New 20mph limits for Abingdon and six other Oxfordshire communities have been approved after “common sense prevailed” according to Oxford Bus Company’s managing director.
In today’s meeting, Oxfordshire County Councillor and cabinet member for highway management Andrew Gant approved the new 20mph and 30mph limits in Abingdon, as well as 20mph limits in Cumnor, Faringdon, Forest Hill, Shrivenham, Steventon and Woodcote.
The plans to introduce these lower limits have been controversial with householders and bus companies.
The Oxford Bus Company threatened to “withdraw services” unless Mr Gant consulted further in February.
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The Oxford Bus Company said it was against Mr Gant’s “blanket approach” and its managing director Luke Marion said the new limits would only lead to a “reduction in bus mileage being provided”.
However, Mr Gant announced that a compromise had been reached with the bus companies, and that the 20mph limits in Abingdon were going ahead, with a “relaxation of the schemes”.
Mr Marion, who is also managing director of Thames Travel, said today’s approval showed “common sense has prevailed".
He highlighted that a “mutually agreed position was achieved” which “delivers improvements for road safety for road users, preserves the benefits of the ‘20s plenty’ where practical and safeguards journey times for bus passengers as much as possible”.
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The new agreement was struck between Oxfordshire County Council, Abingdon Town Council and active travel groups.
Mr Marion said he hoped this “pragmatic, solution based approach” could be “adopted in other areas of the county considering similar schemes in major settlements”.
Despite criticism of the limits, Abingdon North Liberal Democrats councillor Dr Nathan Ley told the Oxford Mail this was a “policy with quiet, widespread support on the doorstep” and was “supported across the political spectrum”.
However, Dr Ley acknowledged there was a “small number of vocal online opponents” but insisted he never wanted the new limits to threaten good bus journey times.
He explained: “As someone who advocated strongly for the expanded X1 service to serve Dunmore Road and Wootton Road, safeguarding the bus services we already have is very important.”
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Conservative councillor and shadow cabinet member for highway management Liam Walker said the 20mph limits introduced in Witney were “ineffective” and he argued the “majority of residents think the £8 million being spent on the 20mph rollout could be better spent fixing about 160,000 potholes instead”.
Mr Walker continued his criticisms of the approval by accusing the council of not “engaging or consulting with residents”.
A consultation was run by the county council for those living in Abingdon between August 31 and September 30, 2022, which asked householders for their thoughts on new 20mph limits for “several radial routes” and a 30mph ring road.
In the 12 months since the council’s £8 million project started, 208 communities have applied for 20mph limits, and 72 schemes have been approved.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire 20mph schemes approved in meeting
The council has also reiterated the emphasis is on the drivers to adhere to the new limits “through a change of mindset”, as opposed to enforcement.
Thames Valley Police has not objected to the proposed 20mph limits but said they have concerns.
The police suggested in the consultation phase that a new 20mph limit will not be enforceable as the “fixed safety cameras within the 20mph limit can no longer function”.
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An Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said: "A number of today’s 20mph decisions were deferred from previous meetings due to concerns raised by bus companies.
"We have since had a lot of engagement with the bus providers and active travel representatives and come to an agreement across all of these situations to look at the cumulative effect on bus journey times along the A420 corridors.
"This engagement has been extremely beneficial and we have worked together in a collaborative manner to achieve results that are beneficial for all parties.
"Going forward, Oxfordshire County Council has set up a working group to meet with key stakeholder in advance of 20mph decisions being made to work out what we can deliver and agree parameters and boundaries of these schemes."
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