Plans for London Road revealed

From the The Oxford Times, first published Saturday 7th Jul 2007.

PLANS for a controversial redevelopment scheme for London Road, Headington, have been unveiled - and have received a mixed response.

Oxfordshire County Council will launch the £3m project next spring, carried out over two 24-week periods, aimed at reducing congestion and regenerating Headington.

The plans went on show at Oxford Brookes University yesterday afternoon and an exhibition of the plans will also be on display at St Andrew's School, London Road, today between 11am and 4pm.

James Bloice Smith, chairman of the Headington Action Group, said: "I think the planners have done a much better job in terms of consultation than they previously have.

"However, while there are some things that will improve movement through Headington, there are some things that show the space is limited and there are some constriction to what you can do.

"The Headington Action Group feels there are a lot of measures that are a lot less dramatic, that need to be considered first.

"Things like pre-ticketing on the buses, which would reduce congestion by reducing the amount of time a bus spends at a stop."

Mr Bloice Smith conceded the plans had to take into account the fact that the road was a major arterial route, and that it had to meet the needs of local employers, he also felt the local community needed to be involved and their ideas heard before work began.

The plans would see the introduction of two bus gates and two new pedestrian crossings - one on the site of the existing subway which would be filled in. There would also be major work carried out in the main shopping area with new surfaces laid. Unnecessary signage would be removed, new benches installed and a 20 mph speed limit imposed.

Paul Robins, 57, of London Road, said: "There are a couple of things I will be suggesting to the planners, such as the issue of bicycle lanes that jump from road to pavement and back again. But on the whole I don't see any problems."

Henry Botrill, 63, of Wharton Road, said: "There is absolutely no point in spending all that money if you can't stop the cause of the problem. The county council should look at stopping people driving in and out of the city."

Craig Rossington, of the county council highways department, said: "We are aiming to make bus journeys quicker and more reliable and make Headington a better place to shop and to visit.

"These plans will make the road safer and there is something in it for everyone. We want to hear what people have to say.

"The people here today live and work in the area and have a good idea of what will and what won't work in the area, so we will see what they have to say on it."

The consultation runs until the end of July.

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