Lorry park risks more cycling accidents involving children, warns …

Mill Lane in Old Marston and, inset, Cllr Mary Clarkson (Image: Google/Oxford City Council)

Plans that would see an increase HGV movements in a community would risk children's safety and run counter to the council's policy of eliminating road accidents, a councillor said.

R V Arts Ltd is applying to Oxford^[1] City Council to vary its goods operators licence to keep 10 goods vehicles and 10 trailers at Hill Farm on Mill Lane in Old Marston.

City councillor in the Marston ward Mary Clarkson said the increased HGV traffic would risk adding to the accidents that have already happened involving children cycling to school.

She said: "Both Mill Lane and Oxford Road are key routes to school for many children in Old Marston.

"Oxford Road is narrow with chicanes and there have been a number of cycling accidents involving children cycling to school. An increase in HGV traffic along this road would greatly increase this danger.

"In April 2023, Oxford City Council signed up to a new safety standard for construction vehicles to reduce collisions between HGVs and other road users.

"Although the HGVs planned for the Mill Lane Site would not necessarily be construction vehicles, the danger would be the same.

"Oxfordshire County^[2] Council also has a commitment to Vision Zero to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from road collisions. To allow this application to go ahead would run completely counter to both these policies.

"The road is completely unsuitable for heavy vehicles."

Oxford Mail: Marston councillor Mary Clarkson

Ms Clarkson added that the extra movement of lorries would also add to damage being caused to the area's important heritage buildings.

She said: "The only route from the site at the top of Mill Lane to Elsfield Road and to Oxford Road involves a tight S-bend at the historic core of Old Marston where some of its key listed buildings are situated - Cromwell’s House, The Manor House, Cross Farmhouse and Alan Court.