My, doesn’t time fly! Deadline for the consultation is TODAY, so do register and submit a response before you go to bed tonight.

After much thought I’ve responded to the Large Towns section of the Scenarios consultation as follows…

Scenario A – Promoting Lower Emissions

For your chosen scenaro, are there any additional types of schemes that you would wish to see added?

– Slower speeds are essential to high quality walking and cycling.

– Walking and cycling needs high quality public transport in settlements and between settlements: better cycle provision; buses with comfortable suspension; buses driven at comfortable speeds.

– Road infrastructure improvements and restrictions where they reduce motorised traffic volumes in settlements, particularly HGVs, hence enhancing walking and cycling. An example would be A40 junction changes at Shores Green and Downs Road in Witney along with restrictions within the town.

For your chosen scenario, are there any types of scheme that you would wish to see removed?

– It is unclear what investment in low emmission vehicles and alternative fuels is. Does it mean charging stations for electric vehicles? Is it electric buses? Is it light rail?

– Will switching from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor reduce total generated emissions or congestion?

Do you have any other comments about the scenarios for transport in Oxfordshire? (Please remember that in this consultation we are concerned with overall strategies not individual schemes)

It is unclear what the strategy for travel between settlements is. Eg, a Park and Ride on the outskirts of a town would benefit both the city, by eliminating the need to drive all the way to the P&R there, and the town, by reducing traffic in it. If the “Ride” were a light rail link to services in the city it would be even more attractive.

High quality cycling links are required between settlements. Where inter settlement journeys of up to 5 miles do not have a high quality cycle link speeds need to be reduced to make cycling safe.

Do the scenarios offered take into account the timescale? Could the LTP be managed over the 20 years to build a sustainable transport network from the bottom up? Concentrating mainly on walking and cycling in the first 5 years through to rail infrastructure in the last 5, passing through bus improvements and P&R on the way?

Much could be achieved to reduce congestion if the pattern of economic activity were tailored to fit the network and not vice versa.