Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/062

Contact: Craig Rossington, Senior Transport Planner Tel: 07880 945891

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CMDE5).

In Autumn 2018, the county council advertised proposals to amend the bus stop, waiting, and loading provision at the west end of High Street and to reinstate a taxi rank outside the Mitre pub immediately west of Turl Street.  This was to address operational problems with the bus & taxi arrangements introduced in High Street because of the Westgate Centre reopening.

The report sets out the responses received.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is recommended to:

a)           approve provision of a 30m loading bay outside of the Covered Market as indicatively shown at Annex 1;

b)           approve the removal of the loading bay outside the Mitre;

c)           approve the relocation of blue badge parking (east of Turl Street) to the east to allow the lengthening of the bus stop clearway as indicatively shown at Annex 1;

d)           approve the change to the hours of the loading ban on High Street and St Aldate’s to no loading 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm; and

e)           support in principle the creation by Oxford City Council of a two car taxi rank as indicatively shown at Annex 1 on the condition that the city council agrees to remove the rank immediately if it causes road safety and/or congestion problems once operational.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE5) proposals to amend bus stop, waiting, and loading provision at the west end of High Street and reinstate a taxi rank outside the Mitre pub immediately west of Turl Street in order to address operational problems with the bus & taxi arrangements introduced in High Street because of the Westgate Centre reopening.

Bashir Ahmed (COLTA) supported the recommendation and highlighted the need for a daytime taxi rank near to Carfax.  With significantly fewer ranks than other similar cities and towns it was important for Oxford to have increased provision to meet increasing demand and give the public a choice.  Taxis were facing high costs for conversion to electric vehicles but received no subsidy to help offset those costs.  Their drivers worked in a professional manner and were not responsible for the congestion issues which were usually the fault of buses.

Tim Gresswell raised concerns regarding the published report and the number of respondents which had risen from 11 to previous consultations to 70 most of whom had made no comment and he suspected they were all taxi drivers.  There were currently 11 bus routes feeding in to 2 bus stops and although that was to be increased to 3 he felt 6 would be a more realistic number.  Morning peak was less of a problem but the situation became much worse in the evening when clearly there was not enough room with a clear and evident safety issue.  There was a shortage of loading bay space in High Street with delivery vehicles having to park further down which was no good.  The loss of 2 spaces outside the Mitre would be disastrous.  As deliveries were usually between 6 and 11 am he suggested that loading bays could be used as taxi ranks later in the day when demand would be greater.  Any further loss of space would be disastrous for traders.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the point regarding the number of comments and sought clarification from officers regarding the number of bus routes using the available bus stop space.

Mr Rossington accepted that bus stops were busy but in fact there were 11 separate numbers for 6 or 7 routes.  The suggestion was to introduce a short extension of the bus stop which should help address some of the congestion issues.

Mr Kirkwood confirmed it would be possible to make provision for shared use of bays between taxis and delivery vehicles as had already been done on the Plain.  However, that would require consultation and a joint decision with the City Council.

The Cabinet Member for Environment accepted that this was a very congested part of Oxford but that the scheme before her now had been very carefully researched and needed to be tested to see how it worked. Noting Mr Gresswell’s concerns re loading provision on High Street and particularly the area around The Mitre she stressed the scheme was not set in stone and would be monitored.  To Bashir Ahmed she empathised with the point regarding the public need for taxis. Therefore, noting that some of the provisions set out needed to be consulted on by the City Council and having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations made to her at the meeting she confirmed her decision as follows:

a)     approve provision of a 30m loading bay outside of the Covered Market as indicatively shown at Annex 1 to the report CMDE5;

b)     approve the removal of the loading bay outside the Mitre;

c)     approve the relocation of blue badge parking (east of Turl Street) to the east to allow the lengthening of the bus stop clearway as indicatively shown at Annex 1 to the report CMDE5;

d)     approve the change to the hours of the loading ban on High Street and St Aldate’s to no loading 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm; and

e)     support in principle the creation by Oxford City Council of a two-car taxi rank as indicatively shown at Annex 1 to the report CMDE5 on the condition that the city council agreed to remove the rank immediately if it caused road safety and/or congestion problems once operational.

Signed………………………………….

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………..