Traffic Calming Advisory Group

Community Speedwatch Scheme

Weston on the Green Parish Council is now part of a nationwide Community Speedwatch programme, in conjunction with the Police, with the remit of monitoring the speed of traffic through towns and villages with speed restrictions using approved detection devices.

Community Speedwatch’s aim is to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding and the nuisance it causes in the community where they offend but that does not exclude the possibility of direct Police intervention if the message is not fully understood.

Our camera (ownership of which is shared with Islip Parish Council) records any vehicles exceeding the limit that we set it at from which we can identify the registration plate, make and colour of vehicle to report to Thames Valley Police, who in turn send a polite letter reminding the driver of the speed limit and explaining the potential risks and consequences of their dangerous behaviour. Persistent offenders would then receive a visit from the Police. Beyond these friendly gestures, focused enforcement and criminal prosecution follow based on the collated evidence.

The programme is not just about reporting as many drivers as we can but our regular visible presence on the roadside will hopefully act as a deterrent to regular offenders.

Volunteers in the village run the programme and more volunteers to assist in roadside sessions are always welcomed. In order to be covered by the Police insurance volunteers are required to be registered on the Community Speedwatch website and complete a short on-line training video.

We would then arrange local training on the set up and use of the camera which is straightforward and not technical.

If you have any questions, would like further information or would like to volunteer please contact our Group Coordinator: Graham Barnett on gblmb@btinternet.com / 01869 350707.

B430, Northampton Road

Reduction of speed limit to 30mph on B430

Discussions have now commenced with Oxfordshire County Council regarding reducing the speed limit on the B430, Northampton Road to 30mph.

Traffic Speed/Volume Survey - September 2019

A speed survey was conducted on B430 between 26th September - 2nd October 2019. The results were quite stark and below are some key headlines:

• In three years we have seen a combined 28% increase in traffic on Monday to Friday between 7am and 7pm with Southbound showing the greatest increase at 40%.
• We see on average 7,000 vehicles per day vs 6,000 in 2016 with Monday-Friday showing an average of 8,000 vs 6,400 in 2016.
• On average we see 850 vehicles travelling southbound between 7am and 8am Monday to Friday.
• On average we see 500 vehicles travelling northbound between 5pm and 6pm Monday to Friday.

The increase in traffic is unsurprising considering the expansion of Bicester and the use of Chesterton and J10-J9 cut throughs. The evidence collected by the survey was used to support the Parish Council's challenge to the recent Great Wolf resort application in Chesterton which proposed using the B430 as the main transport route for guests and deliveries.

Traffic Calming Project on Church Road/Church Lane

20mph Speed Limit Installed on Church Lane and Church Road - April 2021

The 20mph scheme for Church Road and Church Lane was approved by Oxfordshire County Council following the consultation at the end of 2020. This includes all radiating roads. The speed reduction on the Bletchingdon entrance end will stagger down from 60mph to 40mph and then to 20mph at the current village entrance.

The works were completed in April 2021 with new signage installed. The 20’s Plenty signs have been removed. This has involved a lot of work from the Traffic Advisory Group and the Council thank Eric Bohm, Louise Talbot, Paul Beecroft, Graham Barnett and John Roper for their support in making this happen.

Parish Council Approve Plans for Traffic Calming and Signage Modifications - June 2020

The Parish Council has approved plans proposed by the Traffic Advisory Group and Oxfordshire County Council for the legal change of the speed limit to 20mph on Church Lane/Road. The plans include the new signage required to accommodate a 20mph speed limit on Church Lane/Church Road.

Following the approval, the Parish Council has confirmed to Oxfordshire County Council that they are authorised to carry out a consultation with the village. If the plans are supported by the village through the consultation then work will be prioritised through the contractors and the change in speed limit will come into place.

Plans have also been approved regarding some changes to signage through the village and are separate from the 20mph request. These will enable better signage for the footpath to take people through the churchyard and a de-cluttering exercise around the stocks. This also removes signs that reference Bletchingdon to help reduce any additional flow through as well as give HGV's more notice that the road is not suitable.

Documents and plans relating to the proposals can be found below:

Plans for 20mph speed limit introduction

• Proposal of works for 20mph speed limit
• Map of proposed 20mph speed limit sign locations map
• Map of proposed 20mph and 30 mph zones
• Road signage at Bletchingdon Road/Church Lane to indicate gateway narrowing
• Schedule of works for 20mph speed limit

Signage modifications on the B430/Stocks junction:

• Proposal of works for general signage modifications
• Map of proposed pedestrian signage and de-cluttering sign locations
• Sample sign model 1
• Sample sign model 2
• Sample sign model 3

Church Lane/Road Traffic Calming Measures Survey - Autumn 2019

A survey on traffic calming options on Church Lane / Church Road was completed by residents of Weston on the Green in August 2019.

A document containing traffic calming options for Church Lane / Church Road was used in conjunction with the survey can be viewed here: Document Detailing Potential Options For Consideration

Following completion of the survey of residents the Traffic Calming Advisory Group (TCAG) collated the overall results. Overall, there were 87 respondents with 24 of these coming from online surveys and it was encouraging to see such a strong turnout and demonstrates the strength of feeling within the village around this subject.

A summary of the survey results is detailed below:

It was therefore decided that based on the results, the proposal to Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) would include all options except the Zebra crossing at the Village Pantry. This is based on strong positive scoring above. Although the Church Close kerb extension came in below 50% we would like to include it within the proposals so that OCC Highways can review whether it is possible. It would be advantageous to include it as we would then have the option to include it within the scheme. Having consulted with OCC prior to the creation of the survey, we do not believe that we are including any proposals that they or any major consultees would object to.

When making this proposal we will also ask OCC to ensure that any signage, road markings or traffic calming schemes are implemented in conjunction with the themes and policies within the Neighbourhood Plan. This should help to mitigate concerns around over-urbanisation held by some residents.