Improvements to our town's roads

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 22:22

Helen, I agree with you that the Slade/9 Acres direction should have priority.

By the way, we had a bus service that could be used to get around Charlbury.  It was the service from the Station that ran around the town and went to Leafield and Finstock.

It was subsidised by OCC and ceased due to lack of use and Tory cuts to local authority funding.

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 18:01

Apologies, I think I have not written what I meant clearly. I think The Slade & Nine Acres Lane should be the main road as it would help the hidden area on Enstone Road.

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 17:29

Stop or give way signs are not mandatory on crossroads. Driver awareness is the default. But granted, signage would help.

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 17:23

I confess to being a bit baffled by the last couple of comments.  Surely the Enstone Road is already the main road, with give way markings, at least, for the Slade and Nine Acres Lane?  (I can't immediately picture in my mind whether there are also Stop signs.)

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 17:23

If we are all struggling with right of way at crossroads; we should not drive and resit our driving tests?

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 15:22

Helen, that would be a great improvement, and would stop the uncertainty  about whose right of way it is. Even better, some traffic lights would take away all uncertainty. A bus link would be great, too.

Fri 29 Jul 2022, 14:54

I have only been here 15 years & like many others taken great interest in the consultations to improve Charlbury facilities.  I’ve always wondered why the Enstone Road is not the main road with Stop signs at The Slade & Nine Acres.  A smaller bus linking to the larger would also make sense & help us connect to the more viable routes.

Tue 26 Jul 2022, 14:11

Good idea Gareth. I’m afraid I hijacked the thread so thanks to all and keep up the good work.

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 20:15

Gareth, if anyone is serious about the minibus community bus idea and wants more info about its viability, costs etc., my husband Keith is chair of the Villager Community Bus and would be happy to discuss. As well as scheduled services that serve West Oxfordshire villages, it runs the Chippy Shuttle. (All routes are managed and driven by volunteers). www.villagerbus.co.uk

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 18:25

I would be more optimistic about reviving some sort of local bus service.  With some really good leadership, community transport in this area is thriving.  The rail service bears more resemblance to the published timetable now, which could also help.  There may even be funding sources…..

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 17:42 (last edited on Mon 25 Jul 2022, 17:44)

Thanks Christine.

I was imagining a minibus that could stop and pick up anyone who wanted to get to the periphery, but if its not affordable then that is tough. I know that there are real problems getting around but a ‘hail me’ minibus could help there. 

As for as getting visitors to the town centre, there isn’t a town centre as such. There's a crossroad, and pubs, and a great couple of retail and refreshment businesses next to the Rose and Crown, and the pharmacy. There isn’t a High Street with shops such as a visitor might expect to see.

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 15:05

Rosemary, I think you'll find that lots of people who live in the centre of Charlbury don't know about the evening buses because the buses don't come into the centre of town. Also plenty of people can't walk up the hill to catch the bus. Quite a few of the older residents have walking difficulties, after all.

It's now a long time since we lost the minibuses that used to run between the Enstone crossroads, the town centre and the station, and at a time of budget restrictions we're unlikely to get those back (alas). If we want our town centre to thrive, we need public transport that brings people into the centre and not to some point on peripheral roads. I meet quite a few visitors who get as far as the Coop and Community Centre, but who don't realise that the centre of town is elsewhere. 

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 14:29 (last edited on Mon 25 Jul 2022, 14:33)

In some rather funny way I think all this will have a same affect on our special town like those ‘new’ bins did🤪Pretty sure that built-out on Enstone Road will be a beautiful testament to our local politician(s) and in a long run would save a lot of lives. Plus that pollution and noise (that bit I definitely don’t understand but after all I am not a scientist…only did engineering at uni unfortunately😆). 

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 14:07

Making my point exactly that buses do not have to trundle through the CENTRE of town, empty. Large buses should be routed around the peripheral roads, which makes more sense. The Bell, Five Acres, Slade, etc could still  be the major stops, with a run-around minibus circulating about the centre at the busy times, as seen in other areas.

In my opinion, having all the empty double decker-buses crawling through making it a much more dangerous and polluted place, is simply ridiculous.

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 09:42 (last edited on Mon 25 Jul 2022, 10:14)

Access to the town centre by bus is and should remain a priority for the Town Council. It helps businesses in the centre of town to thrive, and helps keeps cars off our roads. I just wish there were Sunday buses as well.

In fact most of the Stagecoach buses in the evening don't come through the centre of Charlbury, but travel on to Chipping Norton either via 9 Acres and Chadlington (no 7 bus) or Banbury Hill (S3 and N7 buses). It's only the last bus from Chipping Norton to Oxford that comes through the centre of town and stops at The Bell. 

And the buses may be empty in Charlbury, but by the time they get to Yarnton (S3) or Oxford Parkway (7), they are often very full. We have to be grateful that Stagecoach thinks it worth extending the buses through Charlbury. Long may it last! 

With the rollout of the new all-electric buses in Oxford town centre and Kidlington (funding just agreed), the S3 and no 7 routes might gain more of the current hybrid buses (electric, diesel and hydrogen) which are now used on other Oxford Stagecoach routes.

