City cycling revolution

Oxford City Council has a list of 57 projects that would make the city more welcoming for people on two wheels.

According to a draft report seen by the Oxford Mail, the schemes range from major infrastructure projects like new bridges, to new signs and road markings.

The authority wants to tackle some of the city’s most notorious hazards as part of the work, such as Botley Road.

About £15,000 would be spent on making the bridge by the railway station safer to pass under.

Botley Road was dubbed one of Britain’s most dangerous roads for cyclists by cyclist lobby group Sustrans earlier this year.

In little over a month the plans will go before the city council’s executive board for approval and work is ready to begin soon after.

City councillor Colin Cook, executive board member for city development and a keen cyclist, said: “We have got to aim high.”

The rail bridge has been highlighted as high priority and would see work done to improve space for cyclists as they head towards the city centre.

Cycle lane marking would be repainted where it has worn away and “poorly designed” cycle-calming barriers, which can make it difficult for cyclists to pass through, would be removed across Oxford.

The council plans to spend £100,000 from its capital budget in each of the first two years followed by £50,000 in each of the following years.

It plans to spend £10,000 from its revenue budget in each of the four years of the scheme.

On top of that the council has access to £500,000 from so-called section 106 money, paid to the authority by developers when major planning applications are approved.

The 57 projects have been ranked as short, medium or long term priorities.

Short term projects would happen within the first year, with medium projects introduced between 2013 and 2016.

These range from £5,000 for new signs going from Rymers Lane to the city centre to £100,000 for junction redesigns in Cowley.

The long-term projects are considerably more expensive and are not budgeted in the four-year plan.

These include a £2.1m Thames crossing between Oxpens and Osney Mead, though a precise location has yet to be established, and a £300,000 city centre cycle hub including parking, lockers and a repair shop, possibly incorporated in the redevelopment of the Westgate Centre.

Richard Mann, of cycling campaign group Cyclox, praised the council’s vision.

He said: “We are very enthusiastic about it.

“There are opportunities to make some quite substantial progress and it’s good that the city council is prepared to put some money up in these hard times. Botley Road rail bridge has been top of the list for a long time and I’m very pleased it is on their to-do list.”

Mr Cook said: “Our ultimate aim is to try to improve the overall provision for cyclists in the city and encourage more cycling in the city.

“Many of the schemes we are proposing will benefit all road-users, including pedestrians and drivers.”

Mr Cook said the city council had funds ready to begin work as soon as the plan is given the go-ahead by the executive board on Wednesday, July 4.

He added that the council would apply for central government grants, but funding would be “pretty thin on the ground”.

Any hopes that the city might be designated an official ‘Cycle City’ like Cambridge and Bristol as a result of the work, have already been dashed – Cycling England, the quango which awarded them the honour, has since been closed down.

The plan

MAIN ROADS

£70,000 - rebuild roundabouts at JR access and Marston Rd, Marsh Lane and Cherwell Drive

£60,000 - improvements to Cowley Road and Oxford Road between Magdalen Road and Oxford Business Park

£40,000 - improve Church Cowley Road for cyclists including 1100m of colured cycle lane surfacing both sides

£35,000 - improvements to The Plain including tightening of Cowley Place junction to give a cycle lane between Iffley Road and Magdalen Bridge

£35,000 - greater cycle priority in St Clements and London Place

£30,000 - outbound cycle lane on Marston Road

£30,000 - improve direct route between the Leys and Cowley

£25,000 - Iffley Road improvements south of Donnington Bridge road with cycle link from Boundary Brook to Cavell Road

£20,000 - create an inbound cycle lane on Abingdon Road

£18,000 - improve attractiveness of the Watlington Road corridor

£15,000 - safety improvements to the Botley Road rail bridge

£6,000 - improve existing Woodstock Road cycle path

£5,000 - advisory cycle lanes between Woodlands Rd and Stanton Rd and on Cherwell Drive

£3,000 - improve Woodstock Road and Banbury Road junction for cyclists

£2,000 - removing pavement parking on Donnington Bridge Road

£2,000 - removing pavement parking on The Slade

£2,000 - cycle lanes on Marston Ferry Road

£2,000 - addressing “conflict points” on Botley Road

Free - relax restrictions on daytime cycling in Queen Steet

Unknown cost - repainting cycle lane markings where they have worn away

Unknown cost- improve double intersection for cyclists at Between towns Road, Oxford Road and Hollow Way

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

£125,000 - provide contra-flow permission for cyclists in 25 one-way streets

£70,000 - improved cycle paths and crossings at Peartree interchange

£35,000 - Cutteslowe Roundabout cycle priority improvements

£5,000 - introduce two-way system for cyclists in Magdalen Road and Howard Street

£2,000 - introduce two-way cycling system in Pembroke Street

Unknown price - Radcliffe Infirmary Quarter area improvements (county council scheme funded by development)

Unknown price - selective removal of obstructive barriers

QUIET ROUTES

£450,000 - improve or create routes to and through the Churchill Hospital site

£100,000 - upgrade Cottesmore Road footbridge and approaches

£80,000 - quiet route between Temple Cowley and Meadow Lane

£80,000 - improvements to Woodstock Rd route south of Bainton Rd

£70,000 - improve access to Oxford Science Park from The Leys and Littlemore

£60,000 - improve or create routes to or through the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

£50,000 - improve or create routes to or through the John Radcliffe Hospital

£30,000 - improve quality of Rose Hill underpass for cyclists

£30,000 - work on junction priority at Beauchamp Lane, Between Towns Road and Rymers Lane

£30,000 - create an off-road alternative to the Headington Hill cycle lane

£25,000 - Iffley Road crossing to link Addison Crescent with Howard Street

Unknown cost - improve or formalise links to Ring Road cycle track from adjacent areas

SIGNAGE

£10,000 - signs on Iffley route to city centre from Cowley

£10,000 - signs on Barton route to city centre

£5,000 - signs on northern section of Leys and Littlemore route to city centre

£5,000 - signs on southern section of Leys and Littlemore route to city centre

£3,000 - better signs to Oxford Science Park

£3,000 - better signs to Oxford Business Park

HIGH COST MEASURES

£2.1m - Thames crossing at Jackdaw Lane

£2.1m - Thames crossing from Osney Mead to Oxpens

£450,000 - improve Sandy Lane West underpass and Littlemore Road

£450,000 - underpass from Tesco in Ambassador Avenue to Sandy Lane

£450,000 - improve or create routes to and through the Churchill Hospital site

£300,000 - canal crossing from Jericho to Oxford Station

£300,000 - Oxford city centre cycle hub

£200,000 - upgrading the footpath under the railway at Rewley Road swingbridge

£200,000 - improve canal towpath to Peartree for cyclists

£200,000 - implement proposed Bartlemas Close to Roosevelt Drive link via Warneford Meadows

Paid by Department for Transport, cost not specified - improve canal towpath from Walton Well Road to Elizabeth Jennings Way