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Banbury (Ruscote)
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ITEM CMDT2
CABINET
MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 23 NOVEMBER 2006
OXFORDSHIRE
COUNTY COUNCIL (BANBURY, RUSCOTE AVENUE) (PROHIBITION OF RIGHT TURNS)
ORDER 200*
Report by
Head of Transport
Introduction
- This report considers
the objections received following the formal advertisement of the above
draft Order and whether or not the draft Order should be made or amended.
Background
- Following the
Western Corridor Study and a study of accident statistics it was considered
that measures were required to help reduce incidents at this busy road
junction and aid the flow of traffic along Ruscote Avenue. This proposal
restricts turning manoeuvres at the junction banning egress traffic
from making a right turn from both Beaumont Road and Kraft (Annex
1) (download as .doc file).
Consultation
- Both formal and
informal consultation has been carried out. A total of 14 responses
were received ten of which occurred at the informal stage. There were
no amendments to the proposals between consultation periods.
- The draft Order
was published in the Banbury Guardian on 14 September 2006. At the same
time statutory consultees were sent copies of the draft Order and Notice
together with copies of drawing No LEH/120/Ruscote. Notices were also
posted on the affected roads. The time allowed for submission of objections
was 28 days from the above date.
- Of the 14 responses
received, 10 indicated concerns over the proposals. Support was received
from Thames Valley Police and Banbury Town Council. Each response is
summarised with officer response at Annex 2 (download
as .doc file).
Environmental Implications
and LTP2
- Re-routeing of
traffic over longer distances has been minimised in these proposals.
The scheme is set in the context of other Western Corridor measures
that seek to reduce speeds along the route, which will have slight environmental
benefits.
- The measures in
an LTP2 policy context are primarily accident reduction but as explained
its corridor context aims to achieve some environmental improvements.
- If all current
right turning traffic attempts to U turn at the Lockheed Close roundabout
there will be a rise in traffic on the approach to the roundabout. However
this is only likely to be influential in the late afternoon peak. In
the Western Corridor Study the Lockheed Close roundabout was analysed
in ARCADY (a computer simulation model) and found to be near capacity
in both directions. However, providing a two-lane approach for westbound
traffic on the exit towards the Southam Road Roundabout greatly eases
the result. Several options to achieve this were considered ranging
from simple remarking to degrees of widening. The view taken so far
at Banbury TAC has been to monitor the effect of the turn ban, allowing
for any rerouteing affect to the north end of Beaumont Road in practice
and then consider the extent of change needed.
Financial and Staff Implications
- There is an allocation
of funds in the current capital budget to carry out this work and similarly
staff allocation is contained within current resource levels.
RECOMMENDATION
- The Cabinet
Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to authorise the making without
any amendment of the Oxfordshire County Council (Banbury, Ruscote Avenue)(Prohibition
of Right Turns) Order 200* as originally advertised and consulted on.
(Statement of Decision)
STEVE
HOWELL
Director for
Transport
Background papers: Consultation Documentation (Copies of all correspondence
have been deposited in the Members’ Resource Centre).
Contact
Officers:
David Clough Tel: 01865 815743
Louise Harrison Tel: 01865 812632
November
2006
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