Get real on transport infrastructure

30th July 2014 / Andy_Smith0001 / Comments Off on Get real on transport infrastructure
Hulton Park

30th July 2014

Growth ambitions should be based on the realistic delivery of infrastructure, not set sky high leaving everything else trailing…That’s CPRE Oxon’s response to consultation on the goals for the County’s next Local Transport Plan –   Make your own views known by 1 August.

Oxfordshire County Council is seeking your views on the goals and objectives for its next Local Transport Plan.

You can read their consultation document and see how to respond on the County’s website.  But you have to be quick – consultation ends 1 August!

CPRE Oxfordshire strongly disagrees that the objective should be to accommodate unfettered growth. Limitations of the existing transport infrastructure and the realistic prospects of enhancing this within the next 15 years should be a major determinant of the character, scale and pace of development in the area.

The object here should not simply be to allow Oxford area to achieve its full economic potential. This needs to be balanced against the environment and quality of life of people living and working in the area.
 
Infrastructure, particularly the transport network, is already at or near capacity.  The first step should therefore be to look at the maximum practical capacity of the roads and public transport including rail that can realistically be provided given available finance by 2030 (15 years is a short time in which to realise major projects) and then to model the extent of growth that the area could accommodate. Similar economic constraints might well apply to other infrastructure.
 
However, we also think there are lots of positive issues that the County could address to help with transport in rural areas, from considering more 20mph speed zones in villages to improving public transport solutions for areas such as Witney and Wantage/Grove.
 
Read our full response below.
 
 

CPRE_Oxfordshire_response_to_LTP_4_Goals__Objectives_July_14.pdf