Banbury MP has backed public concern over a blanket 20mph speed limit across Banbury town

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is rolling out a ‘transformation programme’ where 30mph speed limits will be reduced to 20mph ‘where there is local support’.

Mrs Prentis has told Oxfordshire County Council that three quarters of the correspondence she has received on the issue is against the wholescale reduction to 20mph.

She says Banbury has no ring road so drivers are forced to travel east to west and south to north through the town centre – and these roads should not be subjected to a 20mph limit.

"The County Council's decision to propose a blanket 20mph zone, incorporating the majority of Banbury's roads, rather than taking a more targeted approach, has caused significant concern. Stretches of many key routes through the town will be reduced to 20mph, including the Southam Road, Warwick Road, Horse Fair, Broughton Road, West Bar, South Bar, Oxford Road, Hightown Road, Cherwell Street, Bridge Street and Middleton Road,” she wrote in her response to the county’s consultation.

"These roads form the spine of the town's strategic road network and are heavily used. The pressures on Banbury's existing road network are well known. Suffering from a lack of strategic Ring Road, the town is reliant on its north-south and east-west corridors. Anybody wishing to circumnavigate the town has no real option but to take a route through its centre.

"Residents are concerned that a blanket speed reduction on so many of Banbury’s strategic roads would only exacerbate existing congestion. I share these concerns and cannot see how this approach will meet the County Council's stated ambition to facilitate the effective passage of traffic around the town.

"The scale of the proposals has also prompted concerns about the costs they will incur. At a time when our roads in Oxfordshire are the worst state they have been for many years, despite record funding allocated by the Government, my constituents fear these plans will distract the County Council's highways department further.”

Mrs Prentis referred to a case in Bucknall village where 30mph signs were painted over with 20mph rather than replaced, raising ‘more doubts about the county’s ability to implement such a large scheme effectively’.

She said a fundamental question was whether a 20mph scheme would deliver speed reductions. The county council says reductions to 20mph in 2021 – 22 pilot areas resulted in ‘up to 4mph’ reduction in traffic speeds.

Mrs Prentis said in her letter: “The County Council's own guidance on 20 miles an hour is clear - areas should be considered only where there is explicit local support. It also states that new zones will not be accompanied by any other traffic calming measures. This approach relies on securing local consent in order for the reduction to achieve compliance.

The government recently published the plan for drivers which outlined how, while 20 mile an hour zones are an important tool for improving road safety in residential areas, overuse risk risks undermining public acceptance and compliance as a result.

"The Department for Transport has made clear that 20mph speed limits should be considered on a road-by-road basis with local consultation rather than as blanket measures. It strikes me that residents are right to be concerned that the proposals for Banbury have strayed in this direction.

“I agree that measures to improve active travel routes should be encouraged within our town. However, we cannot ignore the fact that many residents will continue to rely on their car for a considerable time to come. It is exactly for this reason that the Government has made clear that the needs of motorists should not be ignored in future highway planning, nor should barriers be erected to prevent car use.

"This is particularly relevant in Banbury given the town's role as the primary service centre for the surrounding rural area. Residents feel that Banbury continues to be overlooked for significant infrastructure upgrades, while County Hall’s focus is on other projects elsewhere.

"Despite continued discussions on possible improvements to Hennef Way or a new motorway junction for the town, these rarely feature on the County Council's agenda.

"The much needed Tramway Road improvement scheme is scheduled to be delivered next year. Yet this comes more than two years after the plans were consulted on.,” said Mrs Prentis.

" Overall my constituents are supportive of targeted, localised measures to improve road safety around Banbury’s schools, health centres and quieter residential areas.

"However, the blanket approach of these proposals has generated considerable concern about possible impact on existing pressures within Banbury's strategic road network.

"Ultimately, many of the roads proposed to be reduced to 20mph are not pedestrianised areas or quiet ways but some of our town town's most important arteries. This should be reflected in the County Council's plans.”

Oxfordshire County Council said to be eligible for a reduction from 30mph to 20mph, a scheme must be supported by the local town or parish council and the local county councillor. The consultation on this closed in December.

In its introduction to the consultation, the council said: “The introduction of 20mph in our 2021/2022 pilot areas has already reduced speeds by up to 4mph. This has really benefitted the local communities and it will help to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents.”

The county council will review the responses received and prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for early in 2024. This will be a public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak.