Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/010

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

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial) (CMDE4).

The report presents objections and comments received in the course of a statutory consultation on proposals to introduce and amend various traffic restrictions, and to provide new and amended pedestrian crossings, in the vicinity of the Westgate Centre in central Oxford as part of the major redevelopment of the Centre.  It includes further responses to the consultation that were received too late to be included in the report presented to and deferred by the Cabinet Member for Environment at his meeting on 9 June 2016.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the implementation of proposals as advertised, but with the possible exemption of pedal cyclists from the proposed prohibition of right turns from Old Greyfriars Street being made in the light of further investigation and local consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Environment reconsidered (CMDE4) objections and comments received to a statutory consultation on proposals to introduce and amend various traffic restrictions as part of the major redevelopment of the Westgate Centre.  He also noted the contents of a letter from City Councillor Colin Cook Chair, of that Council’s Licensing and Gambling Committee supporting the views of the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicabs Association and requesting that the restriction should not exclude licenced taxis from this important link in the city centre and at the very least said restriction should not apply outside core shopping hours between 18.00 and 10.00

Sajad Khan spoke on behalf of Oxford’s licenced hackney carriage drivers who objected strongly to the proposed exclusion of cabs from the new link road between Castle street and Speedwell Street from the Westgate Redevelopment. They provided a vital and iconic service with wheelchair accessible cabs and their livelihood was now threatened by the County Council who they felt had failed to recognise that the hackney carriage service was integral to Oxford.  They had been required to provide modern emission free vehicles but were being prevented from using some roads which would result in increased journey times and costs.

Responding to the Cabinet Member Mr Khan was unable to confirm if COLTA had made representations in 2013 to the planning application but he seemed to recal that there had been some discussions at that time.

The Cabinet Member expressed some sympathy for their position but pointed out that the County Council were merely implementing a planning permission issued by the City Council.

Officers confirmed that following deferral in June this current report now contained further comments from cycle and taxi organisations and SENDRA specifically regarding junction arrangements at Blackfriars Road. The latter were now content with that element and the issue now centred on the issue of traffic allowed use of the main route.

The concensus was that this represented an improvement on the previous scheme by providing a new facility for taxis in Old Greyfriars Street the heart of the development and that the route as now proposed for taxi use was no longer than the through route. It was confirmed that at the planning stage both the City and County Councils had felt it better to provide a taxi rank in Old Greyfriars Street.

Also many of the supporting documents and junctions had been based on modelling which had been undertaken on the assumption that only buses would be allowed. There were also issues regarding air quality and the number of vehicles allowed.

Responding to the Cabinet Member who referred to proposals for taxis to acquire zero emission status officers confirmed that that was largely irrelevant as the issue revolved around the number of vehicles and that the position was further complicated as steps needed to be taken to avoid discrimination between Oxford City licenced hackney carriages and other licenced taxi vehicles from outside the City.  Also consultation had been undertaken on proposals for a highway environment for buses and cycles only and any changes to that would require reconsultation.

The Cabinet Member recognised the need for certainty with regard to reasonable restrictions as soon as possible and with that in mind it was important to try to comply with the terms of the planning permission and ensure priority for buses. However the point had been made that bus traffic would be at its peak during the day and there might be room for some manoeuvre there.   Therefore having regard to the documentation before him and the representations made to him at the meeting he confirmed his decision as follows:

to approve implementation of the proposals as advertised, but with the possible exemption of pedal cyclists from the proposed prohibition of right turns from Old Greyfriars Street being made in the light of further investigation and local consultation and to give further consideration to allowing access for licenced hackney carriages in the area through the development.

Signed…………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

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