news: ITP and PJA join forces on high-profile Oxford city centre study
Thursday 21st September 2017
ITP is delighted to team up with urban design experts Phil Jones Associates to undertake a movement and public realm study for Oxford city centre on behalf of Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council.
This study will inform the new Oxford City Council Local Plan, which will contain a strategy for development of the city up to 2036, and help inform a future update of Oxfordshire County Council’s Oxford Transport Strategy.
It is anticipated that within the plan period there will be significant growth with the Oxford City Council administrative area and also in surrounding Oxfordshire districts. The study therefore aims to develop a strategy for city centre transport and public realm to ensure it is served by adequate infrastructure, and that these challenges do not compromise local quality of life or the city centre’s unique environment.
The city centre is a globally-renowned place for learning and a draw for international tourism, so the public realm strategy needs to be fit for this iconic environment. As part of the project we will review both the City and County Councils’ visions for growth, and how transport movements can be managed to support its continuing success while improving the experience for residents, workers, businesses, visitors and students.
Despite existing high mode shares for public transport, walking and cycling; the local authorities seeks to grow use of these modes further as a practical mechanism for accommodating the travel demands associated with large volumes of people in a constrained, historic environment.
PJA and ITP will review traffic data, pedestrian footfall, public transport routes and future development plans to inform the vision for Oxford City Centre for years to come.
The key to the project will be achieving a fine balance between a city centre that is accessible by public transport and open to vital freight movements, while defining pleasant and safe places for people to walk and cycle. The implications of emerging technologies such as automated vehicles and e-bikes will also be carefully considered.
PJA and ITP are a perfect match for each other, with shared competencies in traffic and transport modelling matched by individual specialist experience of developing effective public realm schemes and urban public transport strategies. For more information on this project please get in touch.