Template Letter of Objection V6

[Template letter of Objection v6]

Your Name
AND
Your Full postal address
including postcodes

To:

AND c.c.

nrobinson@oxford.gov.uk

Dear Oxford City Council Planning Committee Members,
Planning Application: 18/01173/FUL Harlow Centre and Swan School
I strongly object to the proposals to build a motor vehicle access road to the new Swan School across the Marston Ferry Road cycle tracks. A cycle and pedestrian subway should be constructed below this access road. I am aware that many pupils attending the Cherwell School make daily use of the Marston Ferry Road cycle path, as do staff members. With the possibility that the Swan School may share sixth form facilities with the Cherwell School at some point in the future, the cycle track may also be of importance for pupils and staff commuting between the two schools, both between lessons and at the beginning and end of the school day.

The cycle path is a key resource for encouraging drivers out of their cars and onto cycles and thus helping cut pollution and assist the City’s drive to improve air quality.
Researchers at the universities of Oxford and Bath have found that the health cost impact of the nitrogen dioxide and particulates released by a single diesel car being driven in a city centre can be as high as £16,424. The study found that pollution from cars and vans of all types cause almost £6bn of damage to our health every year.
For these reasons, I would like the Planning Committee to impose a requirement of grade separation – specifically an underpass for cyclists and pedestrians – at the point of any access road to the Swan School across the Marston Ferry Road cycle track.
More Specifically my reasons for this condition on the planning application to be required are:

1. This well-established traffic-free cycle route is Oxfordshire’s premier cycle route. It is a major factor in Cherwell School achieving 89% of students cycling, walking and travelling by bus to school – levels that planners aspire that Swan School should also try to meet.
2. I object that Raymund Road has not been properly considered as the main vehicle access to the proposed new Swan School.
3. I object to the inadequate junction of the Marston Ferry Road cycle track with the School Lane alleyway to St Nicholas School. At the end of the day, parents and children from St Nicholas presently turn left to cross the cycle path and conflict with the majority of secondary school students who turn right towards Oxford Road (service road), Marston. With the addition of 1,200 Swan school pupils, conflict between pedestrians and cycle users at this junction is likely to significantly increase. Proper provision for cycles and pedestrians should be made here as part of the overall transport plan in this planning application.
4. I object to the lack of formal cycle & pedestrian crossing facilities across Oxford Road (South) towards the proposed cycle tracks on Cherwell Drive. This demonstrates that there is no joined up thinking by the Highways Planning Department and Swan school developers could be reasonably expected to make a contribution towards community infrastructure at this location.
5. I object to the illegal use of the pelican pedestrian crossing of Marston Ferry Road between new & old Marston, by cycles. The crossing should be converted to a “Toucan” crossing as part of the overall transport plan for this planning application, so that Swan school cyclists can cross the 40 mph road safely and legally.
6. I object to the lack of provision of traffic-free paths and cycle paths to the new Swan School as part of an active travel policy in the area. Most students will be living within 2-5 miles of the school, a distance that should be cycled, if not walked. Insufficient traffic free paths will deter cycling and walking.
New paths should be created in a westerly & southern direction from St. Nicholas school along the existing bridle path adjacent to Marston Brook, to the rear of Arlington Drive, to link to the Croft Rd recreation ground and “The Meadows” cycle paths at Ferry Road.

New routes should be created to Old Marston Village from the Marston Ferry Road cycle tracks, via the Victoria Arms pub.

A new 2.2 mile cycle route should be created to the New Barton Park catchment area to the Swan School, using existing traffic-free and “low flow” residential roads, to deter escorted motor vehicle trips to the new school.

