All posts in the topic Headington/London Road improvements (Short link)

From: Stephanie Jenkins Date: Jun 10 07:09 UTC Short link

I am disappointed that so many cycle lanes are now back on the pavements of the
Headington/London Road.  A unique opportunity to do something sensible to
segregate pedestrians and cyclists has been missed.

There is one small mercy: the pavement cycle lane going from central Headington
to Brookes has reverted to being one-way.  But the dangerous situation at the
Headley Way junction is just the same as before: cyclists are invited to go
straight under a bus (see uploaded photograph).

(Will the roadworks ever finish?  It’s almost mid-June now, but if you go to
http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/londonroad/ and click on “What are we doing?” the
county council still claims that the work will finish in the middle of last
month.  That page, however, is dated April Fools. Day….)
    

The following file was added to this topic:

bike_into_traffic.jpg (image/jpeg, 2207KB)

From: Andrew Lewis Date: Jun 10 08:09 UTC Short link

You are having a larf.

When the pavement was done just over a year ago on the Headington to Green Road
roundabout stretch, there were dips created so when it rains you have to walk
around large puddles, including hilariously one under a bus shelter. And when
the road was surfaced not all the top dressing was bound in so there is a mass
of grit on the footpath now, to the detriment of cyclists and pedestrians. The
surface quality is already poor after only a short time.

Basically there was no evidence of quality control there, it may be different
on the more prestigous stretch between Headington-Headington Hill.
    

andrew



> From: <email obscured>
> To: <email obscured>
> Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:30:21 +0100
>
> I'm also a little suspicious that they seem to have no obvious
> intention of putting any bus shelters on the city-bound side of the
> road between the Gipsy Lane campus and the top of the hill.  Can
> anyone recall if losing these was part of the plan?
>
> There have been times at which it has only been possible to notice
> progress if using a geological clock.  And I notice already that the
> very light coloured paving is very easily marked and dirtied by almost
> anything - is there a plan to keep the pavements washed?  They are
> already getting pretty grim in places.
>
> Jock
>
> On 10 Jun 2009, at 08:12, <email obscured> wrote:
>
> > I am disappointed that so many cycle lanes are now back on the
> > pavements of the Headington/London Road.  A unique opportunity to do
> > something sensible to segregate pedestrians and cyclists has been
> > missed.
> >
> > There is one small mercy: the pavement cycle lane going from central
> > Headington to Brookes has reverted to being one-way.  But the
> > dangerous situation at the Headley Way junction is just the same as
> > before: cyclists are invited to go straight under a bus (see
> > uploaded photograph).
> >
> > (Will the roadworks ever finish?  Its almost mid-June now, but if
> > you go to http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/londonroad/ and click on
> > What are we doing? the county council still claims that the work
> > will finish in the middle of last month.  That page, however, is
> > dated April Fools. Day.)
> >
> > Oxford - Headington &amp; Marston Neighbourhood Forum now contains
> > the following file
> >
> >   http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/img/800-2009-06-10T070920Z
> >   Name: bike_into_traffic.jpg
> >   Tags: "attachment"
> >   Type: image/jpeg
> >   Size: 2206KB
> >
> >
> > View all files added to Oxford - Headington &amp; Marston
> > Neighbourhood Forum at
> >   http://forums.e-democracy.org/s/?g=oxford-hm&amp;f=1&amp;t=0
> >
> >
> > Stephanie Jenkins
> > Headington ward, Oxford
> > Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
> >
> > View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/66CQqz2kDHZQMavw94Puxe
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>
> Jock Coats
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From: Mike Ratcliffe Date: Jun 10 08:39 UTC Short link

Maybe the contractors get a special prize if they manage to make a job last
over a year - the anniversary of the start of this is coming, and there seems
little rush to finish off the final bits (including digging up a part of the
pavement that I thought they'd done).

As to bus shelters, you have to contrast the planning that had the new shelters
go up on the North side - and then had to take them out again while they did
the pavement, and the South Side, where they've laid the pavement - which
they'll have to take up to put in the shelters.

When it's all over - I assume that it's someone's job (city or county council?)
to resore the verges?  I ask because after the gas pipes were laid, there's
still barren earth at the corner of Gipsy Lane/Old Road which could easily have
been reseeded with grass.  The corners of Gipsy and Pullens Lanes with
Headington Road need putting back into a decent state.
    

