Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/147

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Mark Francis, Senior Traffic Technician Tel: (01235) 466118

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

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce a 30mph speed limit on Oxford Road Cumnor in place of the existing 40mph speed limit. The consultation was progressed following an instruction by the Cabinet Member for Environment at the delegated decisions meeting on 16 July 2020 to carry out a speed survey to confirm that existing traffic speeds were compatible with a 30mph speed limit following  representations received at that meeting for this speed limit change as part of the consideration of speed limit proposals for Cumnor Hill. The speed survey results obtained in October 2020 (showing mean speeds as 29.6mph eastbound and 32.9mph westbound) confirmed that a 30mph limit would be appropriate in principle.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed 30mph speed limit as advertised.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE7) responses received to a statutory consultation to introduce a 30mph speed limit on Oxford Road Cumnor in place of the existing 40mph speed limit. The consultation had been progressed following an instruction by the Cabinet Member for Environment at the delegated decisions meeting on 16 July 2020 to carry out a speed survey to confirm that existing traffic speeds were compatible with a 30mph speed limit following representations received at that meeting for this change as part of the consideration of speed limit proposals for Cumnor Hill.

Tom Christophers, Cumnor Parish Council had been due to attend and speak but in his absence his statement was reported to the Cabinet Member. His statement explained the diverse nature and identities of the parish of Cumnor which was made up of several communities ranging from the more rural Farmoor to the closely-knit community of Dean Court and the small village of Cumnor at the heart of the parish. It was the largest rural community in the Vale of White Horse district with roughly 2,700 dwellings and nearly 7,000 residents. For many years concerns had been expressed at the speed of traffic along the Cumnor Hill, from the boundary with North Hinksey parish to the centre of Cumnor village, which served as an extension of one of the main arteries out of Oxford. His statement referred to a case last year when a local schoolgirl had been struck by a car and subsequent speed surveys had provided evidence that traffic speeds should be lowered to a 30mph speed limit without additional supporting traffic calming measures. That had been approved for the section of road running from the North Hinksey boundary up to the Oxford Road leading into the village centre leaving a small length at 40mph leading into the village centre where it then stepped back down to 30mph again. That was considered to be at odds with the three adjoining 30mph roads. There was a great deal of local support for the proposed 30 speed limit to help facilitate the safe movement of traffic through the area.

County Councillor Judy Roberts referred to support for the “20 is plenty” campaign which had been successfully passed and although there was some thought that keeping the two speed limits separate would encourage people to keep them, she had noticed that during lockdown the average speed seemed to have dropped. Small rush hours had returned but it was unlikely that they would last for long and she guessed that as people were largely working from home, the journeys they did take were better planned and timed so not needing to speed through built up areas. The highways team had delayed implementing the Cumnor Hill change in speed limit until this decision had been made but if the Cabinet Member was now minded to approve this change would there be a white gate at the entrance to the Cumnor Village and Cumnor Hill giving a clear definition that cars were travelling from a rural area to a sub urban area and that vehicle speeds needed to be altered accordingly for the safety of the residents.

The Cabinet Member for Environment agreed that provision of white gates was a positive move and so having regard to the information set out in the report before together with the representations received at the meeting confirmed her decision as follows:

to approve a 30mph speed limit on Oxford Road, Cumnor in place of the existing 40mph limit noting that funding would be made available for provision of white gates highlighting the speed restriction.

Signed…………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………….