for the main employment sites
in the area.
Development of Proposals
6. The area which
forms the proposed zone is nearest to the new John Radcliffe Hospital
bus access in Saxon Way. It will also serve as a pedestrian route. Once
it has been opened in October 2006, residential roads in the vicinity
are likely to become congested with commuter parking. When the hospital
expansion has been completed this problem would be further exacerbated.
7. A survey of
the zone showed that most of the residential roads were of a similar
environment. A great majority of the housing was a mixture of terraced
or semi detached local authority dwellings together with some 3 storey
blocks of flats and one tower block. The southern end of the zone lies
within the Old Headington Conservation area where housing is a mixture
of large
detached houses and a few older terraced cottages.
8. On-street parking
can be accommodated on both sides on about half the roads within the
area. Footway parking was minimal and mostly restricted to a few of
the narrower roads.
There was plenty
of on-street parking space for residents across the estate as a whole.
In the few oversubscribed roads there were large amounts of vacant road
space close by.
9. After evaluation,
the area was deemed suitable to trial a "Minimum Impact Controlled Parking
Zone" termed a "Restricted Parking Zone" in the draft TRO. Such a scheme
would restrict commuter parking but with minimal environmental impact
and causing least disruption to existing residential parking patterns.
10. Unlike a conventional
"Controlled Parking Zone" permit holders and their visitors would be
able to park without the need for formal marked parking spaces. The
scheme would rely on zone boundary signs to deter non residents from
parking and repeater signs would only generally
be placed on lamp columns within the zone.
11. The only exception
would be heavily trafficked bus routes and areas around shops or general
amenities where parking bays or restrictions need to be introduced in
a conventional way.
Disabled persons
parking bays would continue to be marked within the zone.
12. In February
2006 the consultant Faber Maunsell was employed to develop the scheme.
The company had already introduced a Restricted Parking Events Zones
around the Kassam Stadium, Oxford and the Sports City Stadium in Manchester
as well as Minimum Impact schemes in Loughton, Milton Keynes and Ellesmere
Port in Cheshire.
Initial Consultation - 24
February 2006 to 24 March 2006
13. An explanatory
leaflet, which included a questionnaire, was prepared to determine the
level of support for the scheme, the preferred times and days during
which parking place restrictions should
apply and the time limit of any nearby limited waiting.
14. Initial consultation
packs including an explanatory leaflet were sent to every resident and
organisation within the zone and an example of a pack can be seen in
background Document C
which is available in the Members’ Resource Centre.
15. This consultation
process resulted in 128 responses. Of these 100 (78%) generally supported
the proposal with 28 (22%) against. A total of 38 (30%) residents opted
for the restrictions to operate between Monday to Friday, 43 (34%) opted
for Monday to Saturday and 28 (22%) opted for all week and 19 (14%)
expressed no preference.
16. When the hours
of operation were considered 28 (22%) opted for 9.00am to 5.00pm, 35
(27%) opted 8.00am to 6.30pm, 35 (27%) opted for 24 hour and 30 (24%)
expressed no preference. With regard to limited waiting 40 (31%) preferred
1 hour parking, 41 (32%) preferred 2 hour parking, 23 (18%) preferred
3 hour parking and 24 (19%) expressed no preference.
17. Based on this
information and in consultation with local County Councillors Gail Bones
and M. Altaf Khan, together with input from Faber Maunsell the restrictions
for the zone were carefully considered. However, to avoid any potential
confusion between the proposed Lakes PZ and to allow more unrestricted
time for visitors it was felt that the restrictions in both zones should
be consistent, especially for enforcement.
18. Therefore,
the Permit Holder Only parking throughout the zone is proposed to be
9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Time limited 1 hour parking would
be 8.00am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday and 2 hour parking would be 8.00am
to 6.30pm Monday to Friday (Permit Holders exempt from time limit).
