Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Transport Management

Forward Plan Ref: 2024/023

Contact: Caroline Coyne, Project Manager (BPSI Team) (Caroline.Coyne@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Corporate Director for Environment and Place  (CMDTMT6).

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    to approve the introduction of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) to facilitate the introduction of ‘school streets’ for the following schools:

·       St Mary and St John Church of England Primary School, Oxford,

·       Sandhills Community Primary School, Oxford,

·       Tyndale Community School, Oxford,

·       New Hinksey Church of England Primary School, Oxford, and

·       Manor Primary School, Didcot.

Recommendation agreed.

The Chair welcomed everybody in attendance to the meeting and thanked Sharon Keenlyside, the previous Committee Officer for the meeting, for her support and wished her well for the future.  

The Chair invited speakers in turn to address the meeting and responded to their points in turn. 

The Chair asked officers about potential issues with the introduction of an ETRO for ‘school streets programmes’, specifically with regard to New Hinksey Church of England Primary School. Officers noted that they were looking at solutions, including adding Lake Street as part of the scheme and stated that engagement was needed with a GP surgery on the road before moving forward. Officers stated that fewer parents are driving to school with their children already.

Officers said that looking at a crossing on Hollow Way would be something that they need to investigate, with regards to Tyndale Community School.

The Chair noted that speakers raised how the scheme for Manor Primary School in Didcot would also affect another school in the area, Didcot Girls School, which was seen as positive.

The Chair reflected that the biggest concern amongst respondents was about traffic and parking displacement. Officers responded that traffic monitoring for Phase 2 schools as part of the scheme, so there would be better understanding of situations at each school. The Chair pointed out that due to the rolling nature of the programme, it would provide an important opportunity to review arrangements regularly. 

The Chair expressed that one of the advantages of active travel is that timings become much clearer as traffic is avoided. Moreover, the Chair stated that the School Streets programme does not stop driving to schools entirely; it just stops going right up to the school gates. The scheme intends to manage the environment around the vicinity of the school.

Officers confirmed that the ETRO would be in place for after the Easter holidays.

The Chair thanked all of the speakers on the item and praised officers for their hard work in producing the report. The Chair agreed to the recommendations as amended.

RESOLVED to:

a)    to approve the introduction of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) to facilitate the introduction of ‘school streets’ for the following schools:

· St Mary and St John Church of England Primary School, Oxford,

· Sandhills Community Primary School, Oxford,

· Tyndale Community School, Oxford,

· Manor Primary School, Didcot, and

· New Hinksey Church of England Primary School, Oxford, and to instruct officers to continue the review referred to in paragraph 40, with a view of bringing it forward as appropriate.