Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/001

Contact: Victoria Butterworth, Assistant Transport Planner Tel: (01865) 810414/Martin Kraftl, Senior Transport Planner Tel: (01865) 815786

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Highways & Transport (CMDT7).

It had been necessary to relocate a previously approved cycle by pass running from Gypsy Lane to Old Road via Grays Road and the Cabinet Member for Transport needed to consider approving an amendment to allow the legal use of part of the footway by cyclists on the new route.

Councillor Turner speaking on behalf of Councillor Roz Smith (local member) who had been unable to attend outlined her general support but also some concern that this expenditure had been correctly prioritised when compared to more dangerous and more accident prone spots elsewhere on Old Road.

Ms Butterworth confirmed that this was a minor change to the scheme on site which had been developer funded  and would improve cycle  provision along the whole route. 

The Cabinet Member suggested that the local member talk to the Oxford Transport Strategy team to see if anymore could be done possibly using the localities budget.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him and the further considerations set out above the Cabinet Member for Transport confirmed his decision as follows:

(a)       authorise that the status of lengths of footway highlighted in orange in Annex 1 to the report CMDT7 be changed under the powers in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980 and a cycle track constructed under Section 65(1) in place of the lengths of footway authorised for conversion to cycle track on 31 March 2011 and shown in blue in Annex 1 to the report CMDT7;

(b)       authorise the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Highways & Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, to make a final decision on the precise location of the footway to be converted to cycle track, should further construction difficulties arise with the proposed location.

The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       authorise that the status of lengths of footway highlighted in orange in Annex 1 to this report be changed under the powers in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980 and a cycle track constructed under Section 65(1) in place of the lengths of footway authorised for conversion to cycle track on 31 March 2011 shown in blue in Annex 1 to this report.

(b)       authorise the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy –

Highways & Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, to make a final decision on the precise location of the footway to be converted to cycle track, should further construction difficulties arise with the proposed location.