Experimental School streets - Abingdon, Bicester, Oxford & Witney

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Consultation has concluded

School Streets aim to improve road safety to help boost cycling and walking and improve air quality. They are being delivered by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with walking and cycling charity Sustrans, backed by financial support from the government. This follows extensive engagement and designs with residents and the schools prior to the scheme launch.

Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETRO) are used when it is very difficult to assess the impacts of the scheme beforehand, but the cost of implementation is relatively low.

In an ETRO, the Council introduces the scheme as an experiment first and there is then a six-month period after the scheme is introduced when the public can see for themselves the impact of the scheme and the Council can monitor its impacts. At the end of the six-month period, the Council assesses the impacts, including any letters of support or objections, and decides whether to confirm, cancel or extend the ETRO for up to 12 months longer to allow further consultation and monitoring.

The Experiment will be closely monitored during its operation and any comments/complaints that are received will be given due consideration with a view to deciding whether the experiment, or any part of it should become permanent.

The effect of the experimental order is to place temporary supervised barriers to close roads at locations in the vicinity of the following schools, at morning & afternoon peak times to prevent motor vehicles from entering:

Abingdon:

  • St Nicolas C of E Primary School

BIcester:

  • Bure Park Primary School,
  • St Edburgs School

Oxford:

  • Windmill Primary School,
  • St Christophers School,
  • East Oxford School,
  • Larkrise Primary School,
  • St Ebbes C of E Primary School

Witney:

  • Tower Hill Community Primary School,
  • Henry Box School

The closures will operate during term-time only. The ‘pilot’ schemes will run for an initial 6 week period, and if successful, will continue to run until a decision is made on whether it becomes permanent. Exempt motorists include emergency services, residents and visitors

During closure times at school ‘pick-up’ and ‘drop-off’, roads around the school sites will be closed to motor vehicles. A lead steward assisted by volunteers from the school and local community will manage and marshal the road closures by operating temporary barriers and opening them for any exempt vehicles. Exempt motorists include school buses, residents visitors, blue badge holders, emergency vehicles, plus council organised school transport for students with additional needs. Work will continue during the experiment with the schools to ensure that anyone with specific needs is not adversely affected.

A series of frequently asked questions on School Streets are also available on the county council’s website

Please read the detailed information provided on this consultation, and take the time to complete the survey as your views and opinions matter. Your response should be completed and returned by Friday 04 March 2021.

Whilst we will endeavour to answer simple queries during the course of the consultation, any more complex questions/issues will be appraised and dealt with as part of consultation process.

What happens next?

The County Council will review the responses and if necessary (i.e. if objections are received) prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for later in 2022. This will be public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak. The agenda and reports meetings will be made available on the Oxfordshire County Council web site about a week before the meeting (please note that occasionally it is necessary to defer reports to a later meeting, and it is therefore advisable to check the agenda ahead of attending a meeting). The Forward Plan of decisions meetings can be viewed here.

School Streets aim to improve road safety to help boost cycling and walking and improve air quality. They are being delivered by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with walking and cycling charity Sustrans, backed by financial support from the government. This follows extensive engagement and designs with residents and the schools prior to the scheme launch.

Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETRO) are used when it is very difficult to assess the impacts of the scheme beforehand, but the cost of implementation is relatively low.

In an ETRO, the Council introduces the scheme as an experiment first and there is then a six-month period after the scheme is introduced when the public can see for themselves the impact of the scheme and the Council can monitor its impacts. At the end of the six-month period, the Council assesses the impacts, including any letters of support or objections, and decides whether to confirm, cancel or extend the ETRO for up to 12 months longer to allow further consultation and monitoring.

The Experiment will be closely monitored during its operation and any comments/complaints that are received will be given due consideration with a view to deciding whether the experiment, or any part of it should become permanent.

The effect of the experimental order is to place temporary supervised barriers to close roads at locations in the vicinity of the following schools, at morning & afternoon peak times to prevent motor vehicles from entering:

Abingdon:

  • St Nicolas C of E Primary School

BIcester:

  • Bure Park Primary School,
  • St Edburgs School

Oxford:

  • Windmill Primary School,
  • St Christophers School,
  • East Oxford School,
  • Larkrise Primary School,
  • St Ebbes C of E Primary School

Witney:

  • Tower Hill Community Primary School,
  • Henry Box School

The closures will operate during term-time only. The ‘pilot’ schemes will run for an initial 6 week period, and if successful, will continue to run until a decision is made on whether it becomes permanent. Exempt motorists include emergency services, residents and visitors

During closure times at school ‘pick-up’ and ‘drop-off’, roads around the school sites will be closed to motor vehicles. A lead steward assisted by volunteers from the school and local community will manage and marshal the road closures by operating temporary barriers and opening them for any exempt vehicles. Exempt motorists include school buses, residents visitors, blue badge holders, emergency vehicles, plus council organised school transport for students with additional needs. Work will continue during the experiment with the schools to ensure that anyone with specific needs is not adversely affected.

A series of frequently asked questions on School Streets are also available on the county council’s website

Please read the detailed information provided on this consultation, and take the time to complete the survey as your views and opinions matter. Your response should be completed and returned by Friday 04 March 2021.

Whilst we will endeavour to answer simple queries during the course of the consultation, any more complex questions/issues will be appraised and dealt with as part of consultation process.

What happens next?

The County Council will review the responses and if necessary (i.e. if objections are received) prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for later in 2022. This will be public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak. The agenda and reports meetings will be made available on the Oxfordshire County Council web site about a week before the meeting (please note that occasionally it is necessary to defer reports to a later meeting, and it is therefore advisable to check the agenda ahead of attending a meeting). The Forward Plan of decisions meetings can be viewed here.