Housing ‘would compound traffic woes’ (From Oxford Mail)

Housing ‘would compound traffic woes’

10:00am Thursday 16th September 2010 in Oxford

A traffic expert employed by Oxford City Council says the authority’s plans for thousands of new homes would compound Oxford’s congestion.

On the second day of a public inquiry into the council’s core strategy – Oxford’s planning blueprint for the next two decades – Peter Headicar, a reader in transport planning at Oxford Brookes University, said the council provided no evidence that roads could cope with 8,000 new homes.

He told the hearing at Oxford Town Hall that with no development at all city traffic would increase 51 per cent by 2026.

“That’s the backdrop, the do-nothing scenario, so you have a serious situation,” he said.

He added: “The core strategy, in my view, does not provide demonstrable evidence that the development proposed can be achieved without substantially worsening conditions.”

Mr Headicar said the most negative aspect was the proposed Northern Gateway business park, that included 200 homes and 3,000 jobs.

The inquiry heard Government investment in Oxford’s road network was now in doubt due to public spending cuts.

Mark Jaggard, the council’s spatial strategy and economic development manager, said developments such as the Northern Gateway would be expected to come up with their own traffic solutions.

The inquiry is due to conclude tomorrow.