Concerns over Headington 'maze' traffic plan (From Oxford Mail)

Concerns over Headington 'maze' traffic plan

9:30am Monday 21st June 2010 in

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A COMMUNITY fears plans for a new traffic scheme will make their homes inaccessible and turn the streets of Headington into a maze.

Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to ban right turns into five Headington streets from London Road and Old Road and block off All Saints Road as part of a £125,000 scheme to stop rat-running in the Highfields area.

However, the plan has alarmed residents of 420 homes in 10 streets in neighbouring New Headington, who fear the scheme will make it too difficult for friends or delivery men to drive to their homes.

They are also concerned banning right turns from London Road into Latimer Road, Lime Walk and New High Street will wipe-out the journey time improvements expected to be the result of £3.3m road improvements in London Road.

Stephanie Jenkins, who has lived in Kennett Road since 1982, said: “It’s insane.

“I’m glad I cycle, otherwise I don’t think I would ever be able to find my way home.

“Delivery men are never going to be able to find their way in and once you’ve taken the time to explain they’ll probably think it’s a joke or be ready to give in.

“It will be like a maze especially if you’re coming from Headley Way – it’s counter-intuative, no-one’s going to manage it.”

Prohibiting right turns is expected to improve outbound journey times for people leaving Oxford along London Road.

But residents believe confused drivers will need to turn round to come back down London Road and take left turns instead, slowing down journeys for commuters into Oxford.

Headington Residents’ Association chairman Mary Hope said: “Our biggest misgiving is about banning right turns from London Road.

“This will mean drivers who need to access these roads will have to drive past and come back around to make a left-hand turn instead – that will mean extra pollution and extra traffic.”

Mrs Hope, of Bateman Street, added: “We have sent a vigorous response to the county traffic planners expressing grave misgivings about the plans.”

The council estimates 70 per cent of traffic in Highfelds is through-traffic going between Headley Way and The Slade.

Patrick Coulter, who has lived in Stapleton Road for 20 years, said through-traffic had become much worse over the years.

He said: “We don’t think stopping right turns into New Headington is a good idea, but people see their priority as getting from A to B as quickly as possible and that can’t go on.

“We have to have some regard for the people who are living there.”

A public meeting to discuss the plans will be held at All Saints Church Hall in New High Street on Friday at 6.15pm.

Spokesman Marcus Mabberley said: “Residents and interested parties are welcome to take part in the ongoing public consultation into these proposals.”

The council’s consultation on the scheme ends on July 1, although the scheme is now under review like all the authority’s capital programmes because of predicted cuts in Government funding.