From: Noam Bleicher Date: Jun 11 09:43 UTC Short link

Thanks for clarifying this Stephanie. I think your concerns can be summarised
as 'this junction is to be approached with caution by cyclists, who should be
aware than traffic may start to move'. I cycle to work and although I won't
pretend I am perfect, I do my best to approach all such conflict points with
caution. It sounds as you do as well, which is entirely the right approach.



It is indeed good news that the new Oxford Tube Vanhools are here. As the
article states, they are cleaner that the incumbent Neoplan vehicles and have a
slightly higher seating capacity. It is not mentioned, but I have heard, that
the Vanhools are also much quieter than the Neoplans. This is good news for
passenger comfort.



This has an added advantage. Combined with the fact these vehicles are cleaner,
the fact they are quieter should put on the back foot those tax-exile hoteliers
and cloistered dons on the High Street who are campaigning to have Oxford's
public transport cut back.

Regards

Noam Bleicher
078 1847 1655
056 0268 4870
    

> From: <email obscured>
> Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> To: <email obscured>
> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:03:03 +1200
>
> I think I should clarify why I think this cycle lane is dangerous. I do that
right turn every single morning, and it is only safe if executed with caution,
a quality that I am afraid to say many cyclists lack.
>
> If the light is red, a cyclist is justified in feeling that it is safe to
turn right into the empty cycle box. But as he or she is turning, the lights
sometimes change in favour of the traffic behind (but the cyclist may not see
this).
>
> Vehicles coming up to the lights slow down, but do not stop if they see the
light start to change in their favour. I think there is a risk that drivers
(especially ones not used to Oxford) may not expect a bike suddenly to join the
road at right angles in front of them. I shall continue to proceed on this
assumption, even if I am wrong, because proving my thesis right would be too
painful.
>
> Good news about the new Oxford Tube low-emission buses, Noam:
>
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4428564.Bus_firm_invests___9m_in_London_fleet/
>
> Stephanie Jenkins
> Headington ward, Oxford
> Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/40wMv0aRq25NuJhHYBkx7v
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From: Tony Joyce Date: Jun 11 10:38 UTC Short link

Are we going on to another strand about size of coaches? I suppose these new
Vanhools are as huge as their predecessors - probably larger. In my view,
they are responsible for most of the agitation about the oppressive impact
of the buses and coaches in the city centre, particularly when they zoom
round St Mary Mag's in what I presume is a re-routing manoeuvre which ought
to be forbidden. The X90 is quite as large as we ought to tolerate in the
centre, and OBC seem able to run such a coach size profitably.
Tony
    

On 11/6/09 10:43, "Noam Bleicher" <email obscured>> wrote:

>
> Thanks for clarifying this Stephanie. I think your concerns can be summarised
> as 'this junction is to be approached with caution by cyclists, who should be
> aware than traffic may start to move'. I cycle to work and although I won't
> pretend I am perfect, I do my best to approach all such conflict points with
> caution. It sounds as you do as well, which is entirely the right approach.
>
>
>
> It is indeed good news that the new Oxford Tube Vanhools are here. As the
> article states, they are cleaner that the incumbent Neoplan vehicles and have
> a slightly higher seating capacity. It is not mentioned, but I have heard,
> that the Vanhools are also much quieter than the Neoplans. This is good news
> for passenger comfort.
>
>
>
> This has an added advantage. Combined with the fact these vehicles are
> cleaner, the fact they are quieter should put on the back foot those
tax-exile
> hoteliers and cloistered dons on the High Street who are campaigning to have
> Oxford's public transport cut back.
>
> Regards
>
> Noam Bleicher
> 078 1847 1655
> 056 0268 4870
>
>
>
>
>
>> From: <email obscured>
>> Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
>> To: <email obscured>
>> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:03:03 +1200
>>
>> I think I should clarify why I think this cycle lane is dangerous. I do that
>> right turn every single morning, and it is only safe if executed with
>> caution, a quality that I am afraid to say many cyclists lack.
>>
>> If the light is red, a cyclist is justified in feeling that it is safe to
>> turn right into the empty cycle box. But as he or she is turning, the lights
>> sometimes change in favour of the traffic behind (but the cyclist may not
see
>> this).
>>
>> Vehicles coming up to the lights slow down, but do not stop if they see the
>> light start to change in their favour. I think there is a risk that drivers
>> (especially ones not used to Oxford) may not expect a bike suddenly to join
>> the road at right angles in front of them. I shall continue to proceed on
>> this assumption, even if I am wrong, because proving my thesis right would
be
>> too painful.
>>
>> Good news about the new Oxford Tube low-emission buses, Noam:
>>
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4428564.Bus_firm_invests___9m_in_L
>> ondon_fleet/
>>
>> Stephanie Jenkins
>> Headington ward, Oxford
>> Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
>>
>> View all messages on this topic at:
>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/40wMv0aRq25NuJhHYBkx7v
>> -----------------------------------------
>> To post, e-mail: <email obscured>
>> Use "Reply-to-All" via e-mail to post publicly.
>> To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on"
>> in subject, then send to: <email obscured>
>>
>> More information about Oxford - Headington &amp; Marston Neighbourhood
Forum:
>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/oxford-hm
>>
>> E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules
>> -----------------------------------------
>> Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net
>
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From: Pippa Gwilliam Date: Jun 11 14:44 UTC Short link