19. The scheme
was then further refined. The boundary between Northway and the proposed
adjacent ‘The Lakes’ Minimum Impact Controlled Parking Zone in Westlands
Drive was amended so as to simplify permit use. Dunstan Road and parts
of Westlands Drive and Maltfield Road were treated conventionally with
designated parking places and restrictions as they were unsuitable for
Minimum Impact treatment. This was because they were close to local
amenities such as shops, the local community centre and cemetery.
20. As the signing
necessary for the Minimum Impact Controlled Parking Zone do not form
part of The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, special
authorisation has been sought from the Department for Transport (DfT).
A site visit by representatives from the DfT on 21 April 2006 confirmed
that there should be no reason why authorisation should not be given.
The Formal Consultation
Process – 5 May 2006 to 2 June 2006
21. A total of
714 formal consultation packs were delivered to every residential property
and organisation within the zone and an example of a pack can be seen
in background Document D, which is available in the Members’ Resource
Centre. A further 47 packs were sent to formal consultees. Each consultee
was sent a Draft Order, Notice and Statement of Reasons with a copy
of Plan No H16650/A1/2000 Revision D showing the zone. Examples are
also to be found in Document D.
22. Packs were
also provided for public inspection at Old Marston Library, Headington
Library, Central Library, County Hall and Speedwell House. Street notices
were placed in every road within the zone for the duration of the consultation
period. The notice was also placed in the Oxford Times on Friday 5 May
2006.
23. There are 24
roads within the overall scheme area. The Minimum Impact Controlled
Parking Zone itself contains 23 roads, although a small section of two
of these roads would be subject to a more conventional layout. As none
of the 23 roads contained within the restricted area would be designated
with formal parking places, the potential amount of parking in each
street would
remain much the same.
24. Traffic surveys
indicate that residential demand is around 271 and suggest that approximately
120 non residential vehicles would be displaced from the zone if the
scheme was implemented. However the true impact of the scheme would
be in the displacement of many more additional predicted commuters working
at the John Radcliffe from January 2007.
25. In the remaining
conventionally controlled section of road the scheme provided for 57
short term spaces, of which 47 are open to permit holders without restriction.
All these spaces lie within Dunstan Road and parts of Westlands Drive
and Maltfield Road near the shops and community centre.
26. During the
consultation period a meeting was held on 15 May 2006 with the Northway
Tenants and Residents Association at St Anthony of Padua Church Hall.
The main issues concerned charging for permits and proposed bus routes
in the area. Both of these subjects do not impact upon the scheme design.
27. The formal
consultation process resulted in 103 responses, 8 of which were from
formal consultees and 1 of which was from a resident living outside
the zone. Two questionnaires were returned anonymously. All the returned
questionnaires and accompanying letters can be viewed in Document B,
available in the Members’ Resource Centre.
28. A synopsis
of each comment or objection together with an officer response and recommendation
can be found in Document A, also in the Members’ Resource Centre. This
includes a complete list of respondents and Pie charts showing the level
of support for the proposals in each road. A summary of these comments
is also included for reference in Annex
B to this report.
29. For the scheme
as a whole 34 (4% of all zone consultees; 33% of replies received) were
satisfied with the proposals without comment, 39 (5% of all consultees;
38% of replies received) were satisfied with the proposals but made
comments, and 24 (3% of all zone consultees; 24% of replies received)
were not satisfied with the proposals and made objections and 6 (1%
of all zone consultees; 5% of replies received) did not express a preference
but made comments. The remaining 658 (86%) did not reply.
Issues Arising from the
Formal Consultation.
30. A number of
residents were concerned that there would not be enough visitor permits.
Others requested more short term parking places for visitors. However,
each resident over the age of 17 would be entitled to 50 Visitors Permits.
Visitors would also be able to use Permit Holders only areas and spaces
at week ends and evenings outside the proposed restriction times of
9.00am - 5.00pm Mon - Fri. Concerns that this number would be inadequate
have proved unfounded elsewhere in Oxford.
31. Ethelred Court
is a residential road which lies within the Old Headington Conservation
area. Every resident responded to the consultation and most preferred
to be within the Headington Central CPZ rather than Northway PZ. This
would give residents access to the amenities in Headington using their
permits and that they would be included within the conservation area.
