Agenda, decisions and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/054

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

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

Following approval in June 2018 and April 2019 of a programme of new Controlled Parking Zones in Oxford the report presents responses to a formal consultation for a new CPZ in the Headington Quarry area.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the     proposals as advertised for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the Headington Quarry area but, with regard to the proposals for the no waiting at any time restrictions, authorise officers to review and agree those proposals in consultation with the local member taking account of the consultation responses as detailed in paragraph 17 below and, if required, a further report be submitted to the Cabinet Member for Environment.

Following approval in June 2018 and April 2019 of a programme of new Controlled Parking Zones in Oxford the Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE4) responses to a formal consultation for a new Controlled Parking Zone in the Headington Quarry area.

The Cabinet Member noted a written statement submitted by Jonathan Saunders that rather than spend money on a CPZ, which he considered would have marginal benefits for Quarry's residents and negative consequences too, it would be much better spent on preventing Quarry being used as a rat run and trying to wean Quarry residents off their excessive reliance on the motor vehicle which would have a more positive effect on the environment and encourage greater use of public transport.

County Councillor Roz Smith advised that at a public meeting 15 years ago there had been great support for a CPZ which had been re-affirmed in the formal consultation. She welcomed proposals to make the signage and lining less intrusive.  She was confident it would relieve pressure from commuter parking.  She concurred with comments regarding displaced parking on Risinghurst and that would need to be monitored carefully. She looked forward to working with officers to delivering the scheme.

Officers felt the scheme had achieved a good balance but there would be an opportunity to make some additional minor changes to it prior to implementation in January 2021.

The Cabinet Member was confident that introduction of CPZs across the City would have a significant impact on commuter parking. She asked officers to continue to work with the local member to effect any changes to the scheme and confirmed in response to one request that only two permits would be issued per household.

Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report before her together with the representations made to her at the meeting the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve the proposals as advertised for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the Headington Quarry area but, with regard to the proposals for the no waiting at any time restrictions, authorise officers to review and agree those proposals in consultation with the local member taking account of the consultation responses as detailed in paragraph 17 below and, if required, a further report be submitted to the Cabinet Member for Environment.

Signed…………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing…………………………..

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/079

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

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

Following approval in June 2018 and April 2019 of a programme of new Controlled parking Zones in Oxford the report presents  responses received to a formal consultation for a new CPZ in the Navigation Way area.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED:

a)     not to approve proposals for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Navigation Way, with a future scheme being kept under review  by officers and local member taking account of local parking pressures and the views of residents;

b)     to approve the proposed School Keep Clear and no waiting at any time restriction.

Following approval in June 2018 and April 2019 of a programme of new Controlled Parking Zones in Oxford the Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) responses received to a formal consultation for a new CPZ in the Navigation Way area.

Jason Purvor advised that most residents had considered the proposals unnecessary as had been reflected in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the officer report.  However, residents were concerned that the analysis in paragraph 6 did not clearly delineate the restrictions which residents would support, versus those they would not and for clarity, many were of the view that with operational rising bollards, parking issues were largely a non-issue as identified in paragraph 12 of the report with multiple comments calling for an extension of the rising bollard activation to deal with after school clubs – from 3.45pm to 4.15pm and, for example, comment 23 which might be handled by re-instating the bollards and extending the time of operation in this way.  Many residents supported the additional no stopping restriction on the north corner beside the school as this created a blind bend for residents “around the corner”. Additionally, waiting restrictions extending the full length of the School were broadly supported but other restrictions, including for clarity signage or road markings elsewhere were not. In conclusion the recommendations to the Cabinet Member for the Environment were supported by the majority of residents, with clarification on the scope of the ‘no waiting at any time’ restriction by adding “on the North corner of Navigation Way” to the officer recommendation (b).

County Councillor John Howson expressed his full support for the views expressed by residents. This was a unique area with 61 households on unadopted roads.  He agreed the north corner on Navigation Way had been a long-standing problem and felt the recommendation as proposed by Mr Purvor would achieve a great improvement and hoped it would be enforced.  There was not a great deal of commuter parking but he echoed the sentiments about the bollards being out of use for so long.

Officers undertook to investigate the situation regarding the bollards.

The Cabinet Member for Environment felt this was a straightforward decision but asked that it be kept under view. Supporting the additional restriction for the north corner of Navigation Way as put forward by Mr Purvor and supported by the local member and also having regard to the information set out in the report before her and other representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

a)     not to approve proposals for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Navigation Way, with a future scheme being kept under review  by officers and local member taking account of local parking pressures and the views of residents;

b)     to approve the proposed School Keep Clear with a no waiting at any time restriction on the North corner of Navigation Way.

Signed………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing…………………………….

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/124

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Paul Knight, Project Sponsor – Major Transport Projects Tel: 07584 909528

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE6).