For goodness' sake, if it's undesirable to travel to the town centre by car,
and by bus, and you can't use a bike for whatever reason, exactly how are you
to get there?
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: graham paul smith
  To: 'Noam Bleicher' ; <email obscured> ; 'Oxford - Headington &
Marston Neighbourhood For'
  Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:19 AM
  Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements


  This last point, like tree surgeons claiming a tree is diseased, is
  outrageous.

  The drivers of buses in the High infrequently obey the letter and less often
  spirit of the law.
  The big coaches produce a massive decibel load when accelerating as any user
  of the streets which the buses serve must know.  It is good that
  replacements for some of the fleet may lessen the noise load.  The drivers
  could accelerate less aggressively, with less noisiness, but as the engine
  is so distant from their ears they don't suffer the consequences.  For
  pedestrians and nearby residents, long or short-term, the noise is awful and
  intrusive.  If you are on the footpath as they accelerate the impact stops
  conversation.  As a cyclist the acceleration is a continual threat which
  drivers, bus companies, transport planners (and politicians?) seemingly all
  choose to ignore.

  So a point which all could probably agree, is that the presence and impact
  of buses in the High (and elsewhere too) is intolerable.  Yes the public
  transport is very often very convenient and if you use the route along the
  High you will have an interest in decisions.  The two facts live together
  but equally something could be done about noise, about numbers and about
  presence i.e. routeing.  It is no doubt amusing but quite unproductive to
  sideswipe hoteliers and restaurant owners and cloistered Dons, but why
  bother to start?  They too can be a part of a solution and in the case of
  the High Priority report they commissioned and which I contributed to, some
  alternatives were explored. The problems in the High are real and measurable
  and in this case, County leaders and cabinet, and transport planners, and
  engineers, Oxford City conservation office and the untouchable operators in
  the Jacob's Highway Engineering office all conspire to ignore the issues
  affecting users.

  Graham

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Noam Bleicher <email obscured>]
  Sent: 11 June 2009 10:44
  To: <email obscured>; Oxford - Headington & Marston Neighbourhood
  For
  Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements


  Thanks for clarifying this Stephanie. I think your concerns can be
  summarised as 'this junction is to be approached with caution by cyclists,
  who should be aware than traffic may start to move'. I cycle to work and
  although I won't pretend I am perfect, I do my best to approach all such
  conflict points with caution. It sounds as you do as well, which is entirely
  the right approach.



  It is indeed good news that the new Oxford Tube Vanhools are here. As the
  article states, they are cleaner that the incumbent Neoplan vehicles and
  have a slightly higher seating capacity. It is not mentioned, but I have
  heard, that the Vanhools are also much quieter than the Neoplans. This is
  good news for passenger comfort.



  This has an added advantage. Combined with the fact these vehicles are
  cleaner, the fact they are quieter should put on the back foot those
  tax-exile hoteliers and cloistered dons on the High Street who are
  campaigning to have Oxford's public transport cut back.

