Dear residents
SHOCKING RESULTS FROM CASSINGTON TRAFFIC SURVEY
The Parish Council would like to share with you the truly shocking results from the recent traffic survey undertaken in the village by Oxfordshire County Council.
Only 17% of vehicles were driving at or below the 20 mph speed limit
The majority, 83%, were driving over the 20 mph speed limit
2047 vehicles were recorded at speeds of over 40 mph
348 vehicles were recorded at speeds over 50 mph
And a staging 19 vehicles were recorded at speeds over 70 mph
Just think about those numbers for a minute.
This is the village where you, your families, parents, children, grandchildren and friends live. The footpaths are narrow, the roads unlit, and there’s a primary school at the heart of the village. Yet the overwhelming majority of drivers think it’s ok to drive through our village in excess of the speed limit – more than 80% of them.
The Parish Council believe that something has to be done to stop this and is proposing to introduce further speed reduction and traffic calming measures through the village. However, we cannot do this without the support and consent of the village.
PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF SPEED REDUCTION AND TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES IN CASSINGTON
In our previous statement, back in May 2024, regarding the increase in the precept for 2024/2025, the PC made specific reference to the speed of vehicles through the village being one of major concern of residents contacting the PC.
This has been a consistent issue for many years, with the PC first preparing plans for traffic calming that were presented to the residents back in 2005.
When the village was consulted in 2022 as part of the Neighbourhood Plan, residents commented particularly on the speed of traffic, and in some cases the narrowness of the foot ways and road in places. It was notable that more than 40% of residents considered that the village roads were unsafe. Various recommendations were made from introducing traffic calming measures, to decreasing the speed limit through the village to 20mph and installing a pedestrian crossing between the Red Lion pub and the village green for use particularly by children. Improvements to the junction between Bell Lane and the Cassington – Yarnton Road were also mentioned.
In response to these concerns, we said that we were determined to do what we can to make the roads through the village as safe as possible for all the residents of Cassington. This is one of the roles of the Parish Council – measures required for traffic calming / speed reduction are the responsibility of the Parish Council and not the highway authority, Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), or the local authority, West Oxfordshire County Council (WODC).
In the same statement, we also advised residents that despite the recent reduction in the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph (as approved by the village via a referendum), the volunteers from Cassington Speedwatch regularly record vehicles at speeds of over 40mph through the village, and sometimes at speeds in excess of 50 mph. It’s worth reminding ourselves what that looked like for 2023, and so far in 2024:
| CASSINGTON SPEEDWATCH RECORDS | ||
| 2023 | 2024 | |
| NO. of sessions: | 77 | 41 |
| Total number of vehicles: | 11,693 | 10,560 |
| NO. of offending vehicles: | 1,333 | 1,237 |
| Between 25 mph & 30 mph: | 746 | 835 |
| Between 31 mph & 40 mph: | 538 | 362 |
| Over 40 mph: | 44 | 12 |
| Over 50 mph: | 5 | 1 |
| Highest offender | 58 mph | 53 mph |
However, it’s not just the speed watch records that point to the excessive speed of vehicles through our village. Residents continue to contact the Parish Council with their own experiences, both in writing and by attending Parish Council meetings.
Some residents have even taken it upon themselves to write to businesses telling them about their vehicles they have spotted speeding through the village.
It often feels like we only have to step out of our front doors to encounter a speeding vehicle in our village.
TRAFFIC CALMING AND SPEED REDUCTION PLANS
Following the response to the 2022 consultation, and subsequent representations, the PC has been working on a long-term plans for the implementation of traffic calming and speed reduction measures through the village.
Some of these measures have already been implemented, others will be implemented shortly, and some are in the early stages of consideration.
The measures currently under consideration will only be implemented should it be determined that there is a need to take further action. This will be determined based on vehicle speed data / traffic survey results and will only be implemented if there is support from the village in terms of consensus for further action, and if we are able to raise the necessary funds.
Currently / future plans include:
20 MPH SPEED LIMIT
This has already been approved by the village via a referendum and implemented by OCC at no cost to the village.
SPEED INDICATOR SIGNS AT ENTRIES TO VILLAGE ON EYNSHAM ROAD AND YARNTON ROAD
Replacement of the previously installed speed indicator signs to be actioned by OCC imminently, at no costs to the village.
