Meeting documents

Cabinet
Tuesday, 15 November 2005

CA151105-07

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Division(s): Barton & Churchill, East Oxford, Headington & Marston

ITEM CA7

CABINET – 15 NOVEMBER 2005

OXFORD: ST CLEMENTS, HEADINGTON ROAD AND LONDON ROAD STUDY

Report by Head of Transport

Introduction

  1. This report outlines progress on the St Clements, Headington Road and London Road Corridor Study, developed by the County Council in association with the Council’s Transport Planning Term Consultants, Halcrow. The report reviews the policy context, study objectives and process, and includes a review of the consultation carried out for this study to date. Proposals for taking forward the study in the context of the next Local Transport Plan are then given.
  2. Study area

  3. The study focuses on the A420 road corridor in Oxford between the Plain Roundabout and the Headington/ Green Road Roundabout. It covers St Clements, Headington Road and London Road. The road corridor is shown in Annex 1 (download as .pdf file).
  4. Policy context

  5. The transport policy context for the London Road study is contained in the Local Transport Plan, 2001 to 2006 and the provisional Local Transport Plan, 2006 to 2011, the period within which measures on the London Road would be introduced. In particular the following specific policies are relevant:
  6. The Headington and Marston Area Transport Strategy (HAMATS): this was endorsed by the Executive on 12 November 2002 and outlines a transport strategy for the Headington area, recognising the planned employment growth in this area over the next few years. The strategy includes a number of measures to facilitate better bus access to and from the area. Of particular relevance to the London Road study are:

    • Resiting some bus stops in central Headington and improved bus shelters and information throughout the area.
    • Improvements to bus priority at signal junctions along the main public transport corridors.
    • Measures to enable Osler Road to be used for bus services to/from the John Radcliffe Hospital.

  1. Premium Routes strategy: A strategy for development of Premium Routes was outlined in the Local Transport Plan, 2001- 2006. Premium Routes are those routes in the County that have been identified as a core network of high frequency public transport routes on which bus priority measures and bus stop enhancements are focused. London Road is part of the Premium Route between Oxford City Centre and Barton and was endorsed for Premium Route improvements by the Executive on 8 July 2003.
  2. Provisional Local Transport Plan, 2006-2011: The provisional LTP for this period identifies a number of locations at which there are particular transport problems to address under the shared priority framework. The following problems are identified for this transport corridor:

    • Congestion: London Road has one of the worst congestion problems in Oxfordshire.
    • Road Safety: London Road between Lime Walk and Stile Road, and St Clements are identified as having particular road safety problems.
    • Air Quality: St Clements, west of the public car park, is identified within the Air Quality Management Area for the city.
    • Delivering accessibility: Improvement of access to Education and Healthcare sites in the Headington area is recognised as important.
    • Improving Streetscape: Headington shopping centre is recognised as having poor streetscape.

Study objectives

  1. The objectives of the study were as follows:

    • Develop measures for London Road that will improve public transport journey time, reliability and operation, hence improving the desirability and attractiveness of bus services which will potentially increase bus patronage;
    • Develop measures that address road safety considerations, specifically at locations where particular issues have been identified; and
    • In appraising the options, ensuring that the impact on other road users (including pedestrians) is identified and considered appropriately.

Study process

  1. To date, the study has involved two stages:

    • Stage 1: This involved reviewing the transport problems and issues on the corridor, including relevant survey work. A number of potential measures to address these problems and issues were then identified. Design principles and measures to meet these principles were developed, including those related to different sections of the study corridor. A Stage 1 Report was produced.
    • Stage 2: This has involved developing options for the corridor in more detail, and public consultation on these proposals. A summary of consultation report was produced.

  1. The Stage 1 report and consultation summary are in the Member’s Resource Centre.
  2. Stage 2 development

  3. Two different design approaches were developed for the corridor in stage 2 of the study. These were:

    • Approach 1: This was an engineering-based approach, which reviewed what could be achieved to meet the study objectives, assuming the same level of traffic was maintained on the corridor as at present. Measures proposed for the corridor included bus lanes and lay-bys, pedestrian crossings, and lowering the speed limits in certain sections (detail for each section is outlined in Annex 2 (download as .doc file)).
    • Approach 2: This was a traffic management based approach, which reviewed what could be achieved on the corridor, should the level of traffic be reduced. It proposed restricting access to through traffic in the Headington central area, and permitting access to buses, taxis and emergency vehicles only on a similar principle to Oxford High Street. This would facilitate priority for these vehicles without needing such heavy engineering measures, as required in Approach 1.

Consultation

Consultation process

  1. Consultation on the study was carried out in June and July 2005. This comprised:

    • A briefing on the study proposals to local County and City Councillors on 14 June.
    • Three public exhibitions on the study proposals in Barton on 28 June, Oxford City Centre on 30 June, and St Andrew’s School, Headington on 2 July.
    • An internet site with exhibition material and feedback form available from 27 June to 31 July.