  Regards

  Noam Bleicher
  078 1847 1655
  056 0268 4870
    

  > From: <email obscured>
  > Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
  > To: <email obscured>
  > Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:03:03 +1200
  >
  > I think I should clarify why I think this cycle lane is dangerous. I do
  that right turn every single morning, and it is only safe if executed with
  caution, a quality that I am afraid to say many cyclists lack.
  >
  > If the light is red, a cyclist is justified in feeling that it is safe to
  turn right into the empty cycle box. But as he or she is turning, the lights
  sometimes change in favour of the traffic behind (but the cyclist may not
  see this).
  >
  > Vehicles coming up to the lights slow down, but do not stop if they see
  the light start to change in their favour. I think there is a risk that
  drivers (especially ones not used to Oxford) may not expect a bike suddenly
  to join the road at right angles in front of them. I shall continue to
  proceed on this assumption, even if I am wrong, because proving my thesis
  right would be too painful.
  >
  > Good news about the new Oxford Tube low-emission buses, Noam:
  >
  http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4428564.Bus_firm_invests___9m_in_
  London_fleet/
  >
  > Stephanie Jenkins
  > Headington ward, Oxford
  > Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
  http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
  >
  > View all messages on this topic at:
  http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/40wMv0aRq25NuJhHYBkx7v
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From: Jock Coats Date: Jun 11 16:31 UTC Short link

On 11 Jun 2009, at 17:09, <email obscured> wrote:

> If you look at a map of Oxford, roughly half of housing is east of
> Magdalen Bridge and the major shops are west of the bridge.

If you include areas outside the city proper like Botley it might be,
but as far as the city council area is concerned it's a much more
skewed ratio - more like 2/3 east with the remainder west (8 out of 24
city council wards are west of the rivers).

> This requires public transport for residents to go shopping.

I dare say there are some in the various corridors of power and vested
interest in the city though who think that "They've got their own
shopping centre, why do they need to use *ours*"...:)
    

Jock
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From: Andy N Date: Jun 12 08:14 UTC Short link

We seem to have lost track of a thread about bike lanes.  "This junction is to
be approached with caution by cyclists, who should be
aware than traffic may start to move" is fair, but I'd add "and to be
approached with caution by drivers, who should be aware that cyclists have been
directed to perform a manoeuvre that may place them across traffic even when
the lights are green".  Not something that many drivers will be expecting,
including me!

Personally I never hop onto a pavement bike lane unless I know it's not going
to dump me somewhere I don't want to be at the other end.  This is the trouble
with many bike lanes.  However sensible they might look at first sight, you
never know until you try them.  Do the people that design them ever use them?

As for the buses, I lived in a room on the High for a year two decades ago and,
yes, it was certainly annoyingly and disturbingly noisy, but I didn't find it
"intolerable".  At that time, cars and lorries were allowed on the High as well
as the big double-decker coaches that Citylink were running.  It seems to me
that the High is in general quieter now than it was then (there's certainly
less traffic), but even so I would always think twice about booking a room in a
hotel whose address was "High Street" in any city!

Perhaps if the buses were given less space, i.e. on a narrower roadway, then
the drivers wouldn't feel that they owned the road so much and would be more
sensitive to the environment around them.  Maybe there would be room for a
dedicated bike road in parallel as well as an increase in pedestrian space, and
even a bit of vegetation to shelter some of the buildings from the traffic
noise.  Pipe dreams, I know, but they seem to be ripping up every other inch of
road between the Westgate and Green Road (OK, apart from St Clements), so why
not that bit?

The current breed of Tube does seem to be excessively loud when accelerating,
and they're very big.  I hope the next batch have less of an impact.

The suggestion that the "presence of buses" on the High is "intolerable" is
clearly ludicrous though (isn't it?), and I'm sure it wasn't what was meant.

Andy N
Quarry
    

From: Andy N Date: Jun 14 20:50 UTC Short link

Mick

> 'There should be no circumstances whatsoever when a cyclist
performs "a manoeuvre that may place them across traffic when the lights
are green" if these instructions are acknowledged and adhered to'

I thought Stephanie explained the circumstances in which this could happen with
admirable clarity in her post of Jun 10 09:00.  She said:

"If the light is red, a cyclist is justified in feeling that it is safe to turn
right into the empty cycle box.  But as he or she is turning, the lights
sometimes change in favour of the traffic behind (but the cyclist may not see
this)."

Despite being a cyclist myself (and a driver), I must say I hadn't thought of
this - hence my point needing to try the bike routes out in order to understand
whether they make sense.

As an aside, when I'm cycling I do resent having to stop and give way to
traffic that's going the same way as me along the same road!  I think I'd
probably stick to the main carriageway at this junction...

