Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Vulnerable Road User Audit Oxfordshire County Council
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Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Vulnerable Road User Audit Oxfordshire County Council 3 February 2015 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Oxfordshire County Councils information and use in relation to a Stage 3 Vulnerable Road User Audit of proposals at the junction of Worcester Street, Hythe Bridge Street and George Street, Oxford. Atkins Highway & Transportation assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. This document has 20 pages including the cover. Document history Job number: 5126734 Document ref: Stage 3 VRU Audit Worcester Street Revision Purpose description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date Rev 1.0 For Issue KF KF GB GB February 2015 Client signoff Client Oxfordshire County Council Project Worcester Street, Oxford Document title Stage 3 Vulnerable Road User Audit Job no. 5126734 Copy no. 001 Document Worcester Street Stage 3 VRU Audit reference Atkins Worcester Street | Version 1.0 | 3 February 2015 | 5126734 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit Table of contents Chapter Pages 1. Introduction 4 Commission and Terms of Reference 4 Procedure 4 Issues 4 2. Scheme Description 5 Location 5 Scheme Description 5 Departure from Standards 5 Clarifications 5 3. Outstanding Issues Raised by the Stage 1&2 VRU Audits 6 4. Issues Raised by this Stage 3 VRU Audit 8 5. Vulnerable Road User Audit Team Statement 15 Appendices 16 Appendix A. List of Drawings and Documents Provided as Review Brief 17 Appendix B. Design Drawings 18 Appendix C. Issue Location Plan 19 Tables Table 4-1 Location Reference No: 1 ................................................................................................................. 8 Table 4-2 Location Reference No: 2 ................................................................................................................. 9 Table 4-3 Location Reference No: 3 ............................................................................................................... 10 Table 4-4 Location Reference No: 4 ............................................................................................................... 11 Table 4-5 Location Reference No: 5 ............................................................................................................... 12 Table 4-6 Location Reference No: 6 ............................................................................................................... 13 Table 4-7 Location Reference No: 7 ............................................................................................................... 14 Figures Figure 2-1 Site Location Plan 5 Figure 4-1 Photograph of standing water on Hythe Bridge Street at controlled crossing point 8 Figure 4-2 Photograph of exposed surface joints 9 Figure 4-3 Photograph of defective surface in controlled crossing area 9 Figure 4-4 Photograph of vehicle stopping in controlled crossing area 10 Figure 4-5 Photograph of large bus in cycle reservoir on George Street 11 Figure 4-6 Photograph of cyclists turning right from Worcester Street (North) in front of ahead traffic 12 Figure 4-7 Photograph of cyclist waiting in junction to carry out ahead manoeuvre between Hythe Bridge Road and George Street 13 Figure 4-8 Puffin crossing pedestrian nearside indicator 14 Figure 4-9 Pedestrian crossing on wrong phase 14 Figure 5-1 Site Location Plan 19 Atkins Worcester Street | Version 1.0 | 3 February 2015 | 5126734 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit 1. Introduction Commission and Terms of Reference 1.1. Atkins has been commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council to undertake a Stage 3 Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Audit of proposals to reopen the Worcester Street, Hythe Bridge Street, and George Street junction with the introduction of traffic signals and puffin crossing elements. 1.2. The audit has been conducted with reference to the procedures and scope set out in the Highways Agency’s ‘Design Manual for Roads and Bridges’ (DMRB), Volume 5, Section 2, Parts 5, ‘Non Motorised User Audits` Standard HD 42/05 and Oxfordshire County Council Vulnerable Road User Audit Standards, Guidelines and Audit Checklists. 