Council bans peak-hour deliveries at notorious Oxford roundabout

Peak-hour deliveries are to be banned at a notorious roundabout in Oxford where a cyclist was killed last year.

Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed it will impose the restrictions at The Plain, where University of Oxford researcher Dr Ling Felce, a mother of two, was killed in March last year.

40-year-old lorry driver Robert Whiting, who was uninsured, unlicenced, and under the influence of cocaine when the fatal crash happened, was subsequently jailed for eight years for causing the cyclist’s death by dangerous driving.

> Unlicensed HGV driver jailed for eight years for killing cyclist while under the influence of cocaine

The junction, where St Clement’s Street, Cowley Road and Iffley Road converge on the way into the city centre via Magdalen Bridge, is used by up to 12,000 cyclists a day, according to the council.

The county council, which is the highways authority for the city, says that loading will be banned in the mornings from 0700-1000 hours and in the afternoons from 1630-1900 hours.

The measures aim to make the junction safer for pedestrians and cyclists, the council says, and are among safety initiatives that have been called for by organisations including Cyclox, the local cycling campaign group.

Councillor Andrew Gant, the council’s cabinet member for highway management, approved the measures on Thursday at a delegated decisions meeting.

He said: “We know that any measures to improve safety and visibility at this busy roundabout will be welcomed by the thousands of people who use it every day.”

According to the council, the proposals are in line with its Vision Zero policy, under which it aims for no-one to be killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads by 2050.

It also says that the plans should improve bus journey times, as well as encouraging people not to use cars for the school run.

The council added that it will be consulting with people living locally, as well as businesses and landlords, regarding alternative arrangements related to loading.

Last November, the council carried out safety improvements at The Plain including changing road markings and traffic signs, introducing bollards and road studs, and putting in light segregation for cyclists.

The roundabout had previously been remodelled in 2013, but Cyclox remained critical of the layout, saying that lack of physical segregation would not encourage less experienced cyclists, or people who did not currently ride a bike, to cycle there at all.

Speaking last November after the announcement of the latest overhaul of the roundabout, Cylcox chair Dr Alison Hill expressed hope that the changes would “make a difference” to the safety of cyclists there, although she highlighted that they did not go as far as many people had called for.

> Improvements to notorious roundabout will benefit both cyclists and motorists, campaigners say

“The Plain roundabout is a deterrent to many people who want to cycle between east Oxford and the city,” she said.

“It has the reputation of being the most dangerous junction in the UK outside London,” she continued.

“We appreciate that the county council has involved us and other cycling groups in advising on changes to the junction to help improve safety.

“Ultimately much more radical changes will be needed to eliminate serious collisions, but these improvements will make a difference,” Dr Hill added.

“We look forward to working with the county council to improving safety for cycling at other junctions around the city.”