And on the emptiness of buses on Brown's Lane, it's worth noting that The Bell is the beginning of the timetabled route into Oxford, Enstone Rd is the end of the route. Buses are scheduled to wait at The Bell, meaning that those of us who are catching them often walk down the Brown's Lane so that we can be sure of catching the bus. The smartphone Stagecoach app has made it easier to see whether or not it's necessary to walk or better to wait at the Enstone Bus Stop or at Wychwood Close, but the app is quite confusing, and still not widely used.

Mon 25 Jul 2022, 07:46

Just thought. Why are we making it easier for buses to travel down Brown’s Lane, which will put more pressure on the Spendlove car park, Pooles Lane and Market Street as those residents on Brown’s Lane without parking space are pushed out of the way. Any small benefit of shortening the double yellow lines along Market Street will be negated!

Over the years I have observed what must be by now thousands of occasions of (old stock) double-deckers being driven down through the town, daytime and evening, most often empty of passengers. That is a large amount of toxicity pumped into the centre of town, every day. What is that doing to the environment? Was this actually considered?

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 19:26

@James - I have read what you have said.  I do not think the same can be said of your comments to my responses - not least as the enacted restrictions remove fewer parking spaces than was originally proposed; which appears both to meet what you are calling for but make you particularly angry.

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 19:13

@Gareth you may want to take the time to read my messages before responding.  

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 19:10 (last edited on Sun 24 Jul 2022, 19:10)

@James - I do not live on Market Street; and, as I say, no response came to me on the letter I hand delivered to all Grammar School Hill properties last year.  Neither were any received and recorded by the Clerk.

It is clear you hold a minority view with regard to the changes on Grammar School Hill.  The claims you make, however, probably belong on the Debate thread.

Decisions about residents’ parking schemes are out of the control of the Town Council; Richard will know the background at first hand, but these changes have been spoken about for several years and a broad consensus established.

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 18:31

@Gareth we have responded to every consultation we have received.  I recall hand delivering a response to an address on Market Street, which I assume was the consultation organised by Richard F.  Every response we have submitted was in favour of the principle of restricting parking on the bend itself, but they also pointed out that - as the only address on Grammar School Hill with no off street parking - the impact of restricting the available parking spaces without also introducing some form of residents' parking scheme would be disproportionately to our detriment.

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 18:00

@james - are you talking about the consultation Richard Fairhurst organised prior to 2021 or the letter I personally delivered last summer to all houses in Grammar School Hill?  The latter did not see a single response received - the point of response was me.  The then Clerk did not report any responses either.

The consultation Richard carried out was clear in demonstrating support for measures on Grammar School Hill.

Sun 24 Jul 2022, 17:26

@Gareth you say that "we wrote to residents a year ago, not a single one responded" yet we responded in writing to that consultation, making the same points that we made to the latest consultation.  The difference being that, in the latter case, we received an acknowledgement by email from Christian Mauz at Oxfordshire County Council. I am concerned that the feedback we provided has not been taken into account in the decision making process.

Sat 23 Jul 2022, 13:52 (last edited on Sat 23 Jul 2022, 15:03)

Not a sensible solution, why make drivers lives easier & yes I am one. Straight roads mean faster speeds, a definite worsening of the problems.  Slow down drivers, by breaking up the road layout, rather than smoothing it out for them & make it more difficult to drive without due care & attention.  Pedestrians & cyclists (& allotments)  deserve more space.

Sat 23 Jul 2022, 10:11 (last edited on Sat 23 Jul 2022, 11:31)

In response to Gareth Epps, IF some creative planning was carried out to divert the road tight across the middle of what are currently allotments and then re-allocate the freed-up land as allotments, it would firstly cut off that dangerous corner ... and secondly - arguably - reduce the likelihood of any more of those tiresome planning applications from profiteers, thus hopefully preventing that area from ever being "Vanderbilt" upon! ;-) 

Sat 23 Jul 2022, 09:25

In response to Rachel's reply. It's not a ridiculous question,  I am fully aware of property prices in Charlbury having lived here from 1980. I used to live in Wimbledon (Another expensive area) where most of houses are terraced. When I got home of an evening, I had to park my car one or two roads away.  What I was saying that why buy or rent a house without on site parking if you want a guaranteed parking space. 

Sat 23 Jul 2022, 05:19

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 19:32

@Gareth you say that the intention was to "retain extra spaces for staff".  I would be interested to understand the planned ratio between residents' parking requirements and the term-time requirements of staff who commute by car to work at the pre-school.

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 18:32 (last edited on Fri 22 Jul 2022, 18:33)

Thanks Liz for being who you are and doing what you do. 

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 14:33

David, no consultation is needed for road signs, so if it was generally felt that signs were needed they could be installed.

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 14:19

Thank you Liz. John H

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 12:58

Liz

did the consultation take into account the option of placing stop signage at the the top of Dyers Hill and the bottom of Nine Acres. The major cause of congestion in Thames Street is due to traffic entering Thames Street in both ends of the street from Dyers Hill and Nine Acres at the same time.

