The three roads that connect the Drayton Road with Wilsham Road in South Abingdon all have traffic calming measures. Caldecott Road has speed bumps. Saxton Road has a 20 MPH Home zone with narrowing and chicanes.

Preston Road has the notorious chicanes at the top end where drivers leave a trail as their wheels cut up the road. Some cars even bump into the chicanes.

Then there is a long stretch down Preston Road where junctions are mixed with parked cars – where vehicles can go fast.

So what would work best?
a) Better enforcement of speed limit
b) More traffic calming, speed bumps, chicanes etc..
c) Reduction of speed limit to 20mph
d) Safer Road crossing
e) More Off road parking
f) Other.

And where is that most needed?

A notice has appeared this week about a proposed new pelican crossing. The new crossing was suggested by the developer who wants to build 160 houses in a field bordering South Abingdon.

When the planning inspector overturned the decision of the Vale of White Horse District Council, and allowed those houses, he did stipulate that traffic mitigation measures be put in before the houses were built. So, if allowed, these crossings will be funded by the developer.

The scheme would involve adding a pelican crossing 25 metres from the end of Ock Street. The intended effect of this is to make it easier for vehicles turning left out of Drayton Road.

Then the existing Pelican Crossing at the other side of the double mini roundabout, put in for students going to Larkmead School, would be moved 60 metres further along the Marcham Road. I believe a barrier would be put in place at the existing crossing, with a gate – to allow access to the MG Park.

This proposal would increase the number of crossings along Ock Street and Marcham Road from 5 to 6.

Any objections should be made by 7 February 2014 by email to Anthony.Kirkwood@Oxfordshire.gov.uk

or my post to:
Anthony Kirkwood
Road Safety Engineering Team
Oxfordshire County Council
Speedwell House
Speedwell Street
Oxford
OX1 1NE

The decision is likely to be made on 27th March.

The ‘Road Ahead Closed’ sign has been there since last December. The yellow sign beyond says ‘Businesses are Open as Usual’. Lodge Hill Garage and Bagley Wood Saw Mill are open should you be looking for a second hand car or some timber.

Pictures from Meridian ITV showed the damage after last winter’s heavy rain. Repairs have been underway for the last month but it could be a year between closure and reopening of this important road. The road is the one alternative to the over busy A34 when it gets jammed.

For people who cannot face the A34 it is the only way.

A few weeks ago a group of residents took a petition to the Vale of White Horse District Council asking that the council appeal against the decision of the planning inspector to allow 159 homes to be built in a field alongside South Abingdon.

Legal advice has been taken and the 2 legal experts judge that The Planning Inspector’s decision could not be challenged on legal ground. He allowed the scheme to go ahead because the Vale of White Horse District Council did not have a five year housing plan in place as required by the the NPPF – National Planning Policy Framework, voted in by the coalition government as a way to quickly free up land for house building.

The Planning Inspector had also considered the main objection, traffic, and made sure that traffic mitigation measures go ahead before any development.

So now it is all down to whether the traffic mitigation measures (those extra pedestrian lights) suggested by the developers are allowed by Oxfordshire County Council. That is not a foregone conclusion given that it has to go through public consultation. So expect a story about that in the not too distant future.