Decision details

Councillor Dan Levy

“The Cabinet member will be making a decision later about the Witney - Corn Street: Proposed Shared Use Cycletrack, which will form part of a partially improved set of cycle facilities in Witney.  However, a cycle facility is really only as good as its worst bits, and in this case, the worst bits are the junctions with roads, for instance at each end of Corn Street.  These were left largely unchanged in the recent Active Travel improvements.  Does Cllr Bearder intend to finish the job by improving road junctions and if so, when?” 

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

“The recent funding bid to the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Tranche 3 fund included three further bids for Witney, as part of 27 schemes submitted for Oxfordshire: 

·       Witney High Street to implement the public realm enhancements to support the proposed traffic restriction - this would involve reviewing arrangements at the junction of High Street and Corn Street.

·       Paths between Madley Park and Oxford Hill to implement improvements to allow cycling, surface, lighting and safety improvements.  

·       Funding to conduct a study into the options for traffic restrictions at Corn Street which, in conjunction with the proposed High Street scheme, would look at the junction of High Street and Corn Street.

The Council is awaiting outcome of the bid, due Autumn 2021. 

Work on developing the Witney LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Plan) has also commenced. This will look at specific cycle routes in detail and likely to revisit and extend the route developed, with limit time and funds, under the Active Travel Tranche 2. A key aspect of this, is the large roundabout at the western end of Corn Street – often referred to as a Five-Ways roundabout. There is significant opportunity to improve active travel routes at this roundabout and the LCWIP is the next step to developing a plan for this area. The LCWIP will be used to target investment into the prioritised areas.”

Supplementary question from Councillor Levy

“Thank you for the response. Can you advise on we can ensure that future Active Travel facilities were designed to be coherent and complete and comment on how we would progress future schemes and measure success?”

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

“I recognise the points you make. From personal experience and due to the layout of many cycle routes, which require you to cycle off road, cycling is less safe, particularly when approaching junctions, than if the cycle route was provided entirely within the line of the highway.  I also want to see cohesive joined up thinking to deliver a safer option but in order to achieve that government needs to redirect funding away from road building to active travel transport initiatives. In the meantime, we will continue to do what we can with incremental improvements to increase safety for cyclists and promote active travel.”