Andy N
Quarry
    

From: Stephanie Jenkins Date: Jun 30 06:58 UTC Short link

The bumpy new pavement cycle lane  going up towards Osler Road is criticized
as dangerous in today's Oxford Mail:
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4464940.New_Oxford_cycle_land_really_does_give_you_the_hump_/
    

From: Roy Darke Date: Jun 30 07:49 UTC Short link

I will go to the Transport Decisions meeting on Thursday at County Hall and
speak as the local County Councillor.  It would be useful to know what the
Forum thinks is best way forward on issues such as the subway but suspect there
is no common line. Anyway let me know what you feel are the main issues and I
will represent these in my interjection.  Bumpy cycle lanes are an opportunitty
to have another go at the lack of dedicated cycleways citywide and need for
County policymakers to recognise there are cyclists here.



Roy Darke

> From: <email obscured>
> Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> To: <email obscured>
> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:00:03 +1200
>
> The bumpy new pavement cycle lane going up towards Osler Road is criticized
as dangerous in today's Oxford Mail:
>
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4464940.New_Oxford_cycle_land_really_does_give_you_the_hump_/
> Stephanie Jenkins
> Headington ward, Oxford
> Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/5xOVCxV15QG3qNu93BaUoD
    

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From: Jock Coats Date: Jun 30 08:31 UTC Short link

And I see also they are putting back the knee rail fencing on Pullens
Lane south as it was rather than, as suggested, with simple bollards
that would stop road users getting onto the grassed area but not
prevent pedestrians diving onto it in the event of meeting two cars
trying to pass each other, whilst leaving open a section that will be
wide enough for cars to drive onto.

The lack of forethought is astounding.

Jock
(who will worry more about cyclists' needs when they stop trying to
kill me going down the non-cycling - but unsigned for a decade -
Cuckoo Lane south)
    

The following file was added to this topic:

photo-4.jpg (image/jpeg, 166KB)

From: David Clover Date: Jun 30 09:21 UTC Short link

I support the subway - I've been using it a lot recently.

I agree it needs a clean - but so does everything else!

Is it possible to document the cave paintings thoroughly though in case it is
eventually walled up and lost? There's quite a bit of history and personalities
there to remember.

David Clover
    

-----Original Message-----
From: roy darke <email obscured>]
Sent: 30 June 2009 08:49
To: Stephanie Jenkins; <email obscured>
Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements


I will go to the Transport Decisions meeting on Thursday at County Hall and
speak as the local County Councillor.  It would be useful to know what the
Forum thinks is best way forward on issues such as the subway but suspect there
is no common line. Anyway let me know what you feel are the main issues and I
will represent these in my interjection.  Bumpy cycle lanes are an opportunitty
to have another go at the lack of dedicated cycleways citywide and need for
County policymakers to recognise there are cyclists here.



Roy Darke

> From: <email obscured>
> Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> To: <email obscured>
> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:00:03 +1200
>
> The bumpy new pavement cycle lane going up towards Osler Road is criticized
as dangerous in today's Oxford Mail:
>
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4464940.New_Oxford_cycle_land_really_does_give_you_the_hump_/
> Stephanie Jenkins
> Headington ward, Oxford
> Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
>
> View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/5xOVCxV15QG3qNu93BaUoD
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>
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From: Derek Powles Date: Jun 30 11:00 UTC Short link

Some years ago I had a drop curb installed in front of my house. I was told
that a minimum of 1metre was required between successive drop kerbs.
There are now  four drop kerbs in sequence with 1 metre high kerbs separating
them. Although there isn't a cycle lane, some cyclists seem to like jumping
them as in the Oxford Mail photo.
It also forces electric chair riders to drive in the road so as not to get
shaken around so much.

I think it would be better NOT to have these short high kerb sections, perhaps
to fit a bollard instead to stop car parking
    

From: Andrew Lewis Date: Jun 30 22:05 UTC Short link

Roy

Graham maks some pertinent comments in the article but it seems to me that
Oxford has never been a city designed for cyclists. This is a lost opportunity
to design a purpose built cycle lane all the way from Headington Hill as far as
Green Road roundabout. There is enough space/width (except maybe in the centre
of Headington) to create one instead of the daft up/down bumps and the weaving
in and out of trees and other street furniture past Bury knowle on the
pavement.

By the way, CYCLISTs BEWARE, Headington hill was dressed/resurfaced with grit
today and a right mess, and dangerous, it is too. Not sure why it was done
because it seemed unnecessary and was not part of the proposed road
improvements.