VEHICLE ACTIVATED SPEED INDICATOR SIGN (VAS)
The PC is about to purchase a solar powered vehicle activated speed indicator sign. This device will not only display the speed of passing vehicles in real time but will record the speed of passing vehicles thereby allowing us to collect valuable data to support future decisions.
This device will be mobile and can be moved to various locations within the village to increase its effectiveness.
The cost of providing the VAS was included in the PC’s budget for 2024 / 2025 and collected via the precept.
DATA GATHERING
Data gathering is an important part of the PC’s plan, and any decisions taken in the future by the Parish council will be based on and supported by the data.
As you will be aware, we already have a wealth of data regarding the speed of vehicles travelling through the village thanks to the efforts of Cassington Speedwatch, to whom we are extremely grateful. This information will shortly be supplemented by the soon to be installed speed indicator signs at the two entrances to the village, with further data being recorded once the mobile device has been purchased.
In addition to this, the Parish Council commissioned a traffic survey, which has now been undertaken by OCC – you may have noticed the strips on the road at various locations through the village. This traffic survey is a requirement when considering the implementation of any potential traffic calming measures.
As we have said already, the results of this survey – which can be found on the village website – are truly shocking
The cost of undertaking this survey was included in the Parish Council budget for 2024 / 2025 and collected via the precept.
TRAFFIC CALMING
The PC’s current preferred solution for traffic calming (which co-incidentally aligns with scheme put forward to the village in 2005) is for the installation of ‘village gates’ at each end of the village, which effectively reduces the flow of traffic to one lane in each direction, and the construction of a ‘build out’ somewhere in the middle of the village to create a similar restriction / crossing.
Details of the proposed schemes will be published on the PC website and in CAWN.
These measures would be in addition to the current 20 mph signage, the soon to be installed speed indicator signs at the entrances to the village and the mobile speed indicator sign that the PC has committed to purchase.
FUTURE CONSULTATION
The PC will continue to engage and consult with the residents at each stage in the planning and implementation of any traffic calming measures. This will include publishing any data collected and any advice sought from the likes of OCC and WODC.
In the short term, the PC will undertake a ‘Survey Monkey’ consultation with the village to access the strength of support for our current plans – look out for details of this in CAWN and on the PC website and social media.
COST OF TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES
The PC have recently consulted with OCC who have provided the following estimates for the various traffic calming options under consideration:
- Entrance gates: £10,000 to £12,000 each
- Build-out: £9,000
- Consultation fee: £2,205
CURRENT BUDGET
The PC raised the following sums in our 2024 / 20245 budget via the annual precept:
- Vehicle activated speed indicator sign, £2,500.
- Traffic calming measures, survey, admin, and fees, £6,700.
FUTURE FUNDING
While the PC have made a provision of £6,700 in our budget for 2024 / 2025 for traffic calming measures, this clearly falls way short of the estimated £35,000 that could be required for the proposed scheme.
Therefore, the PC intends commence discussions with OCC, WODC and our District and County councillors to understand what potential funding may be available.
CONSENT OF THE RESIDENTS OF CASSINGTON
No additional funding will be sought from the village until the PC’s plans have been finalised and fully costed, the village has been fully consulted regarding these plans, the available funding options have been explored, and the consent of the village sought to implement the approved plans via a village referendum.
Any decisions taken by the PC regarding this matter will be taken during formal meetings of the Parish Council to which the public are invited to attend.
GET IN TOUCH
Residents are of course welcome to express their views on this subject, or any other matters that effect the village, either in writing to cassingtonclerk@cassington-pc.gov.uk, by contacting one of your Parish Councillors – contact details in CAWN and on the Parish Council website, or by attending a Parish Council meeting.
Offers of support and assistance are also welcome, particularly if you have an expertise in this matter
The PC meets 10 times a year. These meeting are held in public, usually at the village hall. Residents are encouraged to attend the meetings and are invited to raise questions.
Agendas for the meetings are published in advance on the Parish Council website and posted on the village notice boards. Minutes of the meetings are also published on the Parish Council and in CAWN.
If you would like to find out more about Cassington Speedwatch including information on how to volunteer, please contact Ron McDonald. Contact details can also be found in CAWN.
Cassington Parish Council