A40 Feedback Form
OF's completed feedback questionnaire
21 December 2018
IMPROVING TRANSPORT ALONG THE A40 CORRIDOR
Public Consultation Feedback Form
Thinking about the PHASE 1 – A40 EYNSHAM PARK & RIDE AND BUS LANES proposals:
Q1. What best describes your opinion of the proposals? (Like/Do not Like/No View)
A40 Eynsham Park & Ride proposal: Do not Like
Bus Lane proposal: Like
Q2. What do you like about the proposed design and layout of the proposed A40 Eynsham Park & Ride site, please tell us why?
The proposed design seems functional.
Q3. What do you dislike about the proposed design and layout proposed design and layout of the proposed A40 Eynsham Park & Ride site, please tell us why?
The scheme should provide secure covered cycle storage but none appears in the the drawings.
We continue to believe that the P&R would be better sited on the edge of Witney. An important consequence of continued housing growth at the edge of towns like Witney is that over time, a smaller proportion of residents are within convenient walking distance of a direct bus service to Oxford and hence fewer have the option of bus use for the whole of their journey. It should therefore be the aim of the A40 strategy to include elements which cater for access and transfer to these bus services at the earliest point in people’s journeys. A P&R site probably located near the Shore Green junction plus several smaller facilities encouraging people to cycle as a means of accessing bus stops within the town similar to the way many access train stations now would achieve this. It would reduce car mileage and promote healthy travel. At the margin it may also reduce car ownership – hence a virtuous spiral.
If the Eynsham P&R goes ahead, further consideration should be given to an additional P&R at Witney with bus lanes on the Witney – Eynsham A40 instead of the dualling proposed.
Q4. What do you like about the proposed design and layout of the A40 Bus Lane including comments on the road junctions, the foot/cycleway on the northern side, path on the southern side, pedestrian and equestrian crossings, please tell us why?
As part of a larger scheme, we welcome the bus lanes currently proposed. Four miles of eastbound bus lane from Eynsham to Duke’s Cut will both be useful in itself and create political pressure to get the final half-mile built.
We welcome the improvements to the north side foot/cycleway and the retention of the path on the southern side.
Q5. What do you dislike about the proposed design and layout of the A40 Bus Lane including comments on the road junctions, the foot/cycleway on the northern side, path on the southern side, pedestrian and equestrian crossings, please tell us why?
We are concerned about the proposed layout of the junctions on the north side cycleway.
The current Eynsham Roundabout is dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians travelling W – E or E – W on the north side to cross. Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) indicates the ‘compact’ design as being particularly suitable for locations with cyclists and pedestrians, which will certainly be the case as the developments at Eynsham go ahead. If the roundabout cannot be redesigned as part of this scheme a light-controlled crossing should be installed to protect the expected increased numbers of people using the foot/cycleway.
The County has a clear policy to support excellent cycling infrastructure and has formally accepted the Gilligan report. Continuity of cycleways is an important determinant of their attractiveness and therefore usage. The junctions at Cuckoo Lane, the entrance and exit at the petrol station, and the Worton Park access lane as they appear in the consultation drawings are in breach of the Council’s policy. The cyleway should be continuous at these minor junctions with priority over traffic leaving and joining the A40. Clear unequivocal evidence ought to be needed for the Council’s policy to be set aside; no such evidence has been presented.
Thinking about the PHASE 2 – A40 STRATEGY proposals:
Q6. What best describes your opinion of the proposals? (Like/Do not Like/No View)
A40 Dual Carriageway: Do not Like
Completing the A40 Westbound Bus Lane: Like
A40 Eastbound bus lane over the Duke’s Cut and Wolvercote railway bridges: Like
B4044 Community Path from Eynsham to Botley: Like
A40 Cycle link to the National Cycle Route 5 on the Oxford Canal Tow Path: Like
Q7. What do you like about the proposed A40 Dual Carriageway, please tell us why?
We have no comment.
Q8. What do you dislike about the proposed A40 Dual Carriageway, please tell us why?
For the reasons given in our answer to Q3 we believe that provision of P&R facilities close to Witney, either instead of or in addition to Eynsham, would be a better plan than encouraging more car travel by dualling this section of the A40. We think it would be cheaper too.
Q9. What do you like about the proposal to complete the A40 Westbound Bus Lane, please tell us why?
We support this part of the overall scheme as further encouraging bus travel instead of car journeys.
Q10. What do you dislike about the proposal to complete the A40 Westbound Bus Lane, please tell us why?
We have no comment.
Q11. What do you like about the proposed A40 Eastbound bus lane over the Duke’s Cut and Wolvercote railway bridges, please tell us why?
This is ‘nice to have’ but see our reservations in Q12 below.
Q12. What do you dislike about the proposed A40 Eastbound bus lane over the Duke’s Cut and Wolvercote railway bridges, please tell us why?
It involves expensive structures and generates few additional benefits over Stage 1. As part of Stage 1 it will presumably be possible to link the traffic lights at the Dukes Cut bus gate with queue detectors of traffic approaching the Woodstock Road roundabout in order to ensure that congestion-free conditions operate between the two. Other road traffic would be no worse off than with the Stage 2 arrangement – total queuing time would be much the same.
Arguably a more cost-effective use of any additional investment would be to provide a bus lane approaching Swinford toll-bridge which is on the principal bus route from Witney and Carterton and which users of the Eynsham P&R may prefer in order for example to access workplaces in Botley and along the Botley Road.
We regret that Phase 2 still does nothing to resolve the problem of the Wolvercote Roundabout being the biggest barrier to walking and cycling movements in the north of Oxford.
Q13. What do you like about the proposed B4044 Community Path from Eynsham to Botley, please tell us why?
We welcome this project in principle and await further details.
Q14. What do you dislike about the proposed B4044 Community Path from Eynsham to Botley, please tell us why?
We have no comment.
Q15. What do you like about the proposed A40 Cycle link to the National Cycle Route 5 on the Oxford Canal Tow Path, please tell us why?
We welcome this project in principle and await further details.
Q16. What do you dislike about the proposed A40 Cycle link to the National Cycle Route 5 on the Oxford Canal Tow Path, please tell us why?
We have no comment.