David and Ruth have been surveying some of the local residents in Stapleton Road, Lime Walk, All Saints Road and Nursery Close about the ‘new look’ junction. We have also consulted New Headington Residents’ Association exec and have emailed out a short survey to residents in Bateman St, Kennett Rd., Piper St., Perrin St., Windsor Street and Gardiner Street to get a balanced view of people’s concerns, and are aware that Highfield Residents’ Association is also in contact with the traffic planners on this issue.

We shall continue to survey residents about the junction over the weekend, and have raised a number of initial concerns with the County Transport Planning team who are looking into them and getting back to us.

The issues we have brought to their attention  already include: 

• drainage after heavy rain,
• the need for a kerbed edging at the corners of the junction (concerns for safety of young children scooting into the road without realising etc. and vehicles mounting pavements via dropped kerbs),
• lighting,
• signage (including priority arrows), 
• inadequate lines of sight past parked cars – cars getting ‘boxed in’ behind parked cars and being unable to re-emerge safely, as well as how the junction is likely to be ‘finished off’.It’s important to remember that the scheme is not yet fully implemented as there is more work starting on raised entry treatments and works to Stapleton, Bickerton and Latimer Roads. It is too early to decide whether the scheme  has achieved a reduction in volume and speed of traffic.

 Some pedestrians have told us they are finding it easier to cross Lime Walk, and we have had some positive emails and responses from cyclists. There is some anecdotal evidence that the volume and speed of motor vehicles has lessened, but the worry is that this may have displaced to neighbouring residential streets, specifically Stapleton Road – we won’t be able to gauge the full extent of that properly until the rest of the works are finished.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your views on this issue. It’s important that your ward councillors have an overall balanced view of resident opinion so that we represent you effectively. You can find our contact details under the Contact Us tab on this page. We will update this page when county officers respond