Agenda and minutes

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am two working days before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet Member’s delegated powers.

The number of questions which may be asked by any councillor at any one meeting is limited to two (or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting) and the time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes in total. As with questions at Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this item will receive a written response.

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or such other councillor or officer as is determined by the Cabinet Member, and shall not be the subject of further debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with any written response which is available at that time.

Councillor John Sanders

“The Cabinet member must surely be pleased that his department is to receive £5 million from the Government for County transport schemes.  What are these schemes intended to be, how much will be spent on each scheme and when will they take place?”

Reply from Councillor Rodney Rose, Cabinet Member for Transport

“I am extremely pleased that we have been successful in bidding for the first stage of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).  I would also like to publicly congratulate the team for their considerable efforts in this regard. 

The £5m will be invested in the schemes listed below.  The exact nature and costs of the schemes, and the dates identified, are preliminary at this stage and may be subject to change, depending on feasibility, affordability and consultation.

1.         The extension of Thornhill Park & Ride car park from 874 to 1380 spaces. This will receive £1.8m from the LSTF which will be added to the £2.3m which has already been allocated to the scheme from OCC capital funding and developer contributions. This work is expected to be completed by Spring 2013.

2.         An outbound bus priority lane on London Road, extending the existing bus lane from Headington centre to the ring road (Green Road Roundabout) to complement the existing inbound bus lane on the route, to be used by existing services and new Park & Ride services (see below). £500,000 of LSTF funding will be allocated to this scheme in addition to another £500,000 from OCC capital funding. This scheme is expected to be delivered in 2013/14.

3.         There are two proposed new Park & Ride bus services, using low carbon vehicles and operating to Premium Route frequencies and standards. The services would link Thornhill Park & Ride - John Radcliffe Hospital and Thornhill Park & Ride - Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital - Churchill Hospital - University Old Road Campus - Warneford Hospital - Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane Campus - city centre - Oxford railway station, with work currently taking place to look at different options and routes. Approximately £1.3m of the LSTF is being invested in setting up these new bus services including buses.  Operation is expected to commence in April 2013, once the Park & Ride extension is open.

4.         Provision of extensive Real Time Information for buses on the new route that serves the Churchill Hospital, to link in with the existing 'OxonTime' system (which already covers the Park & Ride site and route to the John Radcliffe Hospital). To comprise up to 8 additional real time displays, modification of bus priority technology at key junctions and provision of additional or upgraded shelters through the existing Clear Channel contract. Around £150,000 of LSTF is being allocated to the upgrade of these bus stops. The installation should be completed by September 2012.

5.         Intelligent Car Park Management and Smartcard ticketing - integrating payment for parking & bus travel. This measure involves the implementation of an intelligent car park management system and smart card ticketing at Thornhill Park & Ride. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27/11

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.

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/099

Contact: Odele Payne, Transport Planner Tel: (01865) 810443

10.10 am

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy – Highways & Transport (CMDT5).

The Cabinet Member for Transport considered proposals for improved cycle facilities along Burford Road, Carterton following formal consultation.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him the Cabinet Member for Transport APPROVED:

(a)       the design and implementation of the proposed segregated shared use cycle and footway as set out in the report CMDT5;

(b)       conversion of the footways, identified in Annex 1 to the report CMDT5, to shared cycle/footways under Sections 65 (1) and 66 (4) of the Highways Act 1980;

(c)        delegation of authority to the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Highways and Transport) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to make any alterations to the design during the detailed design process.