7. I seriously object to the lack of workplace car parking on and off site of the new Swan School.
8. I object to application proposal of “park & stride” that teachers without on-site car parking should use Marston Ferry Road and other residential roads in the vicinity of the St Nicholas primary school to park. Insufficient on site staff parking will encourage on street parking in Old Marston & New Marston, in particular Raymund Road. It is admitted by the developers in their Traffic Assessment document, that this cost cutting policy will encourage “park & stride”: the concept of parking outside neighbourhood homes and walking the last leg to work.
9.I object to the exclusivity of teacher parking. Most other workers including public sector workers in the NHS & Local Government in Oxford are expected to use Park & Ride services. This should also be the case for all the New Swan School staff.
10. I object that the developers have not provided additional off-site parking and a dedicated P&R bus service. There are easily sufficient workers in the “Cherwell Schools Corridor” to support a dedicated bus service from Thornhill to Peartree via Marston Ferry Road.
12. I object to the jumbled design of the school entrance. The present design is a jumble of transport modes that predisposes conflict. Motor vehicles, pedestrians, buses and cycles are all mixed together, near a junction of a major 40 mph road.
There is no case for motor vehicles to mix with pedestrians or cycles.
· There is a poor case that staff vehicles should mix with school buses.
· There is no case for pedestrian school pupils to mix with cycle users.
· There is certainly no case for bus users to alight into the path of cycles.
The design of the Swan School entrance repeats all the familiar design errors of the 1950s Cherwell School.
The transport modes should be clearly separated with separate entrances for:
· Staff cars (if any are planned for on-site).
· School Buses (St Nicholas School use Oxford Road (South)
· HGV Service vehicles
· Pedestrians
· Cycle users

Pedestrians should enter on a dedicated footpath and lead directly into the main school building, not through a bus interchange, the bike sheds, and across the school car park, but along an attractive, calming, environmentally enhanced area.

Cycle users should come from a well designed, dedicated, continuous cycle tracks,
that enhances leaving the school premises at the end of the day.

The cycle route should enter one end of the secure cycle parking shelters, allowing users to park and securely lock their cycles, then proceed on foot, away from oncoming cycles, towards the main school building on footpaths.

Bus passengers should be able to alight the buses without fear of being run over by cycles on a shared footway, onto a footpath that leads to the school.
Staff car parking should be discouraged and should be located a long walk to the school buildings, preferably past the school (meals) waste bins.

HGV Service vehicles should use a “back” entrance, away from vulnerable road users.
All HGVs used on the school site to be accredited to the “FORS Gold Standard.”

11. I object to the jumbled design of the school entrance. It is not conducive to arriving at an inspiring place of learning. Better design of the students’ pedestrian and cycling entranceways are required.The present design is a jumble of transport modes that predisposes conflict. Motor vehicles, pedestrians, buses and cycles are all mixed together, near a junction of a major 40 mph road.
There is no case for motor vehicles to mix with, or cross, flows of pedestrians or cycles.
· There is a poor case that staff vehicles should mix with school buses.
· There is no case for pedestrian school pupils to mix with cycle users.
· There is certainly no case for bus users to alight into the path of cycles.
The design of the Swan School entrance repeats all the familiar design errors of the 1950s Cherwell School. The transport modes should be clearly separated with separate entrances for:
· Staff cars (if any are planned for on site).
· School Buses
· Service vehicles
· Pedestrians
· Cycle users
Pedestrians should come off from a footpath and lead directly into the main school building, not through a bus interchange, the bike sheds, and across the school car park - but along an attractive, calming, environmentally enhanced area.
Cycle users should enter the school on a well designed cycle track that enhances leaving the school premises at the end of the day, approach one end of the secure cycle parking shelters, park and securely lock their cycles, then proceed on foot, away from oncoming cycles, towards the main school building on footpaths.
Bus passengers should be able to alight the buses without fear of being run over by cycles on a shared footway, onto a footpath that leads to the school.
Staff car parking should be discouraged and should be located a long walk to the school buildings, preferably past the school (meals) waste bins.
HGV Service vehicles should use a “back” entrance, away from vulnerable road users.
All HGVs attending the school site should meet FORS Gold standard for cycle safety

13. I object to the lack of student cycle parking. For high rate of cycle use by pupils, there needs to be 110% cycle parking places available to the capacity of the school. This is based on the experience of The Cherwell School cycle parking provision. Cycle parking needs to be convenient & adjacent to the main school building entrance, overlooked, and located to deter organised theft.
14. I support the provision of suitable staff cycle parking. Worker cycle parking places needs to be at 40% of staff numbers (if there is car parking) or 110% if none. This allows staff to park & cycle. Staff cycle parking provision needs to be “super secure” to an adequate standard to deter the theft of £3000-worth of “Bike to Work scheme” electric bicycles.
I ask that you reject the planning application in its current form and suggest the developers provide a cycle subway on the Marston Ferry Road cycle track, below the access road into the school premises.
Yours faithfully,
Your name