A new programme of “quiet lanes” is set to be introduced across Oxfordshire following approval by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 19 May, aiming to make rural and minor roads safer and more pleasant for walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding.
The pilot scheme will see designated roads where motor traffic is restricted, reducing through-traffic and lowering vehicle speeds. The initiative is designed to improve safety, reduce the risk and severity of collisions, and create calmer environments on quieter routes, while still maintaining access for residents, farmers, businesses and emergency services.
Oxfordshire already has several quiet lanes in place, but the new approach represents an enhancement of existing Department for Transport policy. Rather than relying solely on signage, the county’s model will incorporate physical measures intended to deliver stronger reductions in traffic volumes and speeds.
New quiet lanes will only be introduced where there is clear local support and where suitable alternative routes are available for motor traffic.
Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said quiet lanes are intended to ensure local roads better serve the communities that live alongside them, rather than acting as cut-throughs for traffic.
“This new approach will help us to prioritise walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding, and give us a clear and consistent way to provide quiet lanes where there is strong local support,” she said. “We will use evidence to make sure schemes are safe, effective and sensitive to their surroundings. By piloting schemes first, we can get them right before any permanent decisions are made.”
She added that the council looks forward to working with parish and town councils and local councillors to develop the locally led programme.
Under the pilot, new quiet lanes will typically include physical measures such as gates and bollards to prevent through-traffic, alongside quiet lane signage and reduced speed limits, usually set at 20mph. The council says overall journey times for drivers are expected to be only slightly affected, as schemes will only be introduced where suitable alternative routes already exist.
Each proposed scheme will be subject to statutory consultation and delivered through experimental traffic regulation orders (ETROs), allowing measures to be trialled in practice. This approach will enable evidence to be gathered and designs refined before any permanent decisions are taken.
The council will now work with parish and town councils, along with local councillors, to identify and assess suitable routes for inclusion in the pilot programme.
