Who are we and what do we do?
ETPG was originally set up in March 2018, to be a ‘subgroup’ of the original Residents’ Association. The initial group was chaired by Rob, and made up of 6 people each from Phases 1-2. Since then, it has become more ‘fluid’ – and involves residents from all phases as necessary at the time.
Its original purpose was to survey residents – which was done in May 2018 – and report results back to A2Dominion – which was done in June 2018 – regarding ways to improve traffic and parking issues on the estate, especially dangerous/inconsiderate parking at road junctions.
A2 made a few changes (though not all that were recommended by the results), which solved many issues, including the more serious ones.
The ETPG then assisted Gagle Brook Primary School in November 2018 – with its first Travel Survey, and completing its Travel Plan (both required by OCC, who were going to take the school to court if they didn’t sort these!!). During that work, ETPG realized that the school drop-off and collect process, traffic and parking had not been correctly modelled or allowed for in the original Elmsbrook planning.
We presented the findings of this firstly to A2 and residents in November-December 2018, and then to a larger panel including OCC Highways, CDC planning, the school, the PTA, and local councillors, in January 2019. Unfortunately, the one party that needed to engage with us wouldn’t recognize the problem – CDC Planning. So, we undertook to do our own traffic surveys (annually, ish!), and our own modelling of the school’s growth year-on-year, and parking/traffic issues from this.
ETPG presented again to OCC Highways, later in 2019, and they concurred with our findings. But, unfortunately, the team “forgot” about this in more recent years…
ETPG presented again to CDC Planning – on behalf of the Eco Business Centre and School together – in September 2020. This time CDC acknowledged the issues and causes, and promised to put some effort into it – but nothing came of this. And by the time of the Firethorn Planning Inquiry in 2023, while CDC councillors all recognized the issues, CDC Planning would not.
ETPG provided responses for all 3 stages of public consultation for the Firethorn Planning application in 2022-3. We then led a consortium of 8 local groups as a ‘Rule 6’ party for the June 2023 Planning Inquiry.
We also commented at the consultation for the B4100/A4095 junction modifications due Feb 2024 to Feb 2025 – especially highlighting the lack of sufficient modelling: by not including all future developments (as best as they’re knowable, predicting the future…), and not including simulations of the local traffic in Elmsbrook and these estates, including traffic light additions at e.g. the Charlotte Avenue junction, we concluded that the decision making could/would be flawed. We were ignored by OCC Highways. Since that work started, we have fed back already re the traffic queues, accidents already, and breaking night time noise levels in the work.
The Future?
ETPG will continue to exist as a “loose collective” – pulling together when needed for a particular issue. We are also very grateful for Elmsbrook’s own Bicester Bike Users Group (BBUG) team members, for support an collaboration with us on all Elmsbrook traffic issues – they tend to focus on the cycling and pedestrian aspects, while we focus on the vehicle and parking aspects, and we review and combine!
We will continue to survey traffic annually, and assess the school drop-off/collect parking and are currently working on a draft “strategy paper” which we hope residents, school and A2 will sign up to – to best work together to make things work as best as can be, for all.
We will continue to write annually to OCC Highways, CDC Planning and local councillors, showing the continuing trends of traffic/parking, and remind them of the targets set by the Planning Inquiry for 2031 – and their obligations to fulfil them (including LTN1/20 commitments) from the funding they receive for it.
We will also work proactively regarding the Detailed Design planning stages for Firethorn and the Outline and Detailed Design stages for Hawkswell Village – the other (much larger) development directly impacting Elmsbrook in the near future.