32. As a result
of a similar response to the initial consultation proposals the Council
sent a letter to every resident on 3 April 2006. This explained that
should the Northway PZ be implemented, which would be the quickest way
to protect Ethelred Road residents from commuters parking, it would
be possible to reconsider boundary issues between the two zones
when they are reviewed.
33. Further investigations
into the status of Dora Carr Close revealed that it was not a highway
maintainable at public expense. Legal advice has recommended that the
parking restrictions should not be applied to the road. However, residents
would still be able to apply for residents and visitor permits and should
Dora Carr Close become over subscribed would enable them or their visitors
to park in neighbouring roads within the zone. Residents have been notified
of this change by letter dated 5 June 2006.
34. In the light
of comments received as part of the statutory consultation, a number
of changes are proposed to the scheme. These are set out on a road by
road basis at Annex A
and in the recommendations at the end of this
report. The Annex summarises the main points emanating form the consultation,
full details of which can be found in Document A.
Environmental Implications
35. The aim of
this scheme is to be as environmentally friendly as possible with the
absolute minimum of signing and road markings. Within the restricted
road zone itself only a few road markings
will be visible. On most residential roads there will be none at all.
36. Restricted
zone boundary signs would be erected at the start of the zone but any
repeater signs would generally be placed on lamp columns along each
road, the only exception to this would be where no lamp columns were
available and the lack of signing might lead to confusion. Parking places
and restrictions in Dunstan Road, and the parts of Westlands Drive and
Maltfield Road near the shops will be signed and marked in the conventional
way.
How the project supports
LTP2 objectives
37. Together with
the proposed Lakes PZ and other CPZs already introduced in Headington
and Marston, the Northway PZ will prevent commuters from parking in
this area close to the John Radcliffe Hospital. The introduction of
the Northway PZ will therefore encourage commuters to use alternative
means of travel to get to their place of work, for example by Park &
Ride, other
bus services, or cycling and walking.
38. Such a change
in travel behaviour will reduce the overall level of traffic having
the direct benefit of helping to reduce congestion in the area. Other
potential indirect benefits associated with reduced traffic would be
improved road safety, improved accessibility (through the increased
attractiveness of existing or potential bus services), improved air
quality and an improved street environment in areas where car traffic
used to travel through or park.
Financial Implications (including
Revenue)
39. The total cost
of the proposed zone is estimated at £35,000, of which implementation
costsare
£16,200. The scheme is part of the 2006/7 Capital Programme outlined
in the Local Transport
Plan approved by Cabinet on 22 February 2006.
RECOMMENDATION
40. The Committee
is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) approve the
Northway Restricted Parking Zone for implementation subject to incorporating
the following amendments to the advertised draft Traffic Regulation
Order and as shown on Plan No. H16650/A1/2001:
(1) Dora Carr
Close: Remove Dora Carr Close from Schedule 4 Part B Permit Parking Places
Mondays to Fridays 9.00am to 5.00pm but retain its
permit eligibility in Schedule 4 Part A.
(2) Ingle Close:
Change the parking restrictions outside and opposite Nos. 13 and 15 Ingle
Close within the Permit Holder Only Parking Area from Permit Holder Only
Parking (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) to No Waiting at Any Time
over selected lengths.
(3) Draft TRO
– Permit Formalities: Amend Article 35(3) to remove the requirement for
the time of day a vehicle is left in a parking space when validating
a Visitors Permit.
(b) authorise
the Head of Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport
to carry out further minor amendments to the scheme and the Traffic Regulation
Order that may be required when implementing the proposed parking zone.
STEVE HOWELL
Head of Transport
Background papers:
Document A: Pie Chart Analysis of Responses
Consultation Contributors
Comments and Recommendations
Document B: Questionnaire Responses
Document C:
Initial Consultation Details
Document D:
Formal Consultation Details
Plan No H16650/A1/1001
Contact Officer:
Richard Kingshott Tel 01865 815716
Stephen Axtell Tel
01865 815967
28 June 2006
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