As a part of the wider western A40 Corridor improvement project, it is proposed to introduce a number of measures aimed at improving the flow of traffic to reduce journey times and help to improve road safety along the stretch of the A40 Northern By-pass approaching Wolvercote roundabout. This report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on a number of  proposals which will require the introduction of Traffic Regulation Orders:

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve:

(a)  proposed amended speeds limits comprising an extension of the 30mph speed limit west of the Wolvercote roundabout, westwards to beyond the A34 flyover bridge, and the introduction of a new 40mph speed limit (replacing parts of the existing 40mph & 60mph national speed limit);

(b) introduction of a bus lane for eastbound buses approaching Wolvercote roundabout from near the A34 flyover;

(c) the prohibition of U-turns on the A40, 200 metres east of the A34 Flyover at the new service sideroads on the A40 and 7.5tonne weight limits on the side roads being created as part of approved development adjacent to the A40 west of the Wolvercote roundabout at Oxford.

(d)  introduction of 7.5 tonne weight restrictions (with exemptions) on the 4 new access roads either side of the A40:

North side, approximately 300 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover; and

South side, approximately 270 metres west of Wolvercote roundabout, and 200 metres east of the A34 flyover.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE6) responses received to a number of  proposals as a part of the wider western A40 Corridor improvement project aimed at improving the flow of traffic, reduce journey times and help to improve road safety along the stretch of the A40 Northern By-pass approaching Wolvercote roundabout.

Councillor Charles Mathew expressed profound concerns that these measures ignored the role of the A40 to the wider public. Further speed limits would exacerbate existing queue problems at the head of this road which was a main conduit East for many thousands a day from all points west from Wales, Monmouthshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire and, pre-Covid, used by 32,000 vehicles per day. Add to that the many residential developments happening or planned in these areas and what was already a problem would then become a nightmare.  He considered these measures would only make that situation worse. The police had already indicated they would not be able to enforce them due to a lack of resources or possibly priority.  He could not see the rationale behind these measures and did not believe that they would be effective. The long-awaited Loop Farm link project, currently unfunded and now no longer part of the infrastructure planning for this area had represented a vital relief road option to the A40 traffic going north at this juncture and was preferable to what would now be a rat run in the North Oxford Development on the approach to the Wolvercote roundabout.  He considered it nonsensical to promote measures which would not be enforced by the Police, had the effect of further complicating the through traffic plans of thousands a day and asked the Cabinet Member to reconsider these proposals, in the light of the clear problems they would present.

Councillor Paul Buckley considered the Oxford North development had a major highways design flaw at its heart as he and others had explained at meetings of the City Council’s West Area Planning Committee and then its Planning Review Committee in 2019. The Oxford North outline plan contained an internal link road that crossed the centre of the site, linking the A40 and the A44. According to the plan, it would be a low capacity road with part of it even shared with pedestrians and cyclists but as we now know that there will be no external link road (the originally proposed Loop Farm Link Rd) to divert through traffic away from the Wolvercote roundabout there would be extreme congestion on the approaches to that roundabout, with a substantial fraction of the queuing traffic being A40-A44 through traffic with the internal link road presenting an obvious rat-run short-cut.  Through traffic approaching along the A40 would have been sitting in a long queue as it approached the junction with the internal link road and at peak times that queue could be at least 3km (according to Oxford North’s prediction). The strong motivation for all this through traffic would therefore be to divert through the centre  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14/20

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/132

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Ryan Moore, Senior Engineer (Road Agreement Team) Tel: 07557 082568

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE7).

This report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce a 20mph speed limit on Larch Drive and adjacent roads put forward following the instruction to officers by the Cabinet Member for Environment decisions on 16 January 2020 to explore funding for this scheme which has now been obtained from the developers of Great Western Park.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed 20mph speed limit in Larch Drive and adjacent roads as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE7) responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce a 20mph speed limit on Larch Drive and adjacent roads. Following an instruction to officers by the Cabinet Member for Environment on 16 January 2020 to explore whether or not funding might be available from the developers of Great Western Park to pursue the scheme. That funding had now been secured.

Acknowledging the comments from Thames valley Police regarding enforcement the Cabinet Member having regard to the information in the report before her confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve the proposed 20mph speed limit in Larch Drive and adjacent roads as advertised.

Signed…………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………………..

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/131

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Ryan Moore, Senior Engineer (Road Agreement Team) Tel: 07557 082568

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE8).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce traffic calming measures and a 20mph speed limit on Brasenose Road and Slade Road put forward as part of the approved residential development at Great Western Park and, if approved, funded by developers.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed 20mph speed limit and traffic calming measures in Brasenose Road and Slade Road as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE8) responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce traffic calming measures and a 20mph speed limit on Brasenose Road and Slade Road put forward as part of the approved residential development at Great Western Park and, if approved, funded by developers.

