Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/035

Contact: Owen Jenkins, Service Manager for Highways, Transport and Waste Tel: (01865) 323304

Report by Acting Director for Environment & Economy – Commercial (CMDE5).

The report summarises the formal consultation undertaken on the proposed amendments to traffic regulation orders, bus stop clearways and provision of new zebra crossings in association with Queen Street, Oxford. The consultation took place between 15 September and 14 October 2016. 

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED:

(a)             not to approve the proposals as advertised;

(b)             instruct officers to report to a future Cabinet Member Decisions meeting a proposal for an experimental closure of Queen Street to buses and taxis which addresses the concerns about conditions in St Aldates and High Street raised during the recent consultation and which does not rely on the bus turning facility at Worcester Street; and

(c)             to note the City Council’s and COLTA’s latest correspondence in relation to the decision made at Cabinet Member Decisions on 21 July 2016 regarding changes to TROs for Castle Street, Norfolk Street and Speedwell Street as part of the Westgate centre development and confirm that this does not alter the decision made.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) a report which summarised a formal consultation on proposed amendments to traffic regulation orders, Bus stop clearways and provision of new zebra crossings in association with Queen Street, Oxford and the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre.

Sarah Lazenby highlighted difficulties for the elderly and vulnerable and stressed that traffic and planning should take account of this and that perhaps the County Council should appoint a specific and dedicated champion for this sort of work to evaluate proposals.  Moving bus stops further away and beyond the recommended minimum distance was against agreed policy and the proposals were not inclusive for all sections.

Karen Bell expressed concern that this was a sustrans route and it now seemed that cyclists would be prevented from travelling through Queen street between 10 am and 6 pm with no alternative safe east west route through Oxford.  Shared systems for pedestrians and cyclists worked elsewhere and she could see no reason why that wouldn’t be the case in Oxford.  Queen street was wide enough and a joined up transport policy was required.

Simon Hunt spoke as chair of Cyclox and against the  terms of paragraph 30 in the officers report that no further consideration be given tyo changes in cycle access until the question of bus access had been fully resolved..  Originally the proposal had suggested access for cycles for 24 hours but this recommendation if agreed went against County Council policy to encourage pedestrian and cycle activity on what had been identified as a cycle super route; it ignored the majority view from the consultation and would lead to 55 extra buses on St Aldates which made that area more dangerous for cyclists and other road users.  He urged that the original proposal be approved on the basis of an 18 month experimental period.

Sajjad Khan considered that the 107 licensed cabs should be given access through the route and particularly at peak times 8 – 10 am and 4 – 8 pm 7 days a week initially as an experiment.  Secondly Queen street was necessary for cabs to operate effectively in the Queen street and Cornmarket areas.  COLTA were happy to work with the County Councilto progress these issues.

Responding to a question from the Cabinet Member Mr Khan confirmed that the rank at Carfax was available in the evenings and 24 hours on Sundays.

Martin Sutton advised that removal of buses from Queen Street would quite simply be unmanageable and impact heavily on St Aldates, High Street and Speedwell Street. The new development would indeed attract more pedestrians but as many of those would arrive by bus access to Queen Street needed to be retained. Nothing had changed since 2009 when Bonn Square had been closed. That hadn’t worked then and emphasising that bus operators were practical people he was confident safety concerns could be dealt with and urged that buses be allowed to continue to use Queen Street if only for a trial period.

Phil Southall referred to significant inconsistencies in the data contained in the report and that Oxfordshire County Council were trying to sidestep the democratic process by using temporary traffic regulation orders.  Effective city centre strategies were required with public and private sectors working together.  He considered the County Council had reneged on its agreement with the bus companies and there had been a significant breakdown of trust.  He urged that Queen Street be kept open and the situation monitored.  It was up to the bus operators to make service work efficiently within a well thought out strategy.

Responding to a question from the Cabinet Member Mr Southall advised that the figure in the report of 55 buses before Queen Street closed had been significantly inflated.

Debbie Dance recognised the importance of a successful Westgate and the need for a balanced approach to achieve that. Closure of Queen Street could significantly add to the deterioration of the environment in St Aldates and High Street and she urged that a slow and ordered approach be adopted in order to protect our heritage.

Presenting the report Mr Wilson advised that final proposals were not being recommended today but would be formulated in due course.  In the meantime officers felt the proposals being put forward were right bearing in mind a perceived pedestrian safety issue.  The County Council was not saying cyclists would never be allowed to cycle in Queen Street but it was felt that the bus situation needed to be resolved first and that itself was conditional on other alternative remedial issues elsewhere. Westgate represented a huge transformation and county officers would continue with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome for all. 

With regard to taxis the Cabinet Member was advised that the City Council who were the licensing authority were quite clear about emissions and that any change to allow taxis to use the Norfolk Street and Castle Street link would require a new planning application and environmental impact assessment to be submitted and that would have a significant impact for the reconstruction programme.

The purpose of the paper before the Cabinet Member was to report back on the results of the public consultation and recognising that the majority of comments supported not proceeding the recommendation reflected that.  Oxford had a medieval city centre and quite simply everything wouldn’t fit but it was important that the Westgate development succeeded. The County Council were faced with a dilemma but inevitably any amount of modelling wouldn’t give the whole story. There would inevitably be some change and things were finely balanced but temporary traffic regulation orders were not being used to sidestep the democratic process but to assist in getting the best possible outcome.

The Cabinet Member accepted that his hands were tied with regard to issues such as taxi use but recognised the need to try and reach a compromise to suit the many users.  He was aware of the difficulties faced by the bus companies if Queen Street was closed and the dilemma between seeing as few buses as possible but encouraging as many shoppers as possible. The situation in Queen Street needed to be monitored assessed either when open to buses ar closed.  Having regard to the information set out in the report before him and the representation made to him he agreed:

(a)             not to approve the proposals as advertised;

(b)             subject to ratification by full Cabinet on 20 December to approve a proposal that Queen Street remain open as it was before the start of the Westgate redevelopment and that the position be reviewed after 6 months;

(c)             to note the City Council’s and COLTA’s latest correspondence in relation to the decision made at Cabinet Member for Environment Delegated Decisions on 21 July 2016 regarding changes to TROs for Castle Street, Norfolk Street and Speedwell Street as part of the Westgate centre development and confirm that this did not alter the decision made.

Signed……………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Dated…………………………………….