Oxford,
02
November
2020
|
13:17
Europe/London

New traffic arrangements in Jericho and Walton Manor

Walton Street, Oxford
Walton Street, Oxford
Walton Street, Oxford

Residents will be asked for their views on new measures being brought in to address issues that have arisen since the closure of Oxford’s Walton Street to general traffic.

Since November 2019, Oxfordshire County Council has been running an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) on Walton Street by closing the junction with Beaumont Street to general traffic. The ETRO was brought in after a period of repairs to Walton Street.

The aims of the ETRO are to prevent rat-running traffic by people who do not live in the area, increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians and improve air quality.

The closure is a trial and the county council is continuing to assess how it is performing. A final decision on whether to make the closure permanent or to reinstate the original layout is due to be made by the council by May 2021.  

Whilst the trial closure has delivered a number of positive benefits, there have been some localised concerns, including those around increased traffic on roads in the Walton Manor area.

To address these localised issues, the county council is bringing in some further targeted measures:

  • A ban on traffic (except cycles) turning right into St Bernard’s Road from Walton Street.
  • A ban on traffic (except cycles) turning right into Leckford Road from Kingston Road.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Environment (including Transport), said: “These measures are intended to allow for a more equitable distribution of traffic throughout the area. However, the county council will again be monitoring the effect of these measures to see whether they are delivering the intended benefits.

“In the longer term, we are keen to see a low traffic neighbourhood brought forward across the Jericho and Walton Manor area to deliver similar benefits across a much wider area of the local community.”

More details on the dates of these changes will follow but they are expected to come into force early in the new year.

These bans on right-hand turns had been proposed shortly after the original road closure, but they require the implementation of a new ETRO. As with any ETRO, there will be a six-month formal consultation period, where residents will be able to submit their views on the proposals.