Council to provide ‘missing’ road data

CAMPAIGNERS claim that traffic data relating to the proposed Watlington relief road has been withheld.

Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance says that Oxfordshire County Council failed to disclose the data in its public consultation for the Watlington relief road planning application.

The council, the highways authority, has denied this.

The proposed relief road aims to divert traffic away from Watlington town centre, providing access to the B4009.

The council says that this would reduce congestion, noise and air pollution while promoting cycling and walking options.

However, the planning application, submitted by the county council to itself last year, fell short of requirements by only including a partial environmental impact assessment and leaving out details of the likely increase in traffic.

The council also didn’t include the traffic model validation and traffic forecast reports used to evaluate the road scheme.

Now the council as the highways planning authority has said the information must be provided.

Chris Church, co-chair of the campaign group, said: “By cutting corners and withholding information, the council is skewing investment decisions to build new roads. This is taking funding away from sustainable transport and active travel and is extremely short-sighted.”

Debbie Davies, a member of the alliance, said: “To meaningfully participate in the planning process on projects like new roads, the public and environmental organisations require accurate information about the environmental impacts.”

In a statement, the council said it did not withhold information or reports.

It said: “The results of traffic modelling, together with the pertinent findings of the local model validation and traffic forecasting reports, were summarised within the transport assessment report which formed part of the planning application detail that was submitted in December.

“An assessment of any extra traffic that might be generated by the new road is now being developed and will be submitted, as requested by the local planning authority, which will facilitate further consultation.”