Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/058

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

Report by Director for Comm unity Operations (Interim) (CMDE5).

Following a consultation in May 2018, the Cabinet Member for Environment at her decisions meeting in July 2018 approved an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) allowing taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) to use the Westgate bus link in Oxford city centre (between Old Greyfriars Street and Paradise Street) during the day as a through route only i.e. no passengers to be picked up or dropped off.  The timing for taxi and PHV use of the bus link was subsequently set at 7am to 7pm.  The experiment started on 1 May 2019 and under the terms of the ETRO will end on 31 October this year.  As with any ETRO, the first six months of the experiment served as the formal consultation period to help inform a decision about whether to make the arrangements permanent. Comments were received during that period and monitoring also took place then and afterwards.

The conclusion has been drawn that the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) that started on 1 May 2019 allowing the use of the Westgate bus link in Oxford by taxis and PHVs has shown that there have been no significant issues that should prevent these arrangements from being made permanent and the report before the Cabinet Member at this meeting details the responses received to the formal consultation during the first six months of the ETRO and addresses the content of the objections and concerns received.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to make permanent the use of the Westgate bus link in Oxford city centre by taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm.

Following a consultation in May 2018, the Cabinet Member for Environment in July 2018 approved an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) allowing taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) to use the Westgate bus link in Oxford city centre (between Old Greyfriars Street and Paradise Street) during the day as a through route only between 7am to 7pm.  The experiment which had started on 1 May 2019 was due to end under the terms of the ETRO on 31 October 2020 and as with any ETRO, the first six months of the experiment served as the formal consultation period to help inform a decision about whether to make the arrangements permanent. Comments were received during that period and monitoring also took place then and afterwards. The Experimental Order had shown that there had been no significant issues to prevent the arrangements from being made permanent and the report now before the Cabinet Member detailed and addressed the responses received to the formal consultation.

Sajad Khan on behalf of COLTA emphasised how access through the link route had helped their drivers operating in and around the city centre throughout the trial period. Drivers had been able to shuttle passengers in and around the city or beyond without the stress of getting caught in congestion. It was a win-win situation as passenger journey times had been cut representing a saving for them and enabling drivers to get to their ranks quicker by avoiding the congested routes which meant passenger waiting times at ranks had been cut significantly.  The trade fully appreciated the concerns raised by Oxford Bus Company and residents of Tennyson Lodge and they were fully aware of their responsibilities and the licensing conditions which bound them. The trade was not in the business of causing disruption or annoyance to anyone and were fully aware of how buses operated and the importance of not impeding their flow.  They advised their drivers on how to operate professionally and to prevent the trade being brought into disrepute worked closely with the authorities to reach a good understanding with everyone of what was required and as part of the transport strategy planned for Oxford.  Continued access through the link route would help us operate without the stress of using other congested routes. They supported the recommendation for continued access through the link route and for the current temporary order to be made permanent. The taxi trade had been seriously hit since March 2020 and the right decision today for a permanent order for access through the link route would certainly alleviate some of the stress they were currently facing due to the impact of the coronavirus.

At the request of the Cabinet Member a written statement received from Richard Munro on behalf of the Tennyson Lodge Residents Company was read out.

“We are disappointed by the proposal to lift the exclusion of taxis from the Norfolk St. bus route permanently.  This is particularly so given that we witness daily infringements, albeit by a minority of drivers, of the restrictions on night-time use and on picking up/dropping off.  We note that there are now cameras in place capable of recording use between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., but it is unclear whether any system exists to detect stopping on the route or what sanctions are available against drivers who do so.

Therefore, we hope that the Cabinet Member, if she approves the officer recommendation, will explicitly confirm that all instances of use outside of permitted hours will result in fines.  In addition we would welcome clarification from the meeting as to how drivers who stop to pick up or drop off will be penalised.”

Councillor Sanders was pleased with this change and had achieved what he thought it would do by speeding up traffic and helping people,  He was still concerned with regard to problems of taxis stopping and wondered if a solution would be to have a small pull in area on the Thames side of John Lewis where were wide pavements and unused cycle parking to provide an area to drop off but not pick up.

Officers undertook to look at that although there was provision for that already at Greyfriars.

The Cabinet Member asked Mr Khan to remind his members that this was being offered on the condition that it was a link and that no picking up or dropping off would be sanctioned. She noted that cameras were now in place and that penalty fines would be used when necessary and that there had been no detrimental impact on air quality. Therefore, having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations made to her at the meeting the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed her decision as follows:

to make permanent the use of the Westgate bus link in Oxford city centre by taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm.

Signed ………………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of Signing………………………………