Headington rat-run battle finally pays off (From Oxford Mail)
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Headington rat-run battle finally pays off
5:12pm Monday 31st August 2009 in News By Giles Sheldrick
TRANSPORT OF DELIGHT: Oxford East MP Andrew Smith (white shirt) joined residents of Lime Walk and Latimer Road in Headington to celebrate the news that the streets are set to be shut to through traffic in a trial to tackle rat-running by drivers trying t
TWO streets in Oxford that have become notorious rat-runs for drivers dodging jams are to be blocked off for a month-long trial.
After years of pressure by people living off London Road in Headington, Oxfordshire County Council has agreed in principle to shut Lime Walk and Latimer Road at their junction with London Road, to ensure people finally get respite from motorists seeking short-cuts.
Under the proposals there would still be a route for traffic through the area down New High Street and the southern end of Lime Walk, but this is seen as a less attractive rat-run.
If the closure of Latimer Road and Lime Walk proves unworkable, then an alternative that may be considered would be to close All Saints Road.
It is hoped the trial could start in the next few months.
Last night, the move was welcomed as a victory by the streets’ residents.
Patrick Coulter, chairman of Highfield Residents’ Association, said: “We feel this is a milestone, but we have a lot more work before the final outcome. It’s a great start and we feel very positive.
“We have got the biggest rat-run in the city – 70 per cent of traffic here is through traffic and it’s getting worse – this will alter our lives.”
The proposals will affect Lime Walk; Latimer Road; New High Street; All Saints Road; Stapleton Road; Bickerton Road; Barrington Close; Cecil Sharpe Close and Nursery Close.
Talks will be held with the emergency services about access for their vehicles before the trial starts.
Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, who brokered a meeting between residents and County Hall, said: “This is a promising breakthrough. The ever-increasing volumes of traffic doing the rat-run between London Road and Old Road are degrading the quality of life of residents and are a danger, especially to children and elderly people.
“Just as I’ve complained about county inaction on this in the past, I’m pleased now to praise their willingness to try out these measures.”
Stapleton Road resident Gill Beeston, 71, said: “I think it’s absolutely wonderful and will curb all the through traffic.”
Anthony Swift, 68, said: “The cars come down here in excess of 50mph and we have got old people who say they’re too frightened to cross the road and who don’t go out.”
Headington city councillor David Rundle said: “There’s a problem with rat-running, but what’s really needed is consultation and information – and we all know how bad the county council has been at that in the past.
“If this trial is going to work, it needs to be properly thought through.”
Steve Howell, the county council’s head of transport, added: “We have agreed to investigate trial road closures on streets that run between London Road and Old Road. We need to do some work planning the trial and will then decide how to take this forward.”
gsheldrick@oxfordmail.co.uk
Comments(21)
Mr E Mann
says...
5:48pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Stand-by Kennett Road - they'll all be coming your way now!
Bonkers!
Grundon Skipp
says...
6:09pm Mon 31 Aug 09
By definition, if you do not live on the street you are currently travelling upon, you are 'through traffic' and therefore potentially 'rat running' to the potential offence and annoyance of the residents, who presumably are so virtuous that they all manage to find routes that do not involve driving past anyone else's house.
Forcing people to take longer routes presumably uses more fuel, causes more congestion, results in more lost working time and causes greater inconvenience to those living and trying to turn out of or into the 'approved' (or less inhabited by vociferous 'campaigners') routes.
Oxford really is turning into more and more of a God- awful hell hole full of selfish and competing NIMBY's, nine of whom seem capable of joining the dots between Brookes expansion, mass immigration, ridiculously high house prices forcing working people further out, car bound commuter estates slapped on the edge of existing settlements, selling the streets back as 'resident only' and poor arterial roads and public transport.
Stevex
says...
7:03pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Victor Meldrew2
says...
7:34pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Why is that then??
Could it be that the junction at London Road / Windmill Road and Gypsy Lane / London Road are absolute nightmares and even London Road/ Morrell Avenue can leave you waiting for ever with only a few cars ever getting through at once.
Again the Council take the easy way out. You are about to spend millions filling in a subway that residents didn't want filled in and replace it with a pedestrian crossing thus blocking the London Road more. Now cleverly you are putting more traffic into an already overcrowded system.