  1. The public transport and road safety measures outlined under Approach 1 were summarised on a section by section basis along the corridor, labelled from B to F (Plan A showed proposals for the whole corridor). From west to east, the sections shown were: St Clements (B), Oxford Brookes to Headley Way (C), Headley Way to Lime Walk (D), Lime Walk to St Andrews School (E), and St Andrews School to Headington/Green Road Roundabout (F). Members of the public were asked whether they supported the overall approach for the corridor, and their views on the particular measures proposed for each section of the corridor.
  2. The traffic management measures outlined under Approach 2 were summarised for the whole corridor, with members of the public asked whether they supported further work on developing this overall approach, which would better inform what the impact of this approach would be across the wider area.
  3. The consultation material, including plans, is in the Member’s Resource Centre.
  4. Consultation responses

  5. The consultation responses are summarised in the ‘St Clements, Headington Road and London Road Corridor Study Consultation Report, 2005’ (in the Member’s Resource Centre).. The main points from the consultation are as follows:

    • Approximately 400 responses to the consultation were received via the feedback forms provided.
    • Of the respondents who gave their postcode, the majority (85%) came from the OX3 postcode, the area of Oxford within which most of the study corridor is located.
    • Of those respondents who gave their overall opinion on Approach 1, 59% strongly or generally supported this approach, and 35% did not support it, with the remainder not expressing a view. Comments were also made on particular aspects of the proposed scheme, and the main points from this are summarised in Annex 3.
    • Of those respondents who gave their overall opinion on Approach 2, 26% strongly or generally supported further work being carried out on this approach, and 70% did not support further work being carried out on it, with the remainder not expressing a view on this.

Proposed further development of study measures

  1. Results from the consultation indicated general overall support for the measures outlined in Approach 1, subject to concerns regarding particular issues (summarised in Annex 3 (download as .doc file). However, there was only limited support for carrying out further work on developing Approach 2. It is therefore considered that Approach 1 should form the basis for further development of measures along the study corridor, with no further work undertaken on Approach 2.
  2. Due to the cost and resource required to develop detailed schemes on the corridor, it is considered that further design work should be developed on a section by section basis. Importantly, this work would include ensuring enhancements to streetscape are achieved, especially in the Headington shopping area. Signage and the impact of engineering measures would be minimised through careful design, including taking account of the needs of those who are visually or mobility impaired. Appropriate consultation would be carried out on the detail for each section. The exact timescale for further design, consultation and implementation is subject to final decisions on inclusion in the Local Transport Plan capital programme, 2006 -11.
  3. Other related issues

    Osler Road bus link

  4. The study also included reviewing the junction of Osler Road and London Road for use of buses planned to operate via Osler Road to the John Radcliffe.
  5. A bus route via Osler Road would allow direct bus access between the centre of Headington and the John Radcliffe hospital, cutting journey times by up to 4 minutes in the off-peak period and 8 minutes in the peak period to a consistent 5-6 mins. In the first instance, this would allow the orbital 10 route to operate more efficiently and promote public transport use from the Cowley area to the John Radcliffe hospital. In the longer-term, this route could also be used by other bus services, such as those operating to/from Park and Ride sites to the John Radcliffe.
  6. In the short-term, it was concluded that, taking into account the traffic flows on London Road and Osler Road, this junction would operate satisfactorily with the introduction of a yellow box on London Road at this location. The proposed pre-signal arrangement on London Road would be the favoured longer-term option, to help buses to turn in and out of Osler Road.
  7. Other related measures

  8. There are a number of related measures either currently being developed or provisionally programmed for the period of the next Local Transport Plan. These are considered critical in complementing the measures to be developed under Approach 1. They are:

    • Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs): Development of CPZs helps to reduce the level of commuter traffic on the corridor travelling to the employment sites, especially at peak times, as well as protecting residential areas.
    • Travel Plan development at the main employment sites in the area: Particularly important are on-site parking controls and measures to encourage public transport usage.
    • Development of Park and Ride: Enhancements to facilities and potentially capacity at Park and Ride sites around Oxford.
    • Development of public transport information: This includes information at bus stops, and the real time information system, on route and at employment sites.
    • Related pedestrian and cycle route network development.

Financial and Staff Implications

  1. Current outline estimates suggest that the capital costs for the development of all measures under Approach 1 would cost approximately £3 million. At this time we do not have a reliable estimate of the additional costs that would arise from altering utility services along the route. Accurate cost appraisal will be a priority for the next stage of the scheme development, to feed into a decision on the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme. Staff resources would be met from existing County resources and appropriate use of consultants.
  2. RECOMMENDATIONS

  3. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
          1. approve in principle the further development of measures proposed under Approach 1 (as detailed in Annex 2 to the report) (download as .doc file);
          2. agree not to progress Approach 2 of the study;
          3. note the further development of complementary measures within the control of the County Council, subject to their inclusion within the Local Transport Plan 2006 -11 programme;
          4. ask officers to review the timing and funding for future schemes outlined in Approach 1 for inclusion within the Local Transport Plan 2006-11 programme; and
          5. approve the implementation of measures that are necessary in the 2006/2007 financial year to ensure effective operation of the Osler Road/London Road junction when bus services operate via Osler Road to the John Radcliffe (subject to their inclusion within the capital programme).

STEVE HOWELL
Head of Transport

Background Papers:
(i) London Road Corridor Study Stage 1 Report, June 2005
(ii) St Clements, Headington Road and London Road Corridor Study Consultation Report, October 2005
(iii) St Clements, Headington Road and London Road Corridor Study Consultation Material, June 2005.

Contact Officer: James Gagg, Tel: (01865) 815655

November 2005

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