OXFORD CIVIC SOCIETY

RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION

ASPIRATIONS FOR FRIDESWIDE SQUARE

May 2010

Oxford Civic Society welcomes the proposals to improve Frideswide Square within the Transform Oxford project. The Society's aspirations for the Square are as follows:
 
a. The Square should be transformed so as to be perceived more as a public space and less of a thoroughfare. It is a major gateway to Oxford for people from near and far, and its form should reflect that function. Measures should be applied to ensure that motor traffic congestion within the Square and on feeder streets is reduced.
 
b. There are considerable environmental issues in the streets adjoining the Square and modifications to the Square should help those other issues to be resolved. In particular, changes to the Square should assist improving the environments of Botley Road and Hythe Bridge Street.
 
c. The changes should enable some of the lost bus links to/from the station to be re-established.
 
d. The changes to the Square should relate to enlargement of both north and south ends of the station and anticipate growth in flows to and from the station, and increased servicing of an enlarged station, as well as increased numbers of people visiting the square and adjacent properties as developments take place.
 
e. The forthcoming replacement pedestrian bridge across Botley Road should be exploited so as to make it easier for people going to and from the station to choose Park End Street as an alternative to Hythe Bridge Street where appropriate. This will require a substantial re-signing of the station and Square environs to assist pedestrians and cyclists. The pedestrian desire line to the city centre along Hythe Bridge Street and George Street should also be improved.
 
f. The changes should be accompanied by measures enabling cyclists to use welcoming alternatives to Hythe Bridge Street. Two routeing options which are considered would help this are:

• Cycle links between the station and north Oxford could be achieved by creating the suggested pedestrian/cycle route via Rewley Road and a new crossing of the waterways to Jericho, the forthcoming Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, and areas to the north.

• Cycle links between the station and east Oxford could be achieved by engineering a cycle route from The Plain via Longwall, Holywell, Broad Street, George Street, Worcester Street (south) and Park End Street.
   

g. The design should prevent cyclists in the Square and hurrying for trains from feeling that their only option for an uninterrupted journey is to cycle in pedestrian space.

Oxford Civic Society

May 2010