Have your say on proposed changes to Queen Street, Oxford
People are being urged to have their say on proposals for a busy shopping street in Oxford.
Oxfordshire County Council will be carrying out a formal consultation on proposed changes to Traffic Regulation Orders, which will start on Thursday 15 September. This consultation follows on from the informal consultation held in May.
The aim of the proposals is to improve pedestrian safety and access, as well as improving the public realm along the street.
Under the proposals, buses would stop using Queen Street and be relocated nearby. Cyclists, for an initial 18 month trial period, would be able to utilise Queen Street at all times of the day, as the main east to west route.
The existing taxi rank at Carfax would remain but access by taxis is proposed via Carfax end and turning around at a mid – point on Queen Street. This is proposed from 9pm through to 6am and, again, initially for an 18 month trial period.
The proposals build on the improvements to Queen Street made by the county council in 2009 and are included in the latest Local Transport Plan.
Included in the package of measures being consulted on are:
-
Removal of the bus stop in Queen Street,
-
New bus routes around the city centre, to facilitate buses serving Westgate,
-
A new bus turnaround at Worcester Street / New Road junction including zebra crossing facilities on New Road, Worcester Street and Park End Street,
-
Changes to bus stop service allocations,
-
Taxis to be permitted on Queen Street, two way and accessed from Carfax Tower direction to a point mid-way before turning around and waiting at existing taxi rank which is to remain. 18 month trial period initially proposed,
-
Cyclists permitted to utilise Queen Street, two way, at all times of day on an initial 18 month trial period,
-
Existing arrangements for loading on Queen Street to remain as present,
-
Changes to loading bays and disabled parking locations on neighbouring streets.
County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “There is a great deal of interest in Queen Street and what will happen when the Westgate Centre is finished an open.
“This is a chance for people who live or work in the city to have a say on the future of this busy and vibrant shopping area.”
You can view all the consultation materials and scheme proposal plans online and have your say (available from Thursday 15th September) at:
https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/QueenStreetProject/consultationHome
The closing date for the consultation is 14 October 2016.