You've removed all free parking from Headington and now you're making it more difficult for people to get there.
That sign you've put up on the A40 I can see the bulbs stating 'Congestion in Headington' will need replacing alot.
By the way do you ever consult the businesses whose income you are ruining when you make up your crazy schemes or do you just not care?
Andrew:Oxford
says...
7:41pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Andrew:Oxford
says...
7:41pm Mon 31 Aug 09
dowhat
says...
8:00pm Mon 31 Aug 09
7:34pm Mon 31 Aug 09"
What became of the original Victor Meldrew? Oh yes, I remember, he got knocked down by a car as he walked home from the pub...!
Oxford resident
says...
10:44pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Headingtonian
says...
10:53pm Mon 31 Aug 09
So let's get one thing straight: the people whose lives are being ruined by the council are driving into Oxford to work and pay tax. They are the reason Oxford has universities. Without them there would be no jobs, no shop assistants, no office workers, no bus drivers, no teachers, no charity workers.
In the end, I gave up and went to work somewhere else. The full hour it took to grind through the final two miles and find somewhere to park just lowered my quality of life too much. Why the council persists in trying to drive them out of the city and live somewhere else is beyond me.
I used to live in Headington and I can assure readers that the traffic up and down streets like Lime Walk will only be speeded up by removing all the cars and lining bollards up at one end of it because it is long enough. So next will be the speed bumps and chicanes - more council work. The solution is the opposite - open up the roads, remove the double yellow lines and stop deliberately bottle-necking traffic on just four roads in and out of Oxford; it is causing chaos. Finally we need to address a uniquely Oxford problem - the rural idyll thing. Oxford is a busy English city, with lots of life, excitement, jobs, crime and yes, traffic. It is not a Cotswold village, so you must expect and accept heavy traffic if you live there - I did. If after a while you want quiet streets move out - I did.
Headingtonian, PhD
Headington mum
says...
11:04pm Mon 31 Aug 09
BartSimpson
says...
11:06pm Mon 31 Aug 09
ortrok
says...
12:24am Tue 1 Sep 09
Headington has now and by history a group of outstanding hospitals,as such traffic will be high.
As for anything the council dreams up regarding any road plan! they have proved time and time again they have all the gear and no idea, look at our city centre!!!
As for residents SORRY you LIVE in a CITY not a country VILLIAGE.
When O when Will Oxford Join 21st Century.
SNJ
says...
8:14am Tue 1 Sep 09
Were the emergency services consulted? The people in neighbouring roads who will bear the brunt of this decision certainly weren't.
Poor Boy
says...
10:57am Tue 1 Sep 09
Whopper w/Cheese
says...
12:46pm Tue 1 Sep 09
Andrew Glynn
says...
12:53pm Tue 1 Sep 09
Cameras, chicanes, restrictive and stupid speed limits,yellow lines and now restrictions on where we can drive legally!
I fear our grandfathers, who fought and bled to keep the fascists from our shores, gave their lives in vain.The fascists are here anyway, ruling our lives with threat and regulation.
Everything not forbidden is compulsory.!
An old english seat of education? Maybe in the University but it seems the council is made up of dunces.
BartSimpson
says...
4:20pm Tue 1 Sep 09
Sid Hunt
says...
10:41am Wed 2 Sep 09
headingtonworker
says...
12:09pm Wed 2 Sep 09
ghawkins
says...
1:54pm Sat 12 Sep 09
The usual "I pay my road tax I can drive where and how I want" is irrelevant, roads can be closed for safety reasons, just like speed humps can be installed. As a side issue, traffic calming measures don't stop motorists from using the road, it just makes them drive more carefully and slowly, because left to their own devices too many drivers do inappropiate speeds on residential roads
Doing 50 mph plus in residential areas is just plain stupid - the motorways are a different matter (I'd favour a German style motorway system) - but on roads like this a child won't stand a chance if they are hit.
As for the people calling the residents NIMBYs or retards (how nice) I take it you'd still feel the same if YOUR road had people doing 60/70 mph down it?
jamiek says...
5:37pm Mon 31 Aug 09