Agenda, decisions and minutes

 None declared.

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/208

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Interim Director Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE4).

The Access to Headington project is focused on improving orbital connections in Headington and more specifically, access to the major hospital and employment sites. The project includes a package of transport measures aimed at:    

a.         Improving bus journey times and service reliability by reducing traffic congestion at junctions and on roads leading to the major hospital and employment sites;

b.         Upgrading and linking existing and new signal-controlled junctions to enable greater bus detection and prioritisation across the network;

c.         Providing a higher standard of cycle route provision and, in particular, more legible and continuous design than seen at present; and   

d.         Enhancing pedestrian and cycle routes by providing greater priority at side-roads, and new and improved crossings.

The report sets out responses to the latest consultation.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposals as advertised. 

The Access to Headington project focused on improving on improving orbital connections in Headington and more specifically, access to the major hospital and employment sites. The Cabinet Member for Environment considered responses to the latest consultation on a package of transport measures to support that.

Graham Smith (Cycling UK) pointed out that while cycling groups in Oxfordshire had welcomed LTP4 and OTS they felt those policies were not being carried through in certain aspects of the design and implementation of A2H and weakened the case for cycling.  He welcomed the inclusion of the comments from Cyclox in the report but there were still serious concerns regarding the design of the JRH junction and while some changes to the design went some way to eliminating dangers it remained a matter of concern that there was still no safe way for cyclists to negotiate the junction.  Regarding other areas of the scheme consideration needed to be given to raised elevations to slow drivers and recognition given to the benefits of colour surfacing in slowing drivers as used elsewhere in other schemes. He recognised that blanket covering would be expensive but consideration needed to be given to its provision in certain areas such as the beginning and end of cycle lanes to emphasise their presence. Side road entry treatments were better but there was some ambiguity between the plans which gave cycle lanes more prominence than what would actually be the case on the ground. He added that cycle groups were keen in helping and engaging in this process.

Councillor Roz Smith thanked the officers for their work on the detail of this scheme.  The A2H scheme had been ambitious and was very much a case of retro fitting and so would never be safe from inappropriate driving. She highlighted a number of issues on Headley Way and Woodlands and Falklands Close.  Something was needed to prevent damage to verges and on Eden Drive at the entrance off Headley Way bus route where some keep clear signing or hatching was required to prevent traffic build up.  She agreed the lights at the JR junction caused tailbacks but parking issues at the JR needed to be resolved which would improve that situation and provision of a right turn through the lights into Marston Road would be assisted by an extra green arrow.  She was broadly supportive but there were still problems on Old Road where a continuous cycle way was required.

Mr Rossington advised that the report had been intended to focus on side road entries with CIL funding available from the City Council.  Regarding Old Road he was aware of a missing link in the cycle way and he was hopeful funding would be available for that to be rectified. With regard to the raised side entires as raised by OXTRAG he advised that there was tactile paving to alert people.

Mr Mulvihill advised that prices were being sought for bollards with reflective material and if funding could be found provision of a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13/20

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/194

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE5).

The report presents responses received to statutory consultation to introduce further waiting restrictions on Cow Lane & Evenlode Drive and new waiting restrictions on Tyne Avenue, in Didcot put forward by the Local Member as a result of residents’ long-standing dissatisfaction with anti-social commuter parking on the Ladygrove housing estate.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed waiting restrictions at Cow Lane, Tyne Avenue and Evenlode Drive as advertised and as extended following the consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) responses received to a consultation to introduce further waiting restrictions on Cow lane & Evenlode Drive and new restrictions on Tyne Avenue put forward by the local councillor to prevent anti-social commuter parking on the Ladygrove estate in Didcot.

Councillor Harris had emailed his comments in support of the proposals.  His email recognised the benefits of enforcement and the risk of displaced parking but on the whole felt it something worth trialling.

The Cabinet Member advised that enforcement depended on the District Council moving to Civil parking Enforcement.  Noting the proposal was being funded by the local councillor officer and the officer advice that there was some funding available to enable an extension to the restrictions on Tyne Avenue which would help address the objection from the Town Council and which could be carried out without further consultation the Cabinet Member having regard to the information set out in the report before her and the representations made to her at the meeting confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve waiting restrictions at Cow lane, Tyne Avenue and Evenlode Drive as advertised with an extension to the restriction on Tyne avenue as highlighted in paragraphs 8 and 9 of the report CMDE5.

Signed……………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/086

Contact: Hugh Potter, Team Leader – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Interim Director Community Operations (CMDE6).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on updated proposals to introduce traffic calming features and also new facilities for pedestrians at Brize Norton as a result of residential development in the area  Following an earlier consultation carried out between 29 May 2019 & 28 June 2019 the proposals were modified to allay concerns expressed by members of the public and the Ministry of Defence – Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed introduction of traffic calming measures on the Burford Road, Carterton Road, Station Road and Witney Road as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE6) the responses received to a consultation to introduce traffic calming features and new facilities for pedestrians in Brize Norton resulting from residential development in the area.

Councillor Nick Field-Johnson spoke in support of the proposals.  Traffic in this area was now a major issue following the development of RAF Brize Norton and other residential development.  There was no major A road into this area and the situation was only likely to deteriorate with further development planned.

The Cabinet Member recognised the comments made by the local member and noted that funding had been provided by developers of adjacent land.  Although there had been objections the proposals seemed to be generally supported and so having regard to the information set out in the report before her along with the representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve introduction of traffic calming measures on the Burford Road, Carterton Road, Station Road and Witney Road as advertised.

Signed…………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing…………………………..