Agenda item

To receive an expression of interest notice from Oxfordshire County Council regarding a pilot programme on Quiet Lanes.

Members may wish to determine this matter at the meeting or, if considered appropriate, refer it to Full Council on 13 July 2026 for a decision.

The Committee received and considered correspondence from Oxfordshire County Council regarding the Quiet Lanes pilot programme and considered potential locations within Witney.

Members discussed a number of suggested routes, including Church Lane, Avenue Two/Station Lane, Farm Mill Lane, Narrow Hill, Burwell Meadow, High Street, Puck Lane, Gloucester Place and Farmers Close. These suggestions highlighted a range of local issues, including active travel usage, vehicle speeds, delivery access, and the balance between restricting traffic.

During discussion, Members noted that several of the routes identified were already relatively low traffic or self-regulating in nature, such as Church Lane, Dark Lane and Puck Lane. It was further acknowledged that the urban layout and complexity of Witney’s highway network may make the retrospective introduction of Quiet Lane measures more challenging compared to rural areas, where the scheme was more readily applicable.

Members also noted that any scheme would initially be implemented on a temporary basis through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), for a minimum of six months and up to eighteen months, allowing for monitoring and review before any permanent decision was made.

Consideration was given to whether to defer submitting an expression of interest until initial pilots elsewhere in the county had been delivered and evaluated however this may be at the risk of initial funding budgets and protection of local concerns being reflected in the programme.

A proposal was made by Cllr G Doughty, seconded by Cllr R Smith, to support the Church Green Residents’ Association who had expressed for many years the traffic issues that they suffer in seeking a Quiet Lane designation for the short section of road between Church Green and the entrance to The Leys (Station Lane) it was thought that this may address vehicle movements and pedestrian safety.

The proposal was put to the vote and carried with three Members in favour, one against and one abstention.

Resolved:

That, the Town Council submits an expression of interest to Oxfordshire County Council for the section of road between Church Green and the entrance to The Leys to be considered as part of the Quiet Lanes pilot programme.