The County Council’s flagship policy of 20mph for residential roads is supported by councillors but officers have submitted a planning application for a 30mph scheme at Watlington, leading to the question: Who is deciding transport policy?

ORAA is concerned by the continuing push for road-building in Oxfordshire. We have major concerns about the proposed road at Watlington – planning application R3.0010/24.  It has a large number of objections and likely problems with flooding that this plan would generate if it goes ahead.

A principal concern is the nature of this road.  Is it an access road for new housing developments or a bypass? It can’t perform both functions and has no clear vision, as Oxford Civic Society‘s transport group raised last year.  The deputy leader of the County Council and the cabinet member for highway management have both said the road serves housing estates and will be a 20mph scheme to meet the County’s flagship policy. However the proposals submitted in R3.0010/24 are for a road designed for 30mph traffic, and the project staff at the County are proceeding with these plans.

Oxfordshire County Council confirmed to ORAA: “the planning application submitted relates to a scheme design of 30mph and this remains what is being proposed”. A statement from the project team shows that they are focused merely on “responding to / closing out” the objections rather than dealing with the policy issues raised. The WRR business case approved by officers in November 2021, includes “robust justification for proposals” in Cabinet reports and discussion with Cabinet before submission to avoid Cabinet Member requests for significant changes to design which would trigger further statutory consultations.

This raises the question: who is in charge of transport policy?  Councillors who are seeking to minimise damage (and hopefully deliver on the County’s LTCP) or officers who are pushing an unpopular and problematic plan?