On the subway, there have been many comments over recent months so good luck in
collating them.

andrew



> From: <email obscured>
> To: <email obscured>; <email obscured>
> Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:49:13 +0000
>
>
> I will go to the Transport Decisions meeting on Thursday at County Hall and
speak as the local County Councillor.  It would be useful to know what the
Forum thinks is best way forward on issues such as the subway but suspect there
is no common line. Anyway let me know what you feel are the main issues and I
will represent these in my interjection.  Bumpy cycle lanes are an opportunitty
to have another go at the lack of dedicated cycleways citywide and need for
County policymakers to recognise there are cyclists here.
>
>
>
> Roy Darke
>
> > From: <email obscured>
> > Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> > To: <email obscured>
> > Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:00:03 +1200
> >
> > The bumpy new pavement cycle lane going up towards Osler Road is criticized
as dangerous in today's Oxford Mail:
> >
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4464940.New_Oxford_cycle_land_really_does_give_you_the_hump_/
> > Stephanie Jenkins
> > Headington ward, Oxford
> > Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
> >
> > View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/5xOVCxV15QG3qNu93BaUoD
> > -----------------------------------------
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> > To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on"
> > in subject, then send to: <email obscured>
> >
> > More information about Oxford - Headington &amp; Marston Neighbourhood
Forum:
    

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> >
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> > -----------------------------------------
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>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get the best of MSN on your mobile
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> Roy Darke
> New Marston, Oxford
> Info about Roy Darke: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/2IMGB2UZ9WByqCMNSbMFDl
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From: Peter West Date: Jul 01 09:41 UTC Short link

Andrew

This shouldn't be a problem because all the cyclists I see cycle as far as they
can up, and a number speed down, the pavement section!
    

Peter

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Lewis <email obscured>]
Sent: 30 June 2009 23:05
To: <email obscured>; stephanie jenkins; <email obscured>
Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements


Roy

Graham maks some pertinent comments in the article but it seems to me that
Oxford has never been a city designed for cyclists. This is a lost opportunity
to design a purpose built cycle lane all the way from Headington Hill as far as
Green Road roundabout. There is enough space/width (except maybe in the centre
of Headington) to create one instead of the daft up/down bumps and the weaving
in and out of trees and other street furniture past Bury knowle on the
pavement.

By the way, CYCLISTs BEWARE, Headington hill was dressed/resurfaced with grit
today and a right mess, and dangerous, it is too. Not sure why it was done
because it seemed unnecessary and was not part of the proposed road
improvements.

On the subway, there have been many comments over recent months so good luck in
collating them.

andrew



> From: <email obscured>
> To: <email obscured>; <email obscured>
> Subject: Re: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:49:13 +0000
>
>
> I will go to the Transport Decisions meeting on Thursday at County Hall and
speak as the local County Councillor.  It would be useful to know what the
Forum thinks is best way forward on issues such as the subway but suspect there
is no common line. Anyway let me know what you feel are the main issues and I
will represent these in my interjection.  Bumpy cycle lanes are an opportunitty
to have another go at the lack of dedicated cycleways citywide and need for
County policymakers to recognise there are cyclists here.
>
>
>
> Roy Darke
>
> > From: <email obscured>
> > Subject: [Oxford-HM] Headington/London Road improvements
> > To: <email obscured>
> > Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:00:03 +1200
> >
> > The bumpy new pavement cycle lane going up towards Osler Road is criticized
as dangerous in today's Oxford Mail:
> >
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/4464940.New_Oxford_cycle_land_really_does_give_you_the_hump_/
> > Stephanie Jenkins
> > Headington ward, Oxford
> > Info about Stephanie Jenkins:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/stephaniejenkins
> >
> > View all messages on this topic at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/5xOVCxV15QG3qNu93BaUoD
> > -----------------------------------------
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Forum:
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> New Marston, Oxford
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>
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From: Stephanie Jenkins Date: Jul 02 16:09 UTC Short link

Phase 2 of the London Road scheme has been approved: for details see this page
on the county council website:
http://tinyurl.com/london-road-phase-2
    

From: Jock Coats Date: Oct 27 14:21 UTC Short link

On 27 Oct 2009, at 14:15, <email obscured> wrote:

> How nice it is to see our old friends Drayton Construction back with
> us.
>
> Time seems to have flown since they were last with us, so it's nice
> to see them digging up what they appear to have finished back in
> July.  Maybe they could finish the pavement outside Headington Girls
> School while they're here?
>
> I particularly like the sign they've positioned at the end of
> Latimer Road to discourage anyone from driving up it (maybe we could
> keep it when they've gone?)
>

I had not noticed they were back.  SO I guess now is the time to
contact them and ask them t sue British Gas or whatever they need to
do in order to get them to make good the pavement at the end of
Headington Hill nearest the bus stop where they have filled in their
hole in the blockwork with tarmac.

