As there has been some talk about the suggestion of trial closures in the
Highfield Area, I thought you should see the latest information from the County
which is forwarded below. Just over a week ago, local councillors were asked
just over a week ago to provide comments on the suggested trials and I advised
the County that I would be collating responses and getting back to them by the
end of this week. However, to my surprise and (to be honest) annoyance, the
County has not waited for that feedback but announced a decision. The e-mail
below, which I have just received, sets out in detail their argument and
decision. To cut to the chase: the County has decided not to carry out trial
closures in the Lime Walk area, because (as you will see) of lobbying from the
emergency services.
When hearing this news, there will be some who will be relieved, others who are
dismayed, and others who are downright angry -- there is a wide variety of
views within the area to be affected by the closures and in adjoining streets.
Faced with this decision, the question now is how we move forward.
I am determined that we do not lose the opportunity actually to get measures to
help the Lime Walk area. I have represented Headington for over seven years and
in that time I have seen detailed proposals drawn up, then torn up, and then
followed by the County's refusal to consider any changes in the area. What has
happened has now put the issue back on the agenda and we must capitalise on
that. As you will see from the message below, the County is now, after years of
saying 'no', offering to come up with measures for the area, within what seems
to me a curiously short time period. I welcome that but what I will welcome
more is fuller consultation with all local residents so that they can be
engaged in the solutions to the problems that they have to face.
I and my ward colleague, Ruth Wilkinson, will be meeting members of the
Highfield RA traffic group later this evening. We expected the meeting to be
about our response to the County in consulting on trial closures. The agenda
will be different now. What remains the same is my determination -- and that of
everyone around the table, I am sure -- to get solutions to the situation and
not to allow this very real issue once again to disappear from the County's
view.
All best,
David
David Rundle
City Councillor (LibDem)
Headington Ward
Rest of post
----- Original Message -----
From: Howell, Steve - Environment & Economy
To: Patrick Coulter - Highfield Residents' Association
Cc: Cllr Roy Darke ; Cllr Mohammed Altaf-Khan ; Cllr Roz Smith ; Cllr Liz
Brighouse ; <email obscured> ; <email obscured> ;
<email obscured> ; <email obscured> ;
<email obscured> ; <email obscured> ; Hendrik Chapel ;
frank mckenna ; heather ; Simon Hunt ; Spike Wilson ; Andrew Smith
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 3:11 PM
Subject: Investigation of trial closure of residential roads in Highfield,
Headington
Sent of behalf of Steve Howell
Most of you will know that county council officers have been investigating
trial closures of routes through the residential area of Highfield, Headington,
linking Old Road and London Road. This is because:
a.. The volume and speed of through traffic is causing concern for residents
b.. Developer funding money is available to mitigate the impact of through
traffic caused by recent developments in the area
c.. The county council was proposing to develop a traffic calming scheme to
reduce speeds and deter through traffic
d.. The Highfield Residents Association considered that traffic calming
measures alone would not lead to any significant reduction in through traffic
volumes
e.. All alternative suggestions had potential problems of practicability or
safety, or redistribution of traffic around the Highfield area, so were not
taken forward
f.. We did not think it was possible to predict accurately any impacts of
closures on the surrounding road network without conducting a trial,
experimental closure
Before going ahead with a month-long trial, which would involve full
consultation with all residents, we wanted to investigate where the closures
could actually be sited, and carry out some informal consultation with affected
parties.
Having investigated potential road closure sites, our best available solutions
were only just about workable and provide far less turning space and more of a
requirement to reverse, than would be ideal for larger vehicles. They also
divide All Saints Road into three sections, which could cause confusion for
deliveries and the emergency services.
Serious concerns were expressed by the bus operators about displaced traffic,
particularly with regard to services along Windmill Road, which are already
under pressure. Any adjustments to the signals at the Windmill Road junction
to ease this could have knock-on effects on London Road. This is something
that could be monitored in a trial, although it may well cause major short term
disruption.
Concerns have been voiced about displaced 'rat-running' traffic, in particular
through the Quarry area, but again, this is something that could be monitored
in a trial.
However, more worrying, and unpredictable even with a trial, is the possible
impact on the Ambulance and Fire and Rescue Services. They have previously
expressed concern about possible road closures, but having discussed these
closures with us in detail, they have now responded very strongly against them.
Among their concerns are that
a.. the closures would cause extended response times to emergency calls which
could cost lives;
b.. patient care for both front line and non emergency ambulance patients
would be negatively affected by longer journey times;
c.. at peak times the available routes are congested already and would have
displaced traffic added to them, making for even longer delays;
d.. a crew may enter the area from the wrong direction in a 999 call.
In this instance, I do not consider that the potential benefits offered by the
closures - mainly the enjoyment of better amenity by the residents within the
area - are sufficient to justify the risk to emergency response times, for
Highfield residents and across a wider area of Oxford. Even if a trial closure
showed that there were no other significantly adverse effects, the risk to
emergency response would be likely to strongly influence a decision on whether
to proceed with a permanent closure, and I therefore consider it inappropriate
to proceed with a trial.
I would, however, like officers to be able to proceed with developing and
promoting a scheme of traffic calming for the area to reduce vehicle speeds,
and cause some deterrent to through traffic. To this end, I will be seeking
Cabinet Member approval through the Transport Decisions Committee, to consult
on various options for traffic management in the area, not including closure of
the area to through traffic. A report will be drafted for consideration at the
Committee meeting on 7 January, and the meeting will of course be open to the
public.
If you have any comments or queries on any of this, please get in touch with
Joy White, Senior Transport Planner, on 01865 815882.
Steve Howell
Head of Transport
Jenny Larkcom
PA to Steve Howell Head of Transport
Oxfordshire County Council
Environment & Economy
Speedwell House
Speedwell Street
Oxford
OX1 1NE
Telephone 01865 815807
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