Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/022

Contact: Malcolm Bowler, Senior Traffic Technician Tel: (01235) 466119

10.00 am

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economcy – Highways & Transport (CMDT4).

The Cabinet Member for Transport considered responses to a formal consultation on a permanent speed limit order on the A329 at Cholsey and Moulsford which had included:

·                    a reduction in the speed limit on the A329 between Cholsey and Moulsford to 40 mph on safety grounds;

·                    changes to limits required by the redevelopment of the Fairmile Hospital site;

·                    an extension of the ‘buffer’ zone at the north end of the development to include the junction of caps Lane;

·                    introduction of a 50 mph limit north of caps lane to the roundabout junction with the A4130 Wallingford bypass.

Councillor David Turner asked for confirmation with regard to the letter of 24 May 2011 from Thames Valley Police, which inferred that the current measures had increased the collision history rather than reduce it and yet figures indicated that there had been 3 over the last 3 years. He asked whether that represented an increase.

Mr Kirkwood confirmed that the comments by Thames Valley Police referred specifically to the traffic build outs at the Fairmile Hospital site.

The Cabinet Member advised that he had driven along this stretch of road on a number of occasions with the local member Councillor Patrick Greene and shared his support for the proposals.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him and further considerations as set out above the Cabinet Member for transport APPROVED implementation of the A329 Cholsey and Moulsford speed limit order effecting changes in speed limits as set out in Annex 1 to the report CMDT4.