Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/095

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

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

Sheep Street is a key shopping street in Bicester which is currently one way, with the permitted direction of travel being from north west to south east. Motor vehicles are only allowed in the street to load/unload before 9am and after 4pm daily. In addition a small number of permit holders are allowed at all times (to access off-street parking etc). Ridden pedal cycles are prohibited at all times.

Following local requests to improve cycle facilities in Bicester, a proposal was put forward to permit pedal cyclists to cycle in either direction on Sheep Street outside the period 9am to 4pm.  The report (CMDE6) considers responses received in the course of a statutory consultation on an amendment to the access restrictions to allow that.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to:-

(a)             note the consultation responses;

(b)             not approve the proposed amendment to the access restrictions along Sheep Street as advertised.

Approved

Approved

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE6) responses received to a statutory consultation to amend access restrictions to allow pedal cyclists to cycle in either direction on Sheep street outside the period 9 am to 4 pm.

Councillor Lawrie Stratford supported the recommendation not to allow this change. He recognised the benefits of cycling but not at the expense of pedestrian safety and Sheep Street was very much a pedestrian street.  He advised that he was not the local member but was speaking on behalf of other Bicester county councillors.

Having regard to the information set out in the report before him and the representations made to him the Cabinet Member for Environment recognised that the proposals were not acceptable and agreed:

(a)             to note the consultation responses;

(b)             not to approve the proposed amendment to the access restrictions along Sheep Street as advertised.

Signed……………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Dated…………………………………….