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 11:25

That is one that I have asked to be put on the schedule for repair

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 10:57

Liz. Any chance of finding a few quid to repair the dreadful state of the road leading down from Wellington Cottages?. Thanks John Harrison

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 10:25

Well done and thank you Liz and Richard for all the work put in to make Charlbury a safer place. 

Little Charlbury struggles these days to be something that it was never intended to be, like so many of the villages and small towns in the country. Small, self-sufficient market towns, with high streets full to capacity with thriving local shops of every kind.

It’s no wonder that the place is creaking at the seams with hardware. Just an observation, from a long-term resident.

Fri 22 Jul 2022, 08:03

Graham, what a ridiculous question. Perhaps you’re unaware that two-bedroom cottages are being advertised in Charlbury for half a million now - and that’s with no parking. The few with off-street parking are even more unaffordable. For many, on-street parking is an unfortunate but necessary compromise to be able to live here. 

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 21:40 (last edited on Sat 23 Jul 2022, 10:15)

A bit controversial I know, but why buy a house without on street parking if you have a car?  

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 21:32

The (previous) town council consulted prior to lockdown on parking measures in Nine Acres Lane, Grammar School Hill and Market Street.  Residents of Grammar School Hill had an additional letter a year ago following discussions with the Preschool.  

The findings of the consultations were all very clearly in favour.  The issue at the Preschool that makes limited hours unsuitable is principally the lack of enforcement we have historically had (see multiple previous threads).  The area of yellow lines was reduced in order to try and retain extra spaces for staff.  The safety issue is due to a combination of limited visibility and excessive speeding, and we know Thames Valley Police are unprepared to enforce the speed limits in most of the problem areas.

With regard to the buildout, OCC officers determined that the location was best due to limited visibility elsewhere.

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 21:03 (last edited on Thu 21 Jul 2022, 21:13)

I also commented on the consultation regarding the proposed double yellows on Grammar School Hill, expressing concern that the move would lead to further crowding down Park Street and into the Town Centre. 

The consultation also didn’t seem to provide evidence of how the changes would improve safety at the pre school, where drop off / pick up times are limited to certain hours of the weekday, and why alternative schemes such as timed parking restrictions were unsuitable.

Is such evidence available to the public and did the council consider these factors? 

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 20:02

We have been struggling for some time to park outside our property on Grammar School Hill - now it will be next to impossible.  In common with many people on Park Street, we have no off-street parking and have to compete with day trippers and commuters.  Surely it's time for residents' parking permits in Charlbury?

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 19:21

Yes, this was given consideration by officers and it was decided with the Town Council that this was the best place for the build out. And in response to David, we have freed up some extra parking spaces on Market St, and the discussion with OCC about enforcement will take account of issues around station users parking in the town. More about that in due course.

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 18:52

Thanks Liz- at the time of the consultation I did comment that the proposed location of the build-out on Banbury Hill would be dangerous for the fair number of pedestrians who walk along the verge there, not just to Cotswold View but also to/from Wigwell or Taston. The build-out was planned to be at the location of the 20mph signs, which is just where the verge is at one of its narrowest points. Was this taken into account?

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 18:40

Liz

Double yellow lines in NOT good news for the residents of Thames Street who do not have off street parking. You have done nothing to stop the very limited parking in Thames Street being used by rail commuters. Some residents in Thames Street will now need to park at least 500 yards away from their homes. I know other residents of Thames Street expressed their concerns ref yellow lines in Nine Acres but their views have been ignored. Thames Street need measure to prevent commuters parking, some commuters park their cars for over a week. We need the same measure as adopted on Dyers Hill which prevents parking between 2 & 3pm.

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 17:34 (last edited on Thu 21 Jul 2022, 17:35)

These were funded and consulted on by the Town Council.  Richard did most of the consultation.  It’s good to get them moved forward at last.

We don’t know yet about timing, though it will take at least a couple of months (by which time the enforcement issues will hopefully also have been sorted by the new WODC administration)

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 15:57

Very well done Liz. Warm greetings from Spelsbury Rd. 

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 15:31

WODC is currently reviewing enforcement with OCC

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 13:37 (last edited on Thu 21 Jul 2022, 13:56)

Great to hear that these have been passed but these will be all be pointless unless they are enforced with  more effective parking warden visits day and night, parking on Double yellow lines is a everyday blight on the town, also how are the 1 hr bays going to be enforced ? 

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 13:33

Good news.

Thu 21 Jul 2022, 12:13

Today I was able to approve some significant improvements to the roads in and around the town in my capacity as leader of OCC.  These include:  extension of the 30mph speed limit beyond the houses on Spelsbury Road, extension of the double yellow lines at the corner of Nine Acres Lane, a build-out to slow traffic entering and leaving the town on Banbury Hill, changes to lines in the town centre to free up some parking spaces outside the old post office, and double yellow lines on the bend outside the pre-school to make it safer on that bend.  These are things we have been talking about for many years:  five years ago when I was elected as county councillor one of the things I wanted to do was to extend the lines on Nine Acres and I'm very pleased that today I have been able to approve these and all the other measures to make our town safer.  Thanks to the Town Council and Richard Fairhurst for all the work that has gone into this.