Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Transport Management

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/317

Contact: Caroline Coyne, Project Manager

Caroline.coyne@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA8)

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)            Approve the Vision Zero Strategy and Action Plan ‘Oxfordshire – Safe Roads through Vision Zero to 2030’.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet had before it a report on the Vision Zero strategy and action plan which  set out how the Council aimed to achieve its target of a reduction in collisions to zero fatalities and life changing injuries from road traffic collisions by 2050: with an interim target of 25% reduction by 2026 and 50% reduction by 2030. It ensured our highway network was safely designed, implemented, and maintained with Vision Zero at the heart of our decision making.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, presented the report. He thanked the speakers for their contributions to the meeting and referred to the valuable role played by the Council’s co-production partners in the development of these strategies.

During discussion, members made the following points:-

·       The large number of requests from parish councils for 20mph speed restrictions

·       The need for the Council to be ambitious in seeking to meet the targets set out in the strategy and to implement measures that would result in a reduction in the number of car journeys

·       The section on education should be enhanced to emphasise the need for cycle safety to be promoted in schools and for all schools, including those in the independent sector, to take on board initiatives on road safety.

·       The need to address problems caused by overweight vehicles and for heavy vehicles to keep to their designated routes.

·       The importance of adequate communication on the need for the Vision Zero strategy in view of the results of the consultation exercise and concerns that the consultation appeared to be geared towards older sections of the community.

The Chair expressed the Council’s thanks to all those who had been involved in the development of the strategy.

Councillor Gant moved and Councillor Ley seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to approve the Vision Zero Strategy and Action Plan ‘Oxfordshire – Safe Roads through Vision Zero to 2030’ as set out in the report.