Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/109

Contact: Owen Jenkins, Service Manager – Highways, Transport & Waste Tel: (01865) 323304

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial) (CMDE6).

The report presents comments and objections received in the course of the statutory consultation on the proposals to introduce various traffic restrictions in the Science Vale UK (SVUK) area, in relation to the Chilton Interchange Improvement.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approveimplementation of the proposals as advertised and set out in this report.

Approved but defer a final decision on provision of a crossing near Townsend to enable further discussions on provision of a form of modified crossing (but not a full Pegasus crossing) for use by equestrian users.  In the event there were further objections than that element should be reconsidered by the Cabinet Member for Environment at the 17 March 2016 meeting but if there were none then the agreed provision should proceed to implementation without further consideration.

The Leader of the Council (CMDE6) considered comments and objections received to a statutory consultation on proposals to introduce various traffic restrictions in the Science Vale UK (SVUK) area, in relation to the Chilton Interchange Improvement.

Jane Imbush considered the report incorrect insofar as it stated that horses didn’t cross at this point and that video surveillance had supported that. However, she tabled evidence which showed that the approaches that particular day had been heavily flooded. Contacts made with neighbouring societies indicated that there were 200+ horse users in the area and that this particular point was an integral part of the local horse route and without an adequate crossing point there were huge safety implications for horses and riders. It was a concern that non-traffic use was not being encouraged and she asked that this particular element of the proposal be deferred to enable further research.

Dr Janice Bridger supported calls for a modified crossing that could be used by horse riders.  This was an important crossing point for horses and the report (paragraph 16) was incorrect insofar as a signal crossing which a horse rider could not operate would require that user to cross the road when the traffic signals were green for road traffic presenting a danger to horses and riders as well as traffic on Hagbourne Hill road who might not be expecting a horse to be crossing when the signal was green. Also the line of the restricted highway had recently moved so unless use was catered for in any new design riders would have to ride along the road rather than straight across. Paragraphs 14 and 15 of the report stated that there were significant delivery challenges and referred to Traffic Advisory leaflet 03/03. However, the report failed to mention paragraph 4.27 from the Design Manual for Roads & Bridges published in the following year which listed parameters, such as fenced waiting areas and segregation of users and that needed to be considered. The project design engineers seemed to have interpreted these as mandatory for the provision of a crossingbut her society did not believe that they were and that a simplified and modified Pegasus crossing would allow riders to cross safely. Experience over the 10 or so years since that Department of Transport advice had been drawn up was that, in a number of instances, Pegasus crossings were being over engineered to the detriment of equestrian safety. There were examples of throughout the UK where a simplified specification has been installed which took up less space and had been significantly cheaper to install. She asked that these be considered with a view to designing a safe crossing for horses at Chilton. The basic needsfor horse riders were that they could reach a button which controlled the traffic signal and that that button be set back from the carriageway so that the horse’s head was not in the path of the road traffic as the rider operated the button. If a suitable crossing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48