1.3. The Audit Team membership was as follows: Audit Team Leader: Geoff Butler BSc (Hons) MCILT FIHIE Managing Consultant Atkins Highways & Transportation, Euston Tower Audit Team Member: Kevin Freimanis BSc Senior Planner Atkins Highways & Transportation, Euston Tower Audit Team Observer: Anthony Kirkwood Road Safety Manager Oxfordshire County Council Procedure 1.4. The VRU Audit comprised an examination of the design drawing, VRU Audit brief and site visit. Day and night site visits was undertaken on the 8th January 2015. The weather was dry, clear, bright and cold during the day visit. The night visit was dry, clear and cold. Traffic flows were busy during both day and night visits. The night visit was busier coinciding with rush hour. 1.5. The brief was provided by the Atkins, Highways & Transportation (London), Managing Consultant Paul Gannon and consisted of scheme drawings and an audit request form. 1.6. Outstanding issues identified as part of the Stage 1 &2 VRU Audits are detailed in Section 3, with Stage 3 VRU Audit comments. Issues identified as part of this Stage 3 VRU Audit are detailed in Section 4. Section 5 comprises the Audit Team Statement. 1.7. Appendix A of this report lists the contents of the audit brief. Appendix B contains the design drawing used in this audit. Appendix C contains the Issue Location Plans. 1.8. Atkins has examined and reported on only the road safety implications of the measures as presented. The designs were not specifically examined or verified for compliance to any other criteria. However, to clearly explain a safety issue or the recommendation to resolve an issue, the Audit Team may, on occasion, refer to a design standard without undertaking a technical audit. Issues 1.9. The VRU Audit brief did not provide the following details and as a result, the audit does not take these into account: Any departures from standards; Classified traffic counts; Atkins Worcester Street, Oxford | Version 1.0 | 3 February 2015 | 5126734 4 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit Lighting levels; Drainage; Levels; and Site clearance. 2. Scheme Description Location 2.1. The site is located east of Frideswide Square and Oxford Railway Station, and west of Oxford town centre, on Worcester Street at its junction with Hythe Bridge Street and George Street. 2.2. The sites posted speed limit of 20mph. The site is predominantly commercial in nature. The proposals are on the border of the Carfax and Jericho & Osney Wards of Oxford City Council. Figure 2-1 Site Location Plan N Scheme location (Source Google EarthTM mapping service) Scheme Description 2.3. The following were proposed as part of the project: Re-opening of the Worcester Street / Hythe Bridge Street / George Street junction with the introduction of a traffic signal junction complete with Puffin crossing elements. Departure from Standards 2.4. The audit team have not been made aware of any departures from standards. Clarifications 2.5. Clarifications were requested by Kevin Freimanis, by email on the 09/01/15 and clarifications received from Paul Gannon, by email, on the 12/01/15. Atkins Worcester Street, Oxford | Version 1.0 | 3 February 2015 | 5126734 5 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit 3. Outstanding Issues Raised by the Stage 1&2 VRU Audits 3.1. The safety aspects of the proposals for Frideswide Square were subject to comment in May 2014 in the Stage 1 VRU report, and July 2014 in a Stage 2 VRU report. There are two outstanding issues from the stage 1 & 2 VRU reports. All other issues raised in the Stage 1 and 2 VRU Audits have been resolved. Non Motorised User Location Reference No: 12 Location: Worcester Street j/w George Street and Hythe Bridge Street Figure 28: Extract from drawing 5126734-ATK-HW01-GA- DR-D-001 showing existing pedestrian path, and proposed routes. Stage 1 VRU Audit Indirect pedestrian route Issue: Stage 1 VRU Audit Removing the footway connection between the south-west Summary: and north-east kerb lines will remove a direct route and desire line for pedestrians. The proposed layout will force pedestrians to follow a longer, less direct route between footways. Pedestrians may cross the road informally, thus increasing the risk of conflict with vehicles. Stage 1 VRU Audit Retain existing junction layout. Recommendation: Provide a diagonal crossing point. Stage 2 VRU Audit This still presents itself as an issue Comment Stage 3 VRU Audit This still presents itself as an issue Comment Stage 3 VRU Audit Monitor junction accidents. If collision trends indicate Recommendation pedestrians/ cyclists are crossing the junction diagonally uncontrolled either discourage using street furniture, or provide a diagonal crossing facility. Atkins Worcester Street, Oxford | Version 1.0 | 3 February 2015 | 5126734 6 Worcester Street, Oxford Stage 3 Road Safety Audit Location Reference No: 13 Location: Worcester Street j/w George Street and Hythe Bridge Street Figure 29: Extract from drawing 5126734-ATK-HW01-GA- DR-D-001 showing proposed junction layout Stage 1 VRU Audit Intergreen between arms Issue: Stage 1 VRU Audit A pedestrian may notice vehicles slowing to stop to their Summary: left and far right and commence to cross in advance of the green man whilst a vehicle