While local attention is focused on the details of Access to Headington, the County has been working on two new design guides – one for walking and one for cycling. These are intended to set the standards for walking and cycling provision in any new developments or redevelopments.
The Guides were approved by the County’s Cabinet Member for the Environment on 27 April this year. They will eventually be produced as good-looking booklets, but until then the final text of each is on the County’s website:
I asked the County Council how well the Access to Headington work conformed to the new guidelines. I was told:
All roads within scope of the Access to Headington project have an annual average daily traffic of over 5,000. Most speed limits are 30mph or less so the minimum provision for cycle infrastructure is stepped access (Table 3 in the Cycling Design Guide).
This is proposed for The Slade (2m hybrid cycle lanes in both directions) where there is sufficient space to accommodate this. On other roads the provision will be a mix of cycle tracks and lanes and reflects what officers think is the best compromise between the safety of cyclists, keeping some on-street parking provision, working with limited available carriageway widths and a desire to reduce the potential for any further loss of trees and grass verges. Available funding and cost of works to provide alternative cycle infrastructure was also taken into consideration such as on Old Road (removing the double kerb) and Headley Way (retaining structures required on the downhill section).