Issue - meetings

Report by Corporate Director, Environment and Place

The Cabinet Member for the Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed ‘Bus Gate’ restriction on Elder Way (eastern access to Crab Hill) between the junctions with the A417 Reading Road & Appletons and associated turning prohibitions for vehicles travelling on the A417 Reading Road to prevent them from entering Elder Way, and then on Elder Way to prevent them accessing the A417.

It was agreed to DEFER implementation of the proposals to allow further consideration to be given to how the proposals might be aligned with the wider development issues, including coherent active travel links between the development and the town centre.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management, Councillor Gant, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place, which recommended approval of the proposed “Bus Gate” restriction on Elder Way (eastern access to Crab Hill) between the junctions with the A417 Reading Road & Appletons and associated turning prohibitions for vehicles travelling on the A417 Reading Road to prevent them from entering Elder Way, and then on Elder Way to prevent them accessing the A417.

Councillor Gant heard a presentation by Councillor Jane Hannah, Oxfordshire County Council, in support of concerns expressed by Wantage District Council and residents. Councillor Hannah asked that there be further consultation on the proposals, including how the proposals would accord with wider plans for the area.

Councillor Gant stated the proposals were an example of an opportunity to promote active travel as well as the practical difficulties of introducing such schemes, as illustrated by Paragraphs 13 of the report. Therefore, it was important that the Council “get it right” when considering such proposals.

Councillor Gant noted that Wantage was a beautiful historic Oxfordshire market town experiencing large growth around its edges with an east-west link road. Therefore, consideration had to be given to how residents and people who use the town could do so in a way that kept through traffic out of the historic town square. That could only be done if there was an integrated plan as noted by the Oxfordshire Cycling Network in Paragraph 15 of the report, notably having cycle routes from new developments that stop short of town centres.

He went on to say that there had been a lot of carefully worded and well-argued comments in response to the consultation and that the proposals could have been better timed. Therefore, he agreed with Councillor Hannah that it would be appropriate to defer implementation of the proposals until such time as further consultation could take place on the proposals within the wider context of plans for the area.

DECISION: To defer consideration of the proposals to allow further consideration to be given to how the proposals might be aligned with the wider development issues, including coherent active travel links between the development and the town centre.

Signed: ………………………………………………………………………….

Dated:……………………………………………………………………………

The meeting ended at 11:45 AM.

Signed ………………………………………………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of Signing ……………………………………………………………......