HIF2 A40 improvements
As you will have seen, the likely cost of the HIF2 A40 scheme is now judged to have exceeded the funding from Homes England, because of the high level of inflation. The scheme has therefore been paused to be reviewed.
I spoke at Cabinet in November to call for the review to be thorough, and to retain those parts of the scheme which add most value. I followed up with a question to the cabinet member at the subsequent cabinet meeting to try to ensure that there was full consultation on any changes to the proposals. It was predicable from the start to everyone apart from the previous administration that the scheme would cost more than planned and that the benefits are difficult to be confident about, and my predecessor as your County Councillor, Charles Mathew, and I were united in our position on the scheme.
It is likely that the review will report back to Cabinet by March 2023.
The building of the Park and Ride has been underway for a number of weeks. I took part in the formal “first digging”, given that the project is going ahead despite the scepticism of the Eynsham community. It was a good opportunity to meet with key stakeholders, including Stagecoach.
Botley West Solar Farm
I would not expect great involvement from the County Council on the unwelcome proposal. It should get asked about highways issues, and potentially on any flooding risk. WODC (and VOWH and Cherwell DCs) will be a consultee, and WODC has explained how it will go about this duty. The scheme will be assessed by central government rather than through the normal planning process, because of its scale.
Oxford traffic filters
There continues to be lots of misinformation about the proposed traffic filters. As a reminder, everywhere that currently can be driven to will continue to be accessibly by car, although we are keen that as many people use public transport or active travel as they can. The proposals are designed to make active travel safer and bus travel quicker. There is no “climate lockdown”.
Botley Road closure at the station
Having told the County Council, bus companies and residents that the road would be closed from about now till December, National Rail subsequently decided they were not ready to commence the work and withdrew the closure. We await their latest plans. It hasn’t been impressive from NR to date. At the end of it, we will have a much improved station, room for new services, including the one to Milton Keynes, and that will be good.
A40 bike lanes
Those of you who use bikes to get to Oxford will have noticed that the appalling chicane at Oxford North, on the south side of the A40, which was dangerous, inconvenient and entirely unnecessary, has now been removed. It should not have been built.
There is work going on to design a Local Cycling and Walking Plan (LCWIP) for Witney, the
consultation for which is open until 20 January. In addition, over the next few months, we will be putting together a plan for linking key villages and towns to each other and to Oxford, and Eynsham will be part of this network.
Reduced bus fares
For 3 months (Jan-Mar), bus passengers can enjoy a £2 cap on bus fares. Paid for by a government scheme, fares with participating bus firms will cost a maximum of £2 per adult single fare (includes Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel). Our services from Eynsham to Oxford and Witney are excellent, and now they are cheaper.
Thames Water
A Lib Dem motion at Full Council in December condemning the practice of dumping sewage into waterways passed with near unanimity. Over the Christmas period, Thames Water released raw sewage 6 times into Oxfordshire rivers. The annual cold water swim at Port Meadow, just downstream from Cassington Sewage Treatment Works, had to be cancelled. The newly reopened South Leigh STW has already leaked into the Limbrook. And the Back Lane/ Evans Road sewer is malfunctioning again. A water summit in December also looked at challenges facing water supply and demand in Oxfordshire.
Electoral boundaries
Eynsham, along with the rest of the Eynsham, Cassington and South Leigh district council ward, will be in the new Bicester and Woodstock parliamentary constituency which will come into being at the next election, providing that happens after June this year. Until then, we remain within Witney, with Robert Courts as MP. The Lib Dems have chosen Charlie Maynard as parliamentary candidate for Witney for the next election, whenever it is.
The Boundary Commission is also looking at Oxfordshire County Council, and looking to make changes to ensure that each division is roughly the same size, following the large expansion in the population of the county. This process will happen throughout the year, with public consultation as part of the process. At the moment, the county council has determined that it will recommend the continuation of single member divisions, and an increase in the number of seats to 69 (from 63). This got cross party support. The next step is to sketch out possible new divisions.
Budget
The budget for 2023-24 is being finalised, to be approved in February. In common with all other councils, the County Council is facing the headwinds of high inflation. It has huge demands, particularly in the areas of Adult Social Care, Education (including SEND) and highways.
Happy New Year. As ever, please get in touch with any queries, issues or comments.
Dan Levy: Dan.levy@oxfordshire.gov.uk