Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Highway Management

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/135

Contact: Paul Fermer, Assistant Director Community Operations Tel: 07825 273984

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA12).

This paper requests Cabinet approval of a new countywide 20mph speed restriction approach in areas that have traditionally mainly been 30mph limits.  To accommodate this change there is a requirement for a new 20mph speed policy and the development of a new procedure to aid their implementation.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)            approve the update of the County Council’s Speed Limit Policy statement as attached at ANNEX A.

b)           approve the criteria for consideration of 20mph at ANNEX B and the Funding Prioritisation Framework at ANNEX C to manage funding requests and the overall programme.

a)            endorse the proposed approach to implementing 20mph speed restrictions across Oxfordshire which better reflects local requirements and aspirations.

Cabinet was requested to approve of a new countywide 20mph speed restriction approach in areas that have traditionally mainly been 30mph limits. To accommodate this change there was a requirement for a new 20mph speed policy and the development of a new procedure to aid implementation.

Councillor Jonny Bidgood of Sonning Common Parish Council welcomed the new policy which he described as a ‘sea change’ in attitude to motor transport in residential areas.  He was promoting the idea of a cycleway from his village to Reading and saw the reduction of speed limits as essential in promoting active travel.

Councillor Andy Graham welcomed the proposal and noted that many local communities and parishes had been campaigning for this.  It was not just a question of safety but of quality of life.  He hoped that those who had already developed local schemes would not be disadvantaged and that there would be sufficient officer support available to ensure this roll-out.

Councillor Andrew Coles recalled how it had proven impossible to get the previous administration to agree to expand the 20mph limit in Witney despite local support.  There had been a fatal accident seven years ago which shook the community and it was recommended that the speed limit on the road be reduced to 20mph but that still has not happened.  He welcomed the proposal.

Cabinet Members commented as follows:

·         It was important to note that there was community and cross-party support for this.

·         Police statistics showed that this speed reduction significantly reduces the number of fatalities and serious accidents.

·         How will the schemes be implemented in parts of the city that are not parished?  Local Members would not have the resources to carry out a local consultation.

·         Will those parishes that are prepared to fund the measures be prioritised?

·         The Police and Crime Commissioner has assured that the police will support these new speed limits.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, welcomed the enthusiasm for this proposal.  He believed it was likely that more officer support would be provided if the demand required it.  He thanked all those involved in the working group which will continue to support this project.

Councillor Bearder added that the Council was not in a position to fund extra measures such as chicanes or ramps but he hoped that parishes, towns and the city could do that.  He agreed to feed the comments of the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee into the process.  With regard to non-parished areas of the city, he believed that the City Council would be best placed to come up with a solution.  He moved the recommendations.

RESOLVED to:

a)           approve the update of the County Council’s Speed Limit Policy statement as attached at ANNEX A.

b)           approve the criteria for consideration of 20mph at ANNEX B and the Funding Prioritisation Framework at ANNEX C to manage funding requests and the overall programme.

c)           endorse the proposed approach to implementing 20mph speed restrictions across Oxfordshire which better reflects local requirements and aspirations.