Notes of a Meeting of A417 Parish Councils
Friday 15th August 2014
Attendees:
Stewart Lilly, County Councillor – Hendreds & Harwell (Chair)
Stewart Belcher, Ardington and Lockinge
Chris Lake, Blewbury
David Marsh, Harwell
John Sharp, East Hendred
Richard Evans, West Hendred
Chris Broad, Chilton
Michael Butler, West Hagbourne
Lynda Atkins, Representing Ed Vaizey MP
Paul Fermer, Locality Manager Science Vale UK (South & Vale)
Melissa Goodacre, Infrastructure Coordinator
Odele Payne, Senior Transport Planner
Apologies:
Joseph Bennett, Steventon
Simon Glazebrook, Milton
Robert Lott, Upton
1. Purpose of Meeting
For officers to outline the draft A417 strategy and receive comments and questions from the parishes on the proposals.
2. Presentation and Discussion Draft A417 Strategy
Appendix A contains the presentation slides
Appendix B contains the Route Strategy layout as presented in the meeting.
Ardington
• Confirmed application of Rural Cross Section.
• OCC to review the 60mph limit in light of the proposed roundabout junctions at Wantage Eastern Link Road, and Ardington Road, to see if 50mph is more appropriate.
• Confirmed the speed limit to west of Wantage Eastern Link Road to be delivered by the Crab Hill development.
• Confirmed leave Grove Park Drive cross roads junction as it is and have a compact roundabout junction at Ardington Road junction.
• Confirmed signalised pedestrian crossing at Ardington Road and bus stops.
• Cllr Lilly to re-approach bus company once roundabout in place.
• Additional note that there is no footway on Ardington Road between the village and the A417 for people to access the bus stops.
West Hendred
• Confirmed application of rural cross section and 40mph speed limit.
• Confirmed Compact roundabout at The Greenway, bus stops and signalised pedestrian crossing.
East Hendred
• Confirmed Allin’s Lane to remain as it is.
• OCC to review the speed limit from west of Allin’s Lane to east of White Road from 40mph to 30mph thus applying the transition zones where the speed limit changes from 40mph to 30mph.
• Confirmed compact roundabout at White Road, bus stops and signalised pedestrian crossing.
• Note – that should it be possible to reduce the speed limit to 30mph, in the A417 Strategy principles, an informal pedestrian crossing (refuge/zebra crossing) is the recommended crossing in 30mph zones. Therefore provision of a signalised crossing is a departure.
Rowstock
• Confirmed transition zone west of Rowstock where speed limit changes from 40mph to 30mph.
• Noted Rowstock junction is subject of a separate scheme.
Harwell
• OCC to review the 40mph zone between Rowstock and Harwell. Noted the number of dwellings over this stretch is relatively few which is likely to be why the 40mph speed limit applies. Should the speed limit be reduced from 40mph to 30mph, this would mean there would be a transition zone west of Rowstock and 30mph from there to east of Harwell. There is a risk that due to the lack of frontage between Rowstock and Harwell vehicles will increase their speed from 30mph, and there will be no transition zone to inform drivers they are entering Harwell village. This may lead to increased speeding in Harwell village. This would produce a 30mph stretch of 2.5km/1.5miles.
• Confirmed roundabout and informal pedestrian crossing to be delivered as part of The Winnaway cycle scheme.
• Confirmed informal pedestrian crossing point at The Holloway.
West Hagbourne
• Confirmed rural cross section and 50mph.
• Confirmed the Hagbourne Hill scheme would implement a roundabout at the Hagbourne Hill junction.
• Confirmed an additional ban on right turn movements from the A417 into the lane (leading to The Horse & Harrow public house) resulting in this junction being left exit only.
Upton
• Confirmed transition zone where speed limit changes from 50mph to 30mph west of Upton.
• Confirmed informal pedestrian crossing at Chilton Road/Station Road.
• Discussed the options for a one way system in the village including if contraflow cycling would be possible, and if vehicles would speed in the village as free from on-coming traffic.
• *As the Upton parish representative was unable to attend the meeting further discussion with the Parish is required to confirm the approach.
• Noted it is difficult to turn right at Prospect Road.
• Additional crossing point suggested across the A417 from the Stream Lane byway to Lynch Lane and the footpath along the disused railway toward Chilton and The Ridgeway.
• Confirmed transition zone east of Upton where speed limit changes from 30mph to 50mph.
Blewbury
• Confirmed transition zone west of Blewbury where speed limit changes from 50mph to 30mph.
• Confirmed informal pedestrian crossing between Westbrook and Boham’s Road with preference for a zebra (despite the belisha beacons).
• Confirmed parish do not want street lighting.
3. Next Steps/Actions
• OCC to update the Route Strategy layout with the elements confirmed at the meeting.
• OCC to investigate speed limit changes for Ardington, East Hendred and between Rowstock and Harwell.
• OCC to discuss the A417 Strategy at Upton, including the possible one way system with Upton parish.
• The A417 Strategy forms part of the Science Vale Transport Strategy within Local Transport Plan 2030.
• The A417 Strategy will be adopted under Local Transport Plan 4. This is currently being drafted and likely to be consulted on in January 2015. Local Transport Plan 4 will replace the existing Local Transport Plan 2030.
• A417 Strategy is not fully funded for delivery. Elements are likely to be delivered piece meal as development comes forward, and funding is identified.
Attached to these Notes
Appendix A contains the presentation slides
Appendix B contains the three Route Strategy layouts as presented in the meeting.
OHP 02/09/2014
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