Agenda item

10.15

Martin Tugwell, Deputy Director (Strategy and Infrastructure Planning) will present a paper (GI5) headlining the changes made to the Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 during 2011/12 and which were agreed at full council as part of the Plan’s annual review in July. The paper also outlines proposed changes to the Plan’s update process for 2012/13.

The committee will be invited to comment on both the changes made to the Local Transport Plan during 2011/12 and the proposed update process for 2012/13.

Councillor Rose was invited to join the meeting.

Mr Leggett urged the committee to set in motion the production of a new cycling strategy that would promote safe and convenient cycling in Oxfordshire. He praised the Council’s previous cycling strategy, but questioned whether it had been enacted effectively. Mr Leggett stated that time was now right for the Council to produce a new comprehensive strategy which would set out a clear vision for transforming the county’s cycling infrastructure and deliver the many benefits associated with this; including cost effectiveness, improved health, and reduced congestion and carbon emissions.

Members acknowledged the many benefits associated with cycling as a method of travel.

Councillor Charles Mathew requested a copy of the Council’s previous cycling strategy, officers undertook to circulate the strategy to all committee members.

Members discussed the importance of embedding any strategy for cycling into the Local Transport Plan 2011-2030 (LTP3); both to prevent conflict between the two documents, but also to ensure any comments on cycling were not overlooked when allocating developer funding.

The committee thanked Mr Leggett for his comments and agreed that the role of cycling as outlined in the LTP3 be reviewed.

Martin Tugwell and John Disley, Strategic Manager (Policy & Strategy) outlined changes made to LTP3 during 2011/12. Officers acknowledged that the committee had not been suitably engaged in updating the document, and proposed that the LTP3 working group be reformed in order to feed into the process for future updates.

The committee agreed that the working group be reformed and welcomed the commitment to involve the committee in future updates of the LTP3 document. Councillor David Nimmo-Smith undertook to get in contact with Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, Chairman of the Strategy and Partnership’s committee to discuss how the committee’s work on the LTP3 might be picked up in that committee’s on-going review of the scrutiny function.

Councillor Pete Handley questioned why RAF Brize Norton and the implications of the changes due to take place at the base had not been included in the LTP3.

Martin Tugwell responded by saying that the District Council was due to consult on its core strategy in the next six months, and that this would offer an opportunity to provide comment on any major infrastructure projects in the area, including planned work at RAF Brize Norton. Councillor Rose added that the LTP3 document was not intended as an exhaustive list of all infrastructure projects in the county.

Members asked whether the 20mph speed limit which had been introduced in Oxford City would be rolled out to other parts of the county.

Officers said that this would be subject to evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the measures and consideration as to whether the measures were appropriate in other locations. Councillor Rose added that before any further roll out was considered a more effective method of enforcing the limit would have to be found.

Councillor Mathew requested a review of the Council’s policy on HGV restrictions as outlined in the LTP3.

Martin Tugwell agreed to look at the commercial pressures on the Highways asset as part of the next LTP3 review.

Councillor Mathew also suggested that a letter be sent to all parish councils requesting their assistance in the eradication of noxious weeds on verges.

Officers tabled a brief note outlining the reinstatement of wording previously removed from the LTP3 document in respect of traffic management in Chipping Norton, specifically regarding the issue of HGV that had been accepted under the Cabinet Member for Transport’s delegated powers, subject to Cabinet and Council review in spring 2013. The agreed reinstated wording was as follows:

“20.31 A proposal to remove the primary route status of the A44 is currently being considered, which would in turn enable HGV restrictions to be introduced in Chipping Norton.  Responsibility for reclassifying the highway now rests with local highway authorities, but in this case would also require the approval of Gloucestershire County Council, which has expressed some reservations about the proposals.  Discussions with them are continuing to agree a solution. 

20.32  Subject to this, the proposed approach to traffic management in Chipping Norton would be:

-          Delivering relief to the town centre of Chipping Norton from lorries, including HGV restrictions in Horsefair;

-          Removing primary route status on the A44 between Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh in order to deliver improvements in the AQMA”