Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/171

Contact: Jim Daughton, Highways & Transport Service Manager Tel: (01865) 815083

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial) (CMDDL4).

The Deputy Leader of the Council considered objections to a formal consultation on proposals to amend parking restrictions in Witney.

Also in attendance were Michael McLoughlin and Ron Spurs (West Oxfordshire District Council).

Officers referred to two submissions from objectors to the proposals who had been unable to attend the meeting. 

The first from Sandy Slack felt the proposals were being promoted primarily to improve traffic flow, particularly buses, and did not address issues for disabled drivers who needed to access this area on a daily basis as part of their living and working lives.  She referred to the parlous state of the pavement on the east side which also the farthest away from facilities.  The cost of repairs to the pavement would be high at a time when public finances were tight whereas the west side had the advantage of nil cost and good conditions for disabled users.

The second from Amanda Epps queried the accuracy of the comments attributed to her by officers in the report and referred to the misleading impression that the proposals currently under discussion were in addition to reinstatement  of previous arrangements on the western side of the High street.  There were serious shortcomings in explanations why the democratic recommendation of the Witney Traffic Advisory Committee had not been acted on and the adequacy of documents placed on public deposit.  There had been no adequate explanation given for these proposals and she felt that the needs of disabled drivers had been ignored in the interests of buses and taxis.  She also referred to the costs involved in implementing these proposals at a time when there were severe constraints on public spending and pointed out that there had been no comparison between costs for the WTAC scheme and this current scheme.

Mr Tole apologised for the discrepancy with arrangements for the documents to go on local deposit but confirmed that the objection period had been extended to compensate for the delay.  He also accepted that whilst pavement levels were not as flat as at the current site blue badge holders currently used that area and work would be carried out to smooth surfaces where possible.  He understood the concerns expressed but the County Council had to look at these issues in a more pragmatic way and from a wider perspective and although there had been some specific objections to the proposals there had been general agreement from blue badge holders.

The Deputy Leader expressed his desire for the taxi proposals in this part of Witney to proceed as soon as possible to proceed as soon as possible and if possible to be implemented in tandem with these proposals. He also asked that investigations be carried out to see if some remedial work could be carried out to pavements.

Mr Spurs confirmed that a report on the hackney carriage proposals for High street and Welch Way would be submitted to West Oxfordshire’s Licensing Committee in the following week.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him and the further considerations set out above the Deputy Leader of the Council confirmed his decisions on this matter as follows:

to approve the parking restrictions as set out in the report CMDDL4 and advertised as part of the Oxfordshire County Council (Various Roads - West Oxfordshire) (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Permitted Parking) (Variation No.1) Order 20**

Signed………………………………..

Deputy Leader of the Council

Date…………………………