Sean Wilde spoke against the proposed traffic calming cushions located outside his property in Slade Road and urged consideration of alternative measures. Access to the property was already a dangerous manoeuvre due to current traffic, parked cars and pedestrians etc when trying to reverse onto/off our drive and virtually impossible due to lack of visibility. They currently often had to wait on the road to ensure all on-coming vehicles had passed and pedestrians had cleared their driveway before attempting access. Speed cushions would add further difficulty/complications to an already risky manoeuvre. He referred to increased noisewhich he had observed at a friend’s propertydue to cars having to brake/accelerate when navigating the cushions and other obstructions e.g. parked cars and similarly increased pollution from vehicles waiting/queuing to pass one another outside their property. He also had safety concerns as the length of the cushions at 3.7m were fairly long meaning drivers had to line-up to traverse over them, so for vehicles travelling in opposite directions they would tend to try and traverse over the cushions by avoiding them, meaning that drivers/vehicles would be forced towards the centre of the road, thus potentially heading towards one another. There would be issues for visitor parking as the cushions would be positioned directly outside his house and therefore not  visible by other drivers with cars parked on them.  He asked if alternative options had been considered such as raised tables at strategic junctions along Slade Road at strategic junctions at Oxford Crescent, Icknield Close and Churchill Road with a 20mph speed limit so drivers knew that they were entering a 20mph speed limit area. All his neighbours who were directly impacted with the positioning of these cushions were opposed to installation outside their homes and he urged that their objections be taken into account and consider placing them directly outside the properties of residents who had expressed their support for these measures.

Dawn Elsley outlined several objections to the proposed speed cushion outside their property.Firstly noise due to the braking and accelerating between cushions which she had observed on other roads with speed cushions. The noise had been very noticeable and would impact on rooms at the front of their house. There would also be an increase in air pollution. She also objected on access grounds to their dropped kerb driveway as a cushion would present another obstacle to negotiate when reversing on to or reversing out from their driveway causing a potential safety issue. They were also objecting to the positioning of the speed cushions as on investigation, there appeared to be no specific criteria to where cushions should be placed in a road. They understood that this had been merely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16/20

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/133

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Ryan Moore, Senior Engineer (Road Agreement Team) Tel: 07557 082568

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE9).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce traffic calming measures and a 30mph speed limit on Milton Hill put forward as part of approved residential development and, if approved, funded by that development.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed 30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures at Milton Hill as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE9) responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce traffic calming measures and a 30mph speed limit on Milton Hill put forward as part of approved residential development and, if approved, funded by that development.

Having regard to the information set out in the report before her the Cabinet Member for Environment noted the high level of support which had been received for the speed limit element but slightly lower levels of support for the traffic calming element.  However, mindful of the need for traffic calming to ensure compliance with the 30 speed limit as had been pointed out by the Police in their response the Cabinet Member confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve the proposed 30mph speed limit and traffic calming measures at Milton Hill as advertised.

Signed………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing…………………………….

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/130

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

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE10).

The report presents comments and objections received to a statutory consultation to  remove, amend and introduce disabled persons parking places (DPPP’s) at various locations in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse districts put forward following requests from residents, including – where a new place has been requested -  an assessment of  eligibility, applying the national guidelines on the provision of such parking places.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed provision of Disabled Persons Parking Places (DPPP) at: Lyford Way, Abingdon; Preston Road, Abingdon (bay to remain); Crisp Road, Henley on Thames; Luker Avenue, Henley on Thames; Duffield Place, Marcham and Pages Orchard, Sonning Common

But to defer approval of the proposals at the following locations pending further investigations: Lydalls Road, Didcot and Fleetwood Way, Thame.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE10) comments and objections received to a statutory consultation to  remove, amend and introduce disabled persons parking places (DPPP’s) at various locations in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse districts put forward following requests from residents, including, where a new place has been requested, an assessment of  eligibility having applied the national guidelines on the provision of such parking places. She also noted the following comments received from local members:

Councillor Emily Smith (Abingdon North) in respect of Lyford Way - “As the only response to the consultation was a supporter and it hasn't been raised with me by any residents I have no comment to make.”

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak (Henley-on-Thames) in respect of Crisp Road & Luker Avenue - “Full support for the disabled bays, I know these locations and the persons involved.”

Councillor Richard Webber (Sutton Courtenay & Marcham) in respect of Duffield Place - “What is proposed is reasonable.”

Councillor David Bartholomew (Sonning Common) in respect of Pages Orchard - “I have discussed this with Sonning Common Parish Council who are in favour of the officer recommendation and I have no reason to disagree with them.”

Therefore , having regard to the information set out in the report before her and the representations received for the meeting from local members the Cabinet Member confirmed her decision as follows:

approve the proposed provision of Disabled Persons Parking Places (DPPP) at: Lyford Way, Abingdon; Preston Road, Abingdon (bay to remain); Crisp Road, Henley on Thames; Luker Avenue, Henley on Thames; Duffield Place, Marcham and Pages Orchard, Sonning Common;

but defer approval of the proposals at the following locations pending further investigations: Lydalls Road, Didcot and Fleetwood Way, Thame.

Signed……………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………..