Also, does anyone know the rules about pavements, bus stops and wheel
chair access?  It seems to me that having the bus stop sign and bin by
each of the "London bound" stops opposite Brookes on the outside of
the pavement at an angle from the shelter makes it very difficult to
pass even with bags let alone what it must be like in a wheelchair.
This cannot be legal surely?
    

Jock
--
Jock Coats - OX3 Online, the community portal for OX3
Warden's Flat 1e, J Block Morrell Hall, OXFORD, OX3 0FF
m: 07769 695767 skype:jock.coats?call
<email obscured> http://jockcoats.me

From: Stephanie Jenkins Date: Oct 27 15:54 UTC Short link

Here is the picture: it only shows as much of the roadworks as I could get into
one shot.

The traffic is flowing reasonably from Oxford, because the bus lane is open all
the time; but the traffic going into Oxford is held up.

This section of pavement cycle lane does actually need improvement; but it's a
pity they didn't get it right first time.
    

The following file was added to this topic:

roadworks_27_oct_09.jpg (image/pjpeg, 1416KB)

From: Chris Brewer Date: Feb 15 13:27 UTC Short link

Starting @ 15 February 2010
ending @ 22 February 2010
Slight disruption expected.

According to the new Live Travel information section on the County Council web
site -

http://voyager.oxfordshire.gov.uk/OSGBMaps/map.aspx
    

From: Jock Coats Date: Feb 15 14:09 UTC Short link

Yes - it appears they are lifting the very severe up and over section
at the entrance to the lane - presumably to enable vehicles to take
the junction at full speed or something...:-)

That piece of land has a long an inglorious history, of which the
expert is a resident of further down Pullens Lane who I think is not
on this list.

It is actually not "owned" by anyone, and there have been several
attempts to get someone to register it and take some responsibility
for it in recent years, both that and the road itself.

For a while the City Council conceded that they probably owned it
because the Morrell family had disposed of the whole land between the
hall and the Davenport House to the city by default, and that's why
the fence was mended once and some no parking signs put up, then they
backed out towards the end of 2008.  Brookes had agreed to look into
taking on the whole lot too but when the city said they would backed
out and have never come back so far as I am aware.

A local landowner who shall remain nameless but who has already been
linked with development down there has also tried to get some control
over that stretch of land to create a proper public right of way over
that section of paved lane it is thought in order to improve their
chances of getting some kind of sale if the opportunity arose.

The chap in the know did I think tell me that there was something else
in the offing a couple of months ago when I last complained about it,
but I didn't get to hear what.

However, there is a legal footpath that is on the county's list of
ones they are supposed to maintain down the green/mud area and so even
if ownership of the land is not sorted out I have today argued in a
Fix My Street request that they should fix the fence properly to
ensure that vehicles do not get onto the footpath.  They did do half a
job last time - indeed probably did replace what was really there when
they started the pavement scheme - but at the beginning of last
semester a whole load more of the knee rails further up were removed,
presumably in the middle of the night by some "local residents" (!) so
the whole thing now needs looking at again.

I'll try and talk with the chap who knows and see what the latest
"moves" he intimated were and report back if I hear anything.
    

Jock

On 15 Feb 2010, at 13:54, <email obscured> wrote:

> That makes it clear that it's repairs to the footpath - the one that
> they laid a year ago.
>
> They've laid plastic duck boards over the mud that is the patch of
> land so that pedestrians can walk over it.  Do you think that
> Drayton could assess that it was (a) them that first churned it up
> and failed to re-seed it and (b) them that didn't replace the fence
> so that cars drive onto it and churn it up more?
>
> I understood that triangle of land was owned by the City Council and
> was not in the lease of Headington Hill Hall to Brookes - hence it's
> unloved status.
>
> Mike

--
Jock Coats - OX3 Online, the community portal for OX3
Warden's Flat 1e, J Block Morrell Hall, OXFORD, OX3 0FF
m: 07769 695767 skype:jock.coats?call
<email obscured> http://jockcoats.me