Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/069

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

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy - Commercial & Delivery (CMDE4).

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered a proposal to make a permanent traffic regulation order prohibiting right turns into and out of Collinwood Road in the light of comments received to a public consultation following an experimental order which closed the gap in the central reservation of the A40 and the Collinwood Road junction.

Mr Taylor supported action  but the aspiration remained very much a junction as had been provided at Kiln Lane.  There had been discussion regarding this and if funds were to become available could this restriction be lifted at a future date and a light controlled junction installed.  He also requested that the turn into the estate from Wheatley be widened.  Although no accidents had bee recorded here he had personally witnessed a bus clipping the end of a car at this point.

Councillor Roz Smith agreed that a safe entry and exit was required and she regretted that some of the capital funding spent on the Abingdon Road roundabout had not been directed here and a safe crossing was needed. If lights could not be provided then at least a sign warning that pedestrians were crossing should be provided as most cars were speeding at this point. Possibly consideration could now be given to directing some of the Barton development money to providing a crossing.

City Councillor Mike Rowley advised that a recent survey had shown 200 people crossing over a 12 hour period equating to 1 every 3 ½ minutes with a concentration at either end of the day. Therefore some form of traffic control was needed urgently and there was lot of local support for a crossing.  Traffic was also accelerating at this point which was 50 meters from the change of speed limit and as a minimum signage should be provided to encourage drivers to stick to the speed limit and visibility of existing signing improved.

City Councillor Dee Sinclair referred to support expressed over recent years at County level and locally for a crossing but unfortunately the cheaper option was to closed the junction but in reality the only real safe option was to provide signals.  A recent survey had indicated 75.5% in favour of a solution other than the junction being fully open or closed.  She hoped that it would not take a fatal incident to prompt action.

County Councillor Glynis Phillips referred to local calls for the gap to be reopened.  Pressure in this area would only increase with the Barton development with a large body of support for provision of a crossing. She called for the traffic management review to be undertaken by the end of the year and opportunities taken to put this right.  She asked how permanent the restriction would be and assumed that it could be reversed if it was found that the gap could be reopened.

Mr Tole confirmed that this was a permanent restriction but if consultation was undertaken on a light controlled junction then that would also include consultation on reopening the gap and there was a precedent for that action.  He undertook to investigate the left turn into Collingwood Road and confirmed  that all accident information was compiled from information provided by the Police who only took into account reported injury accidents and none had been reported since the experimental order had been introduced.

He agreed that safety was imperative and that recommendation (a) addressed that.  Consideration of funding would need to be a political view but he undertook to consider provision of warning signing and issue of visibility of current signing.

He acknowledged the long campaign regarding provision of an improved facility and was aware that closure had resulted in longer journey time but the reasons behind the permanent closure were safety ones.  He accepted lights would be a better option but as the main aim had been to improve safety this represented the best option in the absence of available funding.

He could not promise completion of the review by the end of the year but he was hopeful that it could be done by the end of the financial year.

He would also consider the appropriateness of the gradients of the ramps at the underpass.

The Cabinet Member was aware of the depth of feeling for provision of a crossing but in the absence of appropriate funding he needed to make a decision now because the experimental order was due to expire and he needed to ensure levels of safety were maintained. He was unable to say if money would be forthcoming from neighbouring developments but if it did he understood the local desire for a crossing at this point.  He asked officers to ensure that the review was undertaken as soon as possible.

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 Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed his decision as follows:

(a)               to approve the making of a permanent traffic regulation order prohibiting right turns into and out of Collinwood Road; and

(b)               to instruct officers to review the traffic management along this section of A40 (including the possible introduction of pedestrian facilities) at the earliest opportunity.

Signed………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date…………………………………………