ITEM CMDT6
CABINET MEMBER DECISIONS – 27 MARCH 2008
REQUEST FOR GATING ORDER – BULWARKS LANE, OXFORD
Report by Head of Transport
Introduction
1. This report details a request to make a Gating Order in Bulwarks Lane, Oxford, during the hours of darkness.
2. The request has been made by Nuffield and St Peter’s Colleges, who both have properties which abut onto the lane, and has the support of the City Council. Initially, Thames Valley Police’s (TVP) Crime Reduction adviser supported the request but, as discussed later in this report, a more detailed crime analysis has now been undertaken by the polic
3. Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires the Council to consider crime and disorder reduction and community safety in the exercise of all their duties and activities. Section 2 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 provides a power that allows councils to make, vary or revoke Gating Orders to restrict public access to any unclassified public highway.
Background
4. The lane has a partly cobbled/partly slabbed surface and is bordered on both sides by high boundary walls. There is a flight of steps at the eastern end. The lane provides an alternative route between George Street Mews, Worcester Street and New Road, thus connecting the Worcester Street area to the main shopping streets off Bonn Square and Queen Street, and beyond.
5. The property walls adjacent to the lane belong either to one of the colleges, the City Council or a private club – as illustrated on the plan shown at Annex 1 (download as .doc file).
6. Gating Orders enable local authorities to temporarily restrict access to highways in order to reduce and prevent crime and antisocial behaviour without removing their underlying highway status. On 14 September 2006 Cabinet approved a protocol for the assessment of requests for Gating Orders under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. This request for a Gating Order has been assessed against the agreed protocol at Annex 2 (download as .doc file)..
7. Thirteen incidents of crime or acts of antisocial behaviour have been reported to and documented by TVP in 2007. The role of the lane in any premeditated crime is not clear and, indeed, many more similar incidents have been reported in nearby streets.
8. TVP was asked to complete and submit a Crime Pattern Analysis report for Bulwarks Lane.The report considers all reported crime and non-crime (e.g. generic antisocial behaviour) incidents occurring in Bulwarks Lane and in the surrounding streets, totalling 13 in number, in 2007. One of these was a crime relating to theft which proved to be a false allegation. Of the other 12, 6 relate to various incidents of drug taking/possible dealing, 3 incidents of common assault, 1 incident of substance abuse, 1 incident of sexual assault on a female over 13 years and 1 incident of bicycle theft. Out of the 13 incidents, 8 occurred during the hours of darkness.
9. The making of the Gating Order is not likely to impact on emergency services or statutory undertakers and any inconvenience to highways users would be negligible. The alternative ‘main’ route between George Street Mews, Worcester Street and New Road is approximately 170 metres further than the ‘convenient’ route via Bulwarks Lane, measured from the western end of the lane. This distance would be reduced to 100m if users diverted at an earlier point at the western end of George Street Mews. It is not considered that restricting access to the entryway to the lane will cause disproportionate inconvenience or have any impact on people’s health. Indeed, the alternative ‘main’ route is more suitable for disabled users as it is less steep, does not require wheelchair users to negotiate steps and is therefore considered to be more ‘commodious’ than the route via Bulwarks Lane.
10. The two colleges have offered to fund the costs of manufacturing and erecting the gates and have also offered to manage the opening and closing of the gates at sunrise/sunset as necessary, using their porterage service. This would also enable any individual who has a legitimate need for access to be able to contact the porters when appropriate.
Officer Comment on Gating Order Assessment
11. The request for a Gating Order has been made by the colleges as a result of reported incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour. They believe that closing the lane will considerably reduce these incidents.
12. The TVP report states that “with Bulwarks Lane suffering from such a low level of incidents, particularly in comparison to other thoroughfares in the area, there appears to be little reason to support a gating order based on figures alone”.
13. TVP has suggested in its report that support and advice from its neighbourhood teams could help to manage local expectations. I recommend that this course of action is pursued. The approval of this Gating Order request could set an underserving precedent for other locations declared by TVP to be ‘low’ in incident level. The report states “it is not a crime or antisocial behaviour ‘hot spot’ and needs to be handled as such”.
How the Project Supports LTP2 Objectives
14. A Gating Order may help to improve the street environment in the city by reducing the incidence of litter along Bulwarks Lane. However, it may be that this incidence will be displaced to the alternative ‘main’ route rather than eradicated.
15. Whilst the Order will not achieve any specific safety or accessibility improvement, it could lead to an improved perception of local safety and/or a reduced fear of crime.
Financial and Staff Implications (including Revenue) 16.
RECOMMENDATION
17. The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED not to approve a Gating Order for Bulwarks Lane, Oxford.
STEVE HOWELL Head of Transport Environment & Economy
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Mike Horton Tel: (01865